When late June arrives, my home turns into a corn extravaganza. We indulge in fresh, local sweet corn as much as possible, and we get creative beyond just eating it on the cob. My daughter, who wears braces, enjoys this variety. I often grab a dozen ears from the farm stand with no specific plan in mind, and we go from there spontaneously.
There’s one recipe we faithfully make at least once every summer: a delightful elote-nachos fusion. We’ve turned this dish into a cherished tradition and eagerly anticipate it all week. Who could resist nachos for dinner?
Why Mexican Street Corn Nachos Are the Best
A part of my role involves delving into the depths of Simply Recipes, which is not only enjoyable but also expands my list of “must-try” recipes. When I discovered Elise Bauer’s Mexican street corn nachos, I knew she had struck gold.
Imagine the juicy grilled corn mixed with tangy mayo, crumbly Cotija cheese, fresh cilantro, and a dash of earthy-spicy ground chiles, which are signature elements of elote. Picture transferring all this flavor from the cob to tortilla chips, swathed in a mild, creamy queso.
Elise always begins by toasting the chips briefly in the oven, which enhances their flavor and helps maintain their crispness under the toppings. What you get is a delicious array of textures: juicy corn, crunchy tortillas, and silky queso.
How I Make Elote Mashup Nachos
Over time, we’ve tailored this recipe into our own version of Mexican street corn nachos. We typically avoid dairy, so we’ve replaced Elise’s cheese-laden queso with a vegan queso recipe, omitting the carrot for a lighter color, and adding miso for extra depth of flavor.
Another key change is adding dollops of salsa and warmed, drained black beans over the chips, making it a heartier meal. We devour it right off the sheet pan like savages. My boyfriend and I can easily finish a batch, but this last time we practiced some restraint and saved leftovers, which transformed into soft, loaded chilaquiles by morning. I enjoyed them solo for breakfast.
Feel free to experiment: opt for store-bought queso, substitute crema with thinned sour cream, or use thawed frozen corn instead of fresh. Just promise to give it a try. You won’t regret it—unless you end up consuming half the pan solo.
