street corn

noun

1

: grilled corn on the cob that is coated with a creamy spread (such as mayonnaise, sour cream, or crema) and garnished with toppings (such as lime juice, cotija cheese, and chili powder) : elote, mexican street corn

… roasted street corn, topped with mayo, cotija cheese and chili powder …

—Merrill Shindler

2

: boiled, grilled, or sautéed corn kernels mixed with assorted ingredients (such as lime juice, mayonnaise, cotija cheese, and chili powder) : esquites, mexican street corn

… warm cups of "street corn" topped with mayo, Parmesan cheese and cayenne pepper.

—Nathan Chesky

Thankfully, I was able to come out of the reverie to take a bite of the esquites I'd ordered as a side for the sandwich. Unlike more one-dimensional, mayonnaise-heavy versions, this street corn was balanced. The mayo was there but more as a binder to the perfectly cooked kernels …

—Cheryl Baehr

Examples of street corn in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

During my stay, options includes street corn avocado toast for breakfast, ahi tuna sushi bowls for lunch, and garlic and herb beef kabobs for dinner, all with lots of veggies. — Eve Chen, USA Today, 10 July 2026

The Flamin’ Hot street corn and bean Frito pies are unique sides. — Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 11 June 2026

Sleeper hits include the local green bean salad with jicama and cilantro, street corn, and the goat cheese creme brûlée for dessert. — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 16 May 2026

Don’t skip the sides, which include coleslaw, mac and cheese, and street corn, and be sure to save room for one of Maeve’s hand pies. — Lauren Dana Ellman, Travel + Leisure, 8 Mar. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

2006, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for street corn

• adorn
• airborne
• blackthorn
• broomcorn
• buckhorn
• buckthorn
• careworn
• firstborn
• foodborne
• forborne
• forewarn
• forlorn