20-Minute Cheesy Elote Quesadilla with Cumin Lime Crema

I love this blend of Mexican street corn in an ooey gooey cheesy quesadilla and a tangy, creamy cumin lime dipping sauce.

Why I Love Elote Quesadillas

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What Are Quesadillas?

Quesadillas are typically made with corn tortillas, but they can also be made with flour tortillas and filled with melty cheese, such as Oaxaca cheese, and other fillings, like pollo and carne asada.

A quesadilla is stuffed, folded in half, and crisped on a pan until golden brown and the cheese melts. You can also wrap them Chipotle copycat style, like these pollo asado quesadillas rellenas.

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Ingredient List and Substitutions

Corn on the Cob

• Fresh Ears of Corn (or frozen corn cobs)
• Filtered Water
• Salt

Ingredients For Quesadilla

• Flour Tortillas
• Oaxaca Cheese melts and is stringy, making it the perfect cheese for quesadillas, but it can be challenging to find in local supermarkets. Monterey jack and asadero cheese combinations are also great for quesadillas.
• Mexican Cotija Cheese—I also love feta cheese in this recipe. It’s salty and offers a great contrast to the sweet corn.
• Fresh Lime Juice – if you’re out of lime juice, use lemon juice instead. (optional)
• Fresh Cilantro
• Avocado Oil – optional

Ingredients for Cumin Lime Crema

• Mexican Crema – I love a half-and-half combination of sour cream and Mexican crema. If you prefer a slightly lighter sauce, you can substitute the crema for Greek yogurt.
• Fresh Lime Juice
• Cumin
• Chili Powder
• Salt

This elote Seasoning combination is made with chili powder, cumin powder, paprika, and lime chili powder (tajin), which can be optional.

I love the hint of acidity from the tajin.

Equipment

• Large Pot
• Wooden Cutting Board
• Paring Knife
• Cheese Grater
• Large Pan or Griddle
• Small Bowl

Step-by-Step Instructions For Delicious Elote Quesadillas

Prepare

• Fill a large pot with water and salt, place it on the stove and set it to boil.
• Grate the cheese and set aside.
• Clean and rinse the cilantro. Then, give it a rough chop and set aside.

Corn

• Remove the husks and corn silk, place in the water-filled pot, and boil.
• Cook for 10 minutes – until tender.
• Remove from the pot, allow to cool slightly.
• Slice the corn off the cob.
• Combine the sliced corn, cheese, chopped cilantro, and spices in a bowl.

Cumin Lime Crema

• In a bowl, combine the cream, lime juice, cumin, a pinch of salt and mix.
• Then, top with the chopped cilantro and serve.

Final Steps

• Place a pan on medium heat
• Prepare the quesadillas, place the filling on half the tortilla, and fold in half.
• Optional: if your pan tends to stick to food, add a light amount of avocado oil to the pan
• Then, place the quesadilla on the hot pan and flip when the bottom of the quesadilla is golden brown.

Variations: Cheesy Mexican Street Corn Quesadillas

I love to try different fillings. Whether you’re looking for a protein or extra cheese, try some of these:

Fillings

• Try this chipotle-style pollo asado – it’s my favorite quesadilla filling!
• This quick canned black bean recipe is delicious and simple to prepare, and it’s the perfect vegetarian filling.
• Sliced carne asada is deliciously seared and tender for a quesadilla.

Tips

1. Combine the corn with the cheese, spices, and cheese in a bowl before building the quesadillas.
2. Grate the cheese rather than buying pre-shredded cheese; shredded cheese has other ingredients to prevent it from caking, so it is not worth it. A block of cheese tastes better.

Storage and Reheating

Best Storage Option

Wrap the quesadilla in parchment paper and in an airtight sealed glass container.

Reheating

There are several ways to reheat quesadillas to return the crispiness and gooey filling.

• Preheat a pan on medium heat, and reheat the quesadillas on the pan, about a minute on each side or until the filling melts.
• Reheat in a toaster oven for 5 minutes at 350 degrees or until it’s crispy and melty.

What To Serve With Elote Quesadillas

I love quesadillas with delicious sauces. Try this cherry pepper garlic aioli or ancho aioli.

Looking for other recipes?

Try some of my favorites:

Pork Belly Fried Rice

Super Crispy Pollo Empanizado (Breaded Chicken)

If you make this recipe, please leave a comment or rate it. I would love to hear from you and try my best to respond to all comments.