This Mexican Street Corn Dip will be the talk of the party! Made with charred corn, a spicy and cheesy sauce, and a ton of flavor-packed toppings, it’ll easily become your new favorite summer snack.
Make it a party to remember by pairing this street corn dip with even more creamy vegan dips! Try my almost addictive Vegan Spinach Artichoke Dip, my game day-ready Vegan Buffalo Chicken Dip, and this easy-to-love Vegan 7 Layer Dip.
I know this Dairy Free Mexican Street Corn Dip looks almost too good to eat, but trust me—once you dunk your first tortilla chip into the luxurious, zesty, spicy, sweet, and cheesy dip, you won’t be able to stop.
Elotes (or Mexican street corn), a popular Mexican street food that slathers grilled corn on the cob with crema, cotija cheese, cilantro, and ground chipotle pepper, was the inspiration for this recipe. My dip is far from authentic and uses dairy-free substitutes, but it still captures the irresistible mix of flavors of the original thanks to the sweet and juicy charred corn, a creamy, bold, and zesty cashew sauce, and plenty of vegan cheese.
Best of all, it’s easy and fun to make in less than one hour! Charring the corn is my favorite part. Plus, I love seeing the slightly blackened kernels peek out of the dip with every scoop.
Why you should bring this corn dip to every party
- Just like real Mexican street corn – Think of this elotes-inspired dip as the deconstructed version of the popular Mexican street food. From the charred corn to the cheesy sauce to the spicy kick, you’ll have a hard time stopping after just one scoop.
- An incredibly easy vegan party snack – All you have to do is char the corn, blend the cashew sauce, combine everything in a dish, and bake! Just like my Vegan Jalapeno Popper Dip, it’s a fuss-free recipe you’ll want to make again and again.
- A summer staple – This creamy dip has everything you could want in a summer snack—grilled corn on the cob, eye-catching colors, and layers of zesty, spicy, sweet, and smoky flavors.
How to make vegan Mexican street corn dip
Find the complete printable recipe with measurements below in the recipe card.
Heat a cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Once hot, add the ears of corn and cook until they’re charred on all sides. Remove them from the skillet and set them aside to cool before carefully cutting off the kernels with a sharp knife. Transfer the charred corn kernels to a bowl and set aside.
Grill the corn on the cob instead: Place the shucked ears of corn on a preheated outdoor grill and cook for about 3 minutes per side or until the kernels are charred in some spots.
Next, soak the cashews in boiling water for 5 minutes (or soak them overnight to save time).
Drain the soaked cashews and add them to a blender with the fresh water, lime juice, salt, garlic powder, and hot sauce. Blend until very smooth.
Pour the blended cashew sauce into a baking dish. Stir in most of the charred corn kernels, vegan cheese, and chopped jalapeño.
Bake the street corn dip until it’s hot and bubbly. Take it out of the oven and top with the chopped red onion, cilantro, vegan feta, Tajin, and reserved charred corn.
Scoop up the hot dip with tortilla chips, corn chips, or chopped vegetables and enjoy!
Frequently asked questions
Yes, both canned corn and frozen corn kernels work as substitutes for fresh corn. Drain the canned corn or thaw the frozen corn, and dry the kernels with paper towels before charring them in the pan. Use about 3 cups.
You can sear the corn in a large non-stick skillet or a grill pan instead. Charring the corn on an outdoor grill or over a gas range will also work.
I won’t lie, this dip does have a kick! The hot sauce and the diced jalapeño pepper in the cashew sauce give this dip a mild to medium amount of heat. Removing the seeds and veins from inside the jalapeño will make it less spicy, but if you don’t like spicy food, omit the jalapeño and/or hot sauce from the recipe.
Or, if you LOVE heat, top the dip with pickled jalapeño slices, stir extra hot sauce into the sauce, or swap the jalapeños for serrano peppers.
I haven’t tested it, but an equal amount of blanched almonds should work as a substitute for the cashews.
Yes, you should be okay to assemble and bake the dip up to a day before serving. Don’t add the toppings until right before it’s time to eat.
You can also char the corn and blend the creamy cashew sauce about 3 days before baking the dip. Keep them both covered and in the fridge until you’re ready to assemble and bake the dip.
I haven’t tried freezing this street corn dip (it’s so good, I never end up with leftovers), but it should freeze well for up to 3 months. Keep it in a freezer-safe container, then thaw it in the fridge overnight before reheating it in the oven.
Mexican Street Corn Dip (Dairy Free)
Ingredients
- 4 ears corn shucked
- 2 cups raw cashews
- 1 1/2 cups water
- 3 tablespoons lime juice
- 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 3 tablespoons hot sauce I used Frank's Red Sauce
- 2 cups vegan cheddar cheese shreds
- 1 jalapeño pepper chopped (seeds removed for less heat)
- 2 tablespoons chopped red onion
- 1/2 cup chopped cilantro
- optional: 1/4 cup crumbled vegan feta
- 1-2 teaspoons Tajin
Instructions
- Heat a large cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add the ears of corn to the pan and cook until charred on all sides, about 10 minutes total. Remove from heat and once cool enough to handle, cut the corn off using a large sharp knife. Place in a bowl and set aside.
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
- Bring 3-4 cups of water to a boil (I use my tea kettle). Pour the hot water over the cashews and let soak for 5 minutes or up to an hour.
- Drain the cashews, discard the soaking water and add to a high-powered blender along with the fresh water, lime juice, salt, garlic powder and hot sauce. Blend until very smooth.
- Transfer the blended sauce to an oven-safe dish (a 9-inch pie dish works, or other similar dish). Mix in the corn (save a little for garnish), cheddar cheese and chopped jalapeño pepper.
- Bake in the oven for 25-30 minutes, until hot. Remove from the oven and top with chopped red onion, cilantro, optional vegan feta, some Tajin and more charred corn, if desired. Serve with tortilla chips or corn chips.
Notes
- May use about 3 cups of canned or frozen corn instead of ears of corn.
- For cashew free, use raw slivered almonds instead and soak them very well.
Another amazing recipe! Made this for the Super Bowl and it was perfect. Creamy, cheesy, comforting, and with a nice kick. Thank you, Nora!
Hi Alyssa. I’m thrilled that you loved the recipe! What a perfect choice for the Super Bowl! Thank you for taking time to share your stellar review! Wishing you happy cooking!
This recipe is so easy. Because of the time of year, I used canned, but I cannot wait to try it with corn on the cob. I doubled the recipe for our nerd game day, only a few of us are vegan but the non-vegans loved it. I made a few modifications. I measure garlic with my heart, so I knew the garlic level would not be sufficient so I used 3 tablespoons. I used 8 tablespoons of Tapatio hot sauce and I added 5 jalapenos, only 1 with seeds. We didn’t find the spice level to be too much, I don’t like heat for the sake of heat and this seemed perfect for us. This was a crowd pleaser and I’ll definitely be making it again. Thank you!!
You are welcome, Rachel! I’m so glad that you loved the recipe! You are really gonna love it with fresh corn! Thank you for sharing your recipe experience, ideas, and stellar review! What a fun snack to have for a nerd game day! I love it! Wishing you lots of happy cooking!
I made it in a crockpot for a gathering. Delicious. Everyone loved it.
Made this for a family gathering with mostly non-vegans; it was the only thing that completely disappeared! So good! I used corn from our CSA over the summer that I froze on the cob – nice taste of summer on a cold gloomy day!
Hi Kim. I am so glad everyone enjoyed the dip recipe! It sounds like you had a wonderful gathering! I appreciate you using my recipe for your event! Thank you for sharing your wonderful feedback!
Another delicious recipe! Thank you, Nora! I brought this to a family dinner and it was a hit.
You are welcome, Courtney! I’m thrilled that the corn dip was a hit at the family dinner! Thank you for your stellar review!
Another fabulous recipe! Just like other commenters, I could eat this by the spoonful! I always know if your name it attached, I will love it. Thank you!
Thank you, Linda, for your support! I’m thrilled that you loved the recipe and I appreciate you sharing your stellar review! Wishing you lots of happy cooking!
I have made this several times and it’s always amazing!!
I am thrilled that you are enjoying the recipe, Aimee! Thank you for sharing your wonderful feedback with me! Happy cooking!
Absolutely Delicious 😋
Delicious! I made this for a family gathering and it was a hit. Cashews (and Nora) win again.
Nora I would trust you with my life! I made this dip completely blind for a big party last night and it was the talk of the town. Thank you so much for this amazing recipe! No subs, pure perfection. And with all of the garnishes on top it just looks so gorgeous on a table.
Hi Kaylynn. Thank you for your support and trust in my recipes! I’m thrilled that you are loving them! Thanks for your glowing recipe review! I’m so glad the dip was a hit at the party! This dish does make a beautiful presentation! Wishing you lots of happy cooking!
Since becoming vegan years ago, I have never found a vegan cheese that I like (I generally use cashew cheese that I make). Curious to know what kind of cheese you use? Do you think I I could use a vegan cheese sauce (the cashew, mooch, red pepper, etc)?
You can just leave out the vegan shredded cheese if you don’t like it; the whole recipe is basically a homemade cheesy dip so I wouldn’t make another one. 🙂 It’s great without any added. Personally, I like Violife cheddar shreds the best.
Yes!! Congratulations on the article, I will be making that chocolate cake for my husbands birthday. Right now I’m going to try the corn dip!!!
Nora,
This was amazing!! I cut the recipe in half but it definitely was not necessary. I think we could have just eaten it by the spoonful!
Thanks for another great recipe
Nancy
Hey, I’ve been meaning to say congrats on the cooking dot ny times chocolate cake piece–well deserved!
And I’m so happy you updated your photo here.
Your recipes have been a mainstay in my household for such a long time, so thank you!
Thank YOU, Camille, for your support! I’m so glad you are enjoying my recipes. I appreciate you! Wishing you lots of happy cooking!
I have to admit I am a long time fan of your recipes. When I am searching for a recipe and you pop up, I literally say oh that’s the one it’s Nora’s😆. I agree great photo update. Thank you for sharing your gift.
Hi Kimberly. Thanks for your support and encouraging words! I am so thrilled you are loving my recipes! I appreciate your awesome review! Happy cooking!
How much fresh water for the cashews?
1 1/2 cups, as listed in the recipe. Hope that helps!
If I wanted to make it using dairy, what would I sub in place ofkristie the cashews?
This sounds amazing, thank you, can’t wait to try! I assume I could do everything (but the baking) ahead of time and throw in the oven later, don’t you think? Thanks again, we love Nora Cooks! ❤️
Hi Melinda. You will love this recipe! Yes, you should be okay to assemble and bake the dip up to a day before serving. Don’t add the toppings until right before it’s time to eat. You can also char the corn and blend the creamy cashew sauce about 3 days before baking the dip. Keep them both covered and in the fridge until you’re ready to assemble and bake the dip.