Cinco de Mayo Street Corn (Printable Version)

Festive quesadillas featuring roasted corn, melty cheese, and smoky chipotle crema for dipping.

# What You'll Need:

→ Vegetables

01 - 2 cups corn kernels, fresh or frozen and thawed
02 - 1 small red onion, finely diced
03 - 1 jalapeño pepper, 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 & 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
15 - 1 to 2 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, finely chopped
16 - 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
17 - 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

# How-To Steps:

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 diced red onion and chopped jalapeño to the skillet and sauté for 2 to 3 minutes until softened. Stir in smoked paprika, ground cumin, chili powder, salt, and black pepper. Remove from heat and fold in fresh cilantro and crumbled Cotija cheese.
03 - In a small mixing bowl, whisk together 1/2 cup sour cream, 1 to 2 finely chopped chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, 1 tablespoon lime juice, 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder, and a pinch of salt until smooth. Set aside.
04 - Lay out 4 tortillas and evenly distribute half of the shredded Monterey Jack cheese over each tortilla. Top with the prepared corn mixture, then sprinkle with the remaining Monterey Jack cheese. Place the remaining 4 tortillas on top and press gently to seal.
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 completely melted.
06 - Slice quesadillas into wedges. Drizzle with chipotle crema and garnish with extra crumbled Cotija cheese and fresh cilantro. Serve with lime wedges.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • Street corn flavor packed into a quesadilla that's crispy outside, melty and smoky inside, without the mess of eating corn on the cob.
  • The chipotle crema transforms everything it touches—that smoky heat cuts through the richness in a way that makes people ask for the recipe immediately.
  • Ready in 35 minutes, which means you can pull this together on a weeknight or impress guests without morning-of stress.
02 -
  • Don't skip the char on the corn—that caramelized edge is the entire point; if your corn looks pale, it needs more time and higher heat.
  • Room temperature or warm tortillas are forgiving; cold ones will crack when you try to fold them, and no one enjoys a broken quesadilla mid-bite.
03 -
  • If your tortillas are thicker or drier than ideal, wrap them in a damp paper towel and microwave for 20 seconds before assembling—they'll be pliable and won't tear.
  • Cook your quesadillas over medium, not high heat; rushing this step means the outside burns before the cheese inside melts properly, and that's a heartbreaker.
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