This tempting vegan elote recipe is a fun play on the classic Mexican street food with juicy air-fried corn-on-the-cob slathered in a hefty drizzle of aioli made with creamy vegan mayo, lime juice, and chili powder for some heat. Top that with salty vegan feta, green onions, and cilantro for a creamy, herby kick that balances the sweetness of the corn. It’s a crowd-pleasing flavor combo that comes together with the air fryer in less than 20 minutes, making it the perfect side dish for all of your summer entertaining!
What are Vegan Elotes?
Traditional elote, or street corn, is a popular street food sold by street vendors all over Mexico. Normally, the corn is roasted or grilled then coated with butter, cotija cheese, fresh herbs, and chili powder for heat.
To make this traditional street food both vegan-friendly and easy to enjoy, start by cutting ears of fresh corn into chunks then roasting in the air fryer for a few minutes. You won't get the grill marks, but you will get some caramelization and it's way less prep (and clean-up).
The cooked corn wedges are then drizzled with or rolled in creamy vegan mayo aioli and topped with vegan feta and fresh herbs. The result is juicy, messy, and genuinely finger-licking good.
Why you'll love this Air Fryer Street Corn Recipe
- Quick and easy - ready in less than 20 minutes!
- Air frying caramelizes the corn to bring out its natural sweetness
- Super quick clean-up (no need to deal with an outdoor grill)
- Easy to find ingredients you probably already have on hand
- A perfect side dish for Mexican-inspired mains
- Great for picnics, family dinners, tailgate parties, game nights, Cinco de Mayo celebrations
- Perfect option to make the most of corn season
Vegan Elote Ingredients
These ingredients couldn't be simpler and you only need a couple of simple swaps to get a very similar flavor to the original. You can make this recipe as spicy or mild as you want by adjusting the chili in the seasoning. Your favorite vegan mayo, feta, and herbs will do the rest of the work!
- Whole ears of corn - It's best to start with fresh corn, cleaned and cut into thirds for easy roasting.
- Olive oil - To help the corn caramelize on the edges.
- Vegan mayonnaise - This adds a creamy, tanginess similar to traditional mayo or Mexican creama, and is easy to find in most grocery stores.
- Limes - Fresh lime juice is key. You'll need some in the aioli and extra lime wedges to garnish again before serving.
- Chili lime seasoning or Tajin - For that spicy-sour flavor in every bite. Season to taste and don't be afraid to go a little crazy with it. (Trader Joe has a popular chili lime seasoning that works great for this.)
- Salt
- Green onions
- Fresh cilantro
- Vegan feta - This is the ideal vegan cheese for street corn and a great swap for crumbled cotija cheese. If you can find vegan queso fresco, that would work, too.
Bonus tip: Mexican street corn is usually made with elote or white corn, but you can use yellow corn, or whichever sweet corn you can find at your local farmers market. Just make sure it's super fresh with juicy, plump corn kernels.
How to Make Air Fryer Street Corn
Honestly, this vegan version of elote couldn't be easier! While the corn is cooking away in the air fryer, prepare the aioli. Then, garnish and serve. It's quick enough for a busy weeknight, but is also an incredible option for BBQs, picnics, and summer parties.
- Spritz the corn with olive oil and Air fry at 400 for 16 minutes, turning once halfway
- To make chili lime aioli, combine vegan mayo, juice of one lime, pinch of salt, chili seasoning and 2 tsp water until mixed well
- Once the corn is cooked, drizzle with aioli, green onion and cilantro, vegan feta cheese, chili seasoning and lime
Storing Suggestions
Once cooled, store the leftover corn in an airtight container in the fridge with the toppings stored separately.
Before serving, warm up the corn in the air fryer or microwave briefly, then add the toppings to keep them fresh.
Tips for Making the Best Vegan Elotes
- Use fresh corn cobs. For the best flavor, you want the freshest ears of corn possible. They should have plump, firm kernels and tight green husks; avoid wrinkly kernels, dried husks, and brown corn silk. Older, dried out corn won't be nearly as flavorful or tender.
- Garnish generously. Switch up the garnishes by trying a squeeze of fresh lemon juice, a sprinkle of garlic powder or smoked chipotle powder, minced red onion, and more.
- Add more heat. Spice up the aioli with cayenne pepper or hot sauce to make it even hotter.
FAQs
Air frying is the easiest way to make vegan elotes, but you can also grill or boil the sweet corn. For this specific recipe, the best bet is to use a standard kitchen oven on the convection setting. This will mimic the effect of the air fryer and makes it easy to cook a bunch of corn all at once.
This vegan version of elote uses an aioli as the topping, which is traditionally made with mayonnaise for that creamy, tangy flavor. I highly recommend sticking to the original here. Vegan sour cream can work in a pinch, but won't pack quite the same punch.
I like to garnish the air fryer corn cobs with a lime-infused chili mayo for lots of flavor, then add extra lime juice, vegan feta, chopped cilantro, and green onions. You can also add minced red onion, vegan parmesan cheese, nutritional yeast, hot sauce, and more.
Other Delicious Vegan Mexican Recipes
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Vegan Elote Recipe (Air Fryer Street Corn)
Equipment
- air fryer
Ingredients
- 5 ears of corn peeled and chopped in thirds
- 2-3 sprays olive oil
- 3 tbsp vegan mayo
- 1 lime halved
- 1 lime cut in wedges
- ¼ tsp chili lime seasoning or tajin, plus more to taste
- 1 pinch salt
- 2 green onions chopped
- ¼ bunch cilantro chopped
- ¼ cup vegan feta crumbled
Instructions
- Air fry corn at 400 for 16 minutes, turning once halfway.
- To make chili lime aioli, combine vegan mayo, juice of one lime, pinch of salt, chili seasoning and 2 tsp water until mixed well.
- Once corn is cooked, drizzle with aioli, green onion and cilantro, vegan cheese and chili seasoning and lime.