Elote-Style Corn with Furikake is a delicious umami dish inspired by Mexican street corn and flavored with Japanese ingredients. There are a few ways to enjoy this corn, including on the cob, cut into smaller servings, or cut off the cob and served as a salad.

What is Elote Corn and How to Prepare It
Elote, also known as Mexican street corn, is a delicious summer staple. Eloteros, or those who sell elotes, often prepare and sell elotes in popular areas of town. When I grew up in Los Angeles, elotes were often available in popular late-night areas and at the beach, along with fresh fruit covered in chile and lime juice.
Elote corn is boiled or grilled and seasoned with mayonnaise, chile powder, sour cream, butter, and cheese. The spice of the chile powder, the creaminess of the mayo and cheese, and the tartness of the lime enhance the sweetness of the corn. Each bite of the corn is a burst of the sweet, salty, spicy flavors of summer.

A Mexican Dish with Japanese Flavors
Elote-Style Corn with Furikake is an ode to my love for this delicious Mexican summer treat, umami flavors, and Japanese seasonings. If this dish were a place, it would be Downtown LA, where Mexican and Japanese neighborhoods play an integral role in LA food and culture.
Japanese seasonings adorn this version of elote-style corn. These Japanese toppings include Kewpie mayo, furikake, and togarashi. The MSG (monosodium glutamate) in Kewpie mayo lends a rich umami flavor to the corn, while the furikake adds both texture and a toasty taste. Finally, togarashi is a Japanese chili powder that is spicy, sweet, and salty all at once. Together, these ingredients create a Japanese-inspired elote that can be enjoyed all summer long.

How to Make Elote
Elote-Style Corn with Furikake requires a few simple steps and less than 45 minutes of your time. It can be enjoyed on the cob or off the cob in the form of a salad. If you plan to cut the kernels off the cob and serve the corn as a side salad, I recommend one cob per person.
Equipment Needed to Make Elote Corn
To make Elote-Style Corn with Furikake, you will need a baking sheet, knife, cutting board, small bowl, tongs, and serving platter. Corn holders are optional, but make it easier to eat the corn, especially for kids.
To explore more kitchen items to make your kitchen complete, head to my shop: Kat’s Kitchen Essentials.

Steps to Make Elote Corn
- Cook the Corn - Heat the oven to 350°F. Brush each cob with vegetable oil place the corn on the baking sheet. Place it in the oven to cook for 30 minutes, turning halfway through.
- Mix the Kewpie Mayo and Garlic Powder - In a small bowl, mix the Kewpie mayo, garlic powder, and salt.
- Slather with Butter and Garlic Kewpie Mayo - After the corn cooks, place the cobs on the serving platter. First, brush each cob with butter, then brush the garlicky Kewpie mayo mixture on top.
- Add Cheese, Furikake, Togarashi, and Lime - Sprinkle the cojita cheese, furikake, and togarashi to taste. Finally, spritz fresh lime juice on top.
How to Make an Elote Corn Salad
To make Elote-Style Corn with Furikake off the cob or chilled as a salad, use a knife to carefully remove the kernels from the cob after baking the corn. Place the kernels in a bowl and mix the ingredients and toppings. Serve warm or chilled as a salad.
How to Store the Corn
Whether you make the corn on the cob or off the cob, store leftovers in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days after making the recipe. Do not reheat.

Did You Like This Recipe?
If you liked Elote-Style Corn with Furikake, please rate and comment below. For more recipes that go with corn, check out:
- Furikake and Lemon Shishito Peppers
- Sautéed Green Beans with Furikake
- Italian Summer Pasta Salad
- Healthy Turkey Chili
- Creamy Spinach Artichoke Dip

Elote-Style Corn with Furikake
- Prep Time: 5
- Cook Time: 35
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 4 1x
- Category: Sides
- Diet: Gluten Free
Description
Elote-Style Corn with Furikake is a delicious umami dish inspired by Mexican street corn and flavored with Japanese ingredients. There are a few ways to enjoy this corn, including on the cob, cut into smaller servings, or cut off the cob and served as a salad.
Ingredients
- 4 ears of corn, shucked
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 2 tablespoons butter
- ½ cup Kewpie mayo
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ cup crumbled cojita cheese
- 2 tablespoons furikake
- ½ tsp togarashi
- 2 tablespoons cilantro
- 1 lime, sliced into wedges
Instructions
Heat the oven to 350°F. Brush the corn with the vegetable oil so that the cobs are evenly coated.
Place the cobs on the baking sheet and place in the oven. Cook the corn for 30 minutes and turn halfway through. Then turn the heat up to 400°F and cook for an additional 5 minutes.
While the corn cooks, add Kewpie mayo, garlic powder, and salt in a small bowl. Stir the ingredients together until well-mixed and the garlic powder is incorporated. Set aside.
Remove the corn from the oven and place the cobs on a serving plate. Brush the corn with butter, then with the garlic Kewpie mayo mixture. Then, top the corn with cojita cheese, cilantro, furikake, and togarashi. Finally, squeeze lime juice over the cobs and serve.
Notes
Adjust the spice level by adding more or less togarashi.
Store in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.
To make this a salad, remove the corn from the cob and place the kernels in a mixing bowl, then mix in the same amount of toppings.
Nutrition
- Calories: 608
- Sugar: 5.4g
- Sodium: 955mg
- Fat: 48.4g
- Saturated Fat: 17.3g
- Carbohydrates: 30.5g
- Fiber: 4.3g
- Protein: 17.2g
- Cholesterol: 105mg
Keywords: elote-style corn, elote corn, Mexican street corn, furikake, vegetarian, elote-style corn salad, corn salad, summer corn salad, Mexican-inspired side, Japanese summer salad
This page may contain affiliate links. Pasta Ragazza will receive a small commission at no extra cost to you if you click on one of the above product links and complete a purchase. I only share products I use myself and believe in. Thank you for supporting Pasta Ragazza.
Loved reading this post! You make me miss LA that much more.
★★★★★
I LOVE elote style corn and I love furikake! Can't wait to make this!
★★★★★
SUCH a delicious summer favorite. I can't wait to try with the furikake, too!
★★★★★
I'm here for ALL the summer corn and this sounds delicious!
★★★★★
this is soooo creative! absolutely loving the flavors here 😍
★★★★★
Heading to the super market ASAP need to get more corn to make this!!
My sisters asked me to make elote next week. I'm so glad I found this recipe!
★★★★★