Elote dip, also known as Mexican street corn dip, is a creamy, cheesy, and slightly spicy condiment that goes well with a variety of foods. It’s made from staple Mexican ingredients like mayonnaise, Cotija cheese, lime juice, chili powder, and cilantro. The rich, savory flavor of elote dip pairs deliciously with chips, vegetables, chicken, fish, tacos, burritos, quesadillas, and more. Let’s explore all the different ways to enjoy elote dip!
Using Elote Dip as a Taco Topping
One of the most popular ways to enjoy elote dip is drizzled over tacos. The creaminess helps balance out the other taco fillings while adding a tangy, cheesy flavor. To make elote tacos:
- Cook protein like chicken, steak, shrimp, pork carnitas, chorizo, etc.
- Warm corn or flour tortillas on the stove or in the oven.
- Fill tortillas with protein, shredded lettuce, diced tomatoes, shredded cheese, etc.
- Top with a generous drizzle of elote dip.
The elote dip ties all the taco flavors together into one delicious bite. Try out different protein fillings and taco toppings to create your perfect combo.
Using as a Burrito or Quesadilla Filling
In addition to tacos, elote dip can make a flavorful filling for burritos and quesadillas. Simply spread a few tablespoons of the dip onto a tortilla before adding other fillings. Some delicious options include:
- Chicken, black beans, rice, lettuce, pico de gallo
- Steak, peppers, onions, cheese, avocado
- Shrimp, cabbage slaw, cotija cheese
- Roasted veggie mix, rice, spinach
The creaminess of the elote dip adds moisture and brings all the fillings together. After assembling your burrito or quesadilla, cook on the stove or in the oven until the tortilla is warm and crispy.
Dipping Tortilla Chips
One of the easiest ways to enjoy elote dip is with tortilla chips! Simply grab a bag of your favorite chips and use them to scoop up the flavorful dip. The combination of creamy, spicy, and salty flavors is hard to beat. Try these chip and dip ideas:
- Classic tortilla chips
- Spicy chili-lime chips
- Blue corn or multigrain chips
- Restaurant-style tortilla chips
For variety, set up a dipping station with elote dip, guacamole, salsa, and bean dip for people to customize their chips. The possibilities are endless!
Topping Enchiladas
Enchiladas coated in elote dip make for a delicious Mexican-inspired meal. Simply fill corn tortillas with shredded chicken, ground beef, or cheese. Roll up and place in a baking dish seam-side down. Cover with elote dip and any other desired toppings like enchilada sauce, extra cheese, cilantro, etc. Bake at 350°F until heated through and golden on top. The rich elote dip adds tons of flavor as the enchiladas bake, resulting in a creamy, cheesy dish.
Using as a Sauce on Meats or Vegetables
In addition to Mexican foods, elote dip makes a tasty sauce for all kinds of proteins and veggies. Drizzle it over the following for added flavor:
- Grilled chicken or shrimp
- Baked salmon or tilapia
- Roasted cauliflower or broccoli
- Sauteed mushrooms or zucchini
The creaminess pairs well with lighter foods and helps add interest. For chicken or fish, you can also mix some of the dip into breadcrumbs before baking or frying. Feel free to get creative with how you incorporate it into meals!
Serving as a Salad Topper
In addition to entrees, elote dip can make salads more exciting. Try spooning it over taco salads, chicken salads, or even simple green salads. The rich flavor elevates the vegetables and proteins. Here are some salad ideas:
- Taco salad with ground beef, lettuce, tomatoes, cheese, tortilla strips
- BBQ chicken salad with corn, black beans, avocado
- Shrimp salad with cucumbers, cherry tomatoes, cotija cheese
- Simple greens with carrots, cabbage, pepitas
Feel free to add other mix-ins like beans, corn, cilantro, pepitas, and tortilla strips. The elote dip ties everything together into a creamy, hearty salad.
Using as a Nacho Topping
For movie night, top nachos with elote dip for a fun twist. To make elote nachos:
- Layer tortilla chips on a baking sheet.
- Top with cheese, beans, salsa, etc.
- Bake until cheese is melted.
- Remove and drizzle elote dip over the top.
- Garnish with cilantro, jalapeños, etc.
The rich, creamy elote dip takes plain nachos up a notch. Feel free to customize with your favorite toppings like guacamole, sour cream, olives, and diced tomatoes for a fully loaded snack.
Pairing with Grilled Corn
For the full elote experience, try pairing your dip with grilled corn on the cob. Simply brush husked corn with oil or butter and grill until lightly charred. Then serve the corn slathered with elote dip, a squeeze of lime, and a sprinkle of chili powder. The smoky sweetness of the corn balances perfectly with the creamy, cheesy dip. It’s a match made in Mexican street food heaven!
Using as a Pizza Topping
Pizza night will get taken up a notch with elote dip added to the mix. Simply spread the dip over the pizza crust before adding other toppings. Some delicious ideas include:
- Chicken, spinach, and elote dip
- Caramelized onions, roasted peppers, and elote dip
- Chorizo, pico de gallo, and elote dip
- Pulled pork, pineapple, and elote dip
The creaminess helps bring all the flavors together for each tasty bite. Feel free to get creative with your own elote pizza combinations!
Serving with Seafood
In addition to corn, elote dip pairs well with other types of seafood. Use it as a topping for fish tacos, shrimp quesadillas, or ceviche tostadas. Some fun recipes to try include:
- Baja fish tacos with slaw and elote dip
- Tequila lime shrimp fajitas with elote dip
- Ceviche tostadas with elote drizzle
- Seafood enchiladas topped with elote dip
The rich creaminess helps cut through the brininess of seafood. Add some zip with hot sauce or diced chilies for the perfect flavor combo.
Mixing into Rice
Incorporate elote dip into rice dishes for a creamy, cheesy twist. Simply fold a few spoonfuls into the rice before serving. It pairs especially well with Mexican rice flavors like:
- Cilantro lime rice
- Spanish rice
- Rice with corn and peppers
You can serve the rice mixture on its own or use it to fill burritos, top enchiladas, stuff peppers, etc. The flavored rice makes a complete meal without needing much else.
Making Elote Pasta
Transform basic pasta into a flavor-packed dish with the addition of elote dip. Simply toss hot cooked pasta with a few heaping spoonfuls of the cheesy dip until thoroughly coated. Sprinkle with extra cotija cheese and cilantro for the full effect. Some pasta shape ideas include:
- Penne or rigatoni
- Farfalle or rotelle
- Fusilli or gemelli
- Wagon wheel pasta
For a heartier meal, add proteins like chicken, shrimp, or sausage. The creaminess of the elote dip coats each pasta piece in deliciousness.
Using as a Tostada Topping
For a fun finger food, top tostada shells with elote dip and other tasty toppings. Simply spread each shell with refried beans, then layer on the dip, lettuce, tomatoes, cheese, and anything else you love. Some combo ideas include:
- Ground beef, elote dip, lettuce, pico de gallo
- Shredded chicken, elote dip, cabbage, avocado
- Refried beans, elote dip, peppers, onions, cotija
- Black beans, elote dip, corn, zucchini, cilantro
Feel free to customize each bite with hot sauce, lime juice, or other add-ins to take these handheld tostadas over the top.
Making Elote Deviled Eggs
For a fun spin on a classic appetizer, whip up elote deviled eggs. To make them:
- Hard boil eggs and slice in half lengthwise.
- Scoop yolks into a bowl; mix in elote dip and seasonings.
- Spoon or pipe the filling back into the egg whites.
- Garnish with cilantro, chili powder, cotija cheese, etc.
The rich, creamy filling gets a punch of flavor from the elote dip. It’s sure to be a hit at your next gathering or potluck.
Stirring into Guacamole
Level up basic guacamole by folding in a few spoonfuls of elote dip. The creaminess helps give it a smooth, ultra velvety texture. Make it as mild or spicy as you like by adjusting the amount of jalapeños and hot sauce you add. Serve with tortilla chips for dipping or load up on tacos and tostadas.
Making Elote Potato Salad
Potato salad gets aMexican makeover when you incorporate elote flavors. To make it, simply prepare potato salad as desired, then fold in elote dip to taste. Top with extras like:
- Diced bell peppers
- Corn
- Black beans
- Cotija cheese
- Cilantro
- Chili powder
The cool, creamy potato salad base pairs perfectly with the rich and spicy elote dip. It’s sure to be a hit at your next barbecue or potluck.
Spreading on Sandwiches
In addition to Mexican dishes, use elote dip as a flavor-packed sandwich spread. Simply smear some on the bread before layering on other fillings. Some delicious combos include:
- Pulled pork, coleslaw, elote spread
- Chicken salad sandwich with elote spread
- Veggie sandwich with avocado and elote spread
- BLT with elote spread
The creaminess adds moistness while the chili, lime, and cheese infuse tons of big flavor. Take your lunch to the next level with this easy sandwich hack.
Using as a Breakfast Topping
Wake up to new and exciting flavors by incorporating elote dip into breakfast. Dollop it over classics like:
- Avocado toast
- Breakfast tacos or burritos
- Huevos rancheros
- Breakfast nachos
- Hash with potatoes, peppers, onions, etc.
The spicy creaminess elevates basics like eggs and potatoes into a tasty morning meal. Try mixing some into scramble mixes too for a kick of flavor.
Conclusion
Elote dip is endlessly versatile, pairing well with everything from tacos to tostadas, enchiladas to egg dishes. Its unique creamy, spicy, tangy flavor profile livens up proteins, starches, vegetables, and more. Keep a batch in the fridge to instantly elevate snacks and meals. With so many delicious ways to enjoy it, the possibilities are endless for making anytime fiesta time with elote dip!
