Cinco de Mayo Street Corn (Printable)

Tortillas stuffed with roasted corn, cheese, and smoky chipotle crema for a flavorful Mexican-inspired dish.

# What You Need:

→ Vegetables

01 - 2 cups corn kernels, fresh or frozen and thawed
02 - 1 small red onion, finely diced
03 - 1 jalapeño, seeded and finely chopped
04 - 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped
05 - 1 lime, cut into wedges for serving

→ Dairy

06 - 2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese
07 - 1/2 cup crumbled Cotija cheese, plus extra for garnish
08 - 1 cup sour cream

→ Spices and Pantry

09 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
10 - 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
11 - 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
12 - 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
13 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
14 - 8 medium flour tortillas

→ Chipotle Crema

15 - 1/2 cup sour cream
16 - 1 to 2 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, finely chopped
17 - 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
18 - 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
19 - Pinch of salt

# Directions:

01 - Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add corn kernels and cook, stirring occasionally, until lightly charred, approximately 4 to 5 minutes.
02 - Add red onion and jalapeño to the skillet. Sauté for 2 to 3 minutes until softened. Stir in smoked paprika, cumin, chili powder, salt, and pepper. Remove from heat and mix in cilantro and Cotija cheese.
03 - In a small bowl, whisk together sour cream, chipotle peppers, lime juice, garlic powder, and salt until smooth. Set aside.
04 - Lay out 4 tortillas and evenly distribute half of the Monterey Jack cheese over each. Top with the corn mixture, then sprinkle with remaining cheese. Place remaining tortillas on top, pressing gently.
05 - Heat a clean skillet or griddle over medium heat. Cook each quesadilla for 2 to 3 minutes per side, or until golden brown and the cheese is melted.
06 - Slice quesadillas into wedges. Drizzle with chipotle crema and garnish with extra Cotija cheese and fresh cilantro. Serve with lime wedges.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The charred corn stays sweet and tender while the cheese gets impossibly gooey, creating this textural contrast that keeps you coming back for another wedge.
  • Chipotle crema tastes fancy enough to serve guests but comes together in under a minute with ingredients most people already have.
  • You can prep the corn mixture ahead of time and assemble quesadillas whenever hunger strikes, making it perfect for weeknight dinners or casual entertaining.
02 -
  • Don't skip the charring step on the corn—that caramelization is where the depth comes from, and it only takes 5 minutes but transforms the entire dish.
  • If your quesadillas are browning too fast but the cheese isn't melting, lower the heat slightly and cover the skillet with a lid for a minute to trap steam inside.
03 -
  • Toast your tortillas lightly before assembling so they're more pliable and less likely to tear when you flip the quesadilla—30 seconds per side on a dry skillet makes a huge difference.
  • Make the chipotle crema up to a day ahead and store it in an airtight container; the flavors actually deepen as it sits, so it's one of those rare make-ahead components that improves with time.
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