Mexican Street Corn Rice (Printable Version)

Fluffy rice with sweet corn, cotija cheese, lime zest, and chili powder for a flavorful Mexican-inspired 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

# Directions:

01 - Rinse the rice under cold water until the water runs clear.
02 - In a medium saucepan, combine the rice, water, and salt. Bring to a boil, cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer for 15 minutes or until rice is tender and water is absorbed.
03 - In a skillet over medium-high heat, cook the corn kernels without oil for 3 to 4 minutes until lightly charred, stirring occasionally. 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 the cooked rice, charred corn, green onions, and cilantro to the dressing. Mix thoroughly until evenly coated.
06 - Gently fold in the crumbled cotija cheese, reserving a small amount for garnish.
07 - Taste and adjust seasoning as needed. Garnish with remaining cotija, cilantro, and a dusting of chili powder before serving.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The charred corn adds a subtle smokiness that makes people ask what your secret is.
  • It comes together in under 40 minutes and tastes like you spent way more effort than you did.
  • Works warm, cold, or room temperature, so it's the ultimate flexible side dish.
02 -
  • Don't skip rinsing the rice or you'll end up with a gluey, clumpy texture that defeats the entire purpose.
  • Charring the corn without oil actually works better than adding butter or oil because the natural sugars caramelize and create deeper flavor.
03 -
  • Toast your chili powder in a dry skillet for 10 seconds before whisking it into the dressing; this wakes up the flavor and makes it taste less like it came from a tin.
  • Make the rice slightly underdone rather than overdone because it will continue to absorb the creamy dressing and firm up as it sits.
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