A plate of Elote Corn Ribs (riblets) topped with cheese and herbs
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Cut corn cobs on a cutting board with a knife
Corn riblets stacked on the cutting board
All the seasonings in a bowl
a bowl of mixed seasoning with a lime and grater
a bowl of mayo mixture with a grater and garlic sitting on top
a bowl of corn riblets mixed with oil and seasoning
corn riblets on a grill pan
grilled corn on the grill pan
corn and lime halves on a grill
cooked corn, mixed with mayo mixture on a platter
bowl of finished elote corn ribs topped with cheese and herbs
A plate of Elote Corn Ribs (riblets) topped with cheese and herbs

Elote Corn Ribs Recipe (Riblets)

This elote corn ribs recipe is actually Mexican street corn riblets. Such a fun side dish or appetizer.
5 from 1 vote
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 16 minutes
Total Time 31 minutes
Course Sides
Cuisine Mexican
Servings 4 Served
Calories 88 cal

Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.

Ingredients
 
 

  • 2 Ears corn, shucked and cut into ribs (see notes)
  • 1 Tbsp. Canola oil
  • 1/2 Tsp. Elote Seasoning (see below)
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 Limes, halved
  • 2 Tbsp. Lite Mayonnaise
  • 2 Tbsp. Lite Sour Cream or Fat-Free Greek yogurt
  • 1 Small clove garlic, grated
  • 2 Tbsp. Part-skim Cotija cheese, crumbled
  • 2 Tbsp. Fresh cilantro, flat leaf parsley or basil, finely chopped
  • Cooking Spray

ELOTE SEASONING

  • 1 1/2 Tbsp. Smoked paprika
  • 1/2 Tbsp. Granulated Garlic or Garlic blend seasoning
  • 1 Tbsp. Ground cumin
  • 1 Tbsp. Guajillo Chili powder
  • 1 Tbsp. Chipotle powder
  • 1 Tbsp. Brown Sugar
  • 1 Tbsp. Lime zest
  • 1 Tsp. Flaky sea salt

Instructions
 

  • Make the elote seasoning. Mix everything is a small bowl and put to the side.
  • Next, stir the mayonnaise, sour cream or yogurt, grated garlic and a pinch of salt and pepper in a small bowl until evenly combined. Put in the fridge until ready to use.
  • To prepare the corn ribs: Shuck your corn. Then, using a large, very sharp chef’s knife, cut off the ends of the corn cobs to make them flat. Next, cut the cobs in half crosswise. Stand a cob section on one flat end and carefully and slowly cut down through the core cutting the cob into half again lengthwise. (See tips in notes on the best way to do this.) Next, place a half, cob side down, on the cutting board and cut lengthwise through the cob creating two riblets out of each half.  Repeat with the remaining cob halves. (You should have 16 corn riblets.) 
  • Put the corn ribs in a large bowl and toss with the oil and one teaspoon of the elite seasoning. Sprinkle with a little salt and a few grinds of black pepper. Spray your grill pan with cooking spray and heat over medium-high heat until really hot.
  • You can cook the corn ribs on an outdoor grill or on a grill pan on the stove top. I made this batch on a grill pan. After you spray and heat the grill pan with cooking spray,  arrange the corn ribs with a cut side down.  Cook for about 2 minutes until they start to get grill marks and are dark in spots and the edges start to curl slightly.   Flip to the other cut side and grill for another 2 minutes. Finally, grill them on the kernal side for another 2 minutes.  The corn kernels will still be crisp but warm with brown spots.
  • Add the cut lime, cut side down on the grill pan and grill for about 10 minutes. Just add them on the side of the grill pan during the last couple of minutes of cooking.
  • Add the cooked corn ribs to a large bowl and add the mayo mix. Toss to coat everything. Place the corn ribs on a platter and top with the crumbed cotija and chopped herb (s) of your choice. Squeeze the grilled limes over the ribs and enjoy.

Nutrition

Calories: 88calCarbohydrates: 10gProtein: 2gFat: 6gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0.01gSodium: 72mgPotassium: 273mgFiber: 4gSugar: 5gVitamin A: 3874IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 64mgIron: 4mg
Keyword sides, vegetables
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