Mexican Street Corn Rice (Printable)

Fluffy rice mixed with sweet corn, cotija cheese, lime zest, and chili for a zesty, colorful dish.

# What You'll Need:

→ Grains

01 - 1 cup long-grain white rice
02 - 2 cups water
03 - 1/2 teaspoon salt

→ Vegetables

04 - 1 1/2 cups corn kernels (fresh, canned, or frozen)
05 - 2 green onions, thinly sliced
06 - 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

→ Dairy

07 - 1/2 cup cotija cheese, crumbled

→ Seasonings

08 - 1 teaspoon chili powder
09 - 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika (optional)
10 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

→ Other

11 - 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
12 - 2 tablespoons sour cream
13 - Zest of 1 lime
14 - Juice of 1 lime

# How-To Steps:

01 - Rinse the rice under cold water until the water runs clear.
02 - Combine rice, water, and salt in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil, then cover and reduce heat to low. Simmer for 15 minutes until rice is tender and water is absorbed.
03 - Heat a skillet over medium-high heat. Add corn kernels without oil and cook for 3 to 4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until lightly charred. Remove from heat.
04 - In a large bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, sour cream, lime zest, lime juice, chili powder, smoked paprika, and black pepper.
05 - Add cooked rice, charred corn, sliced green onions, and chopped cilantro to the dressing. Mix thoroughly to coat evenly.
06 - Gently fold in crumbled cotija cheese, reserving some for garnish.
07 - Adjust seasoning to taste. Garnish with remaining cotija, cilantro, and a sprinkle of chili powder before serving.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • The charred corn brings a subtle sweetness and smokiness that makes even simple rice taste exciting.
  • It comes together in just 35 minutes, which means you can have a restaurant-quality side on the table faster than you'd expect.
  • The lime and cotija cheese combination is bold enough to stand on its own but flexible enough to pair with almost anything.
02 -
  • Charring the corn in a dry skillet without oil brings out a caramelized sweetness that regular boiled or steamed corn just can't match.
  • If your rice is still warm when you mix everything, the dressing spreads more evenly and the flavors meld better than if you wait for it to cool.
  • Cotija cheese is salty by nature, so taste before adding extra salt to the dressing; it's easy to oversalt by accident.
03 -
  • Don't skip the step of charring the corn in a dry skillet; it's a small move that changes everything about the final dish.
  • Make the dressing while the rice cooks so everything comes together at the same moment and the flavors are at their brightest.
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