Elote Corn Quesadillas with Avocado Cream are weeknight-approved and ready in just 30 minutes. Vegetarian, fiber-filled, and packed with classic Mexican Street Corn flavor. 
What is Elote Corn (Mexican Street Corn)?
Elote corn is a common street food in Mexico, hence the nickname of Mexican Street Corn. It's often served on a skewer with cotija cheese, however I prefer making it right on the grill! Elote corn is typically coated with butter or mayo, seasoned with salt and chili powder, and finished with lime juice and cheese. This creates a super rich combination with a hint of heat, salty edge, and bright finish.
In short, this recipe takes all there is to love about the Mexican classic in a kid-friendly quesadilla.
How to Make Elote Corn Quesadillas:
To start, you either need 2 to 3 ears of corn, or alternatively, frozen/thawed fire-roasted corn. I love Trader Joe's brand (especially when corn is out of season) because it really packs that fire-kissed flavor. If using fresh corn, you'll want to fire up your outdoor grill or indoor grill pan over high heat. You could certainly use butter, however I prefer spritzing them with avocado oil spray. After that, grill the corn for about 10 minutes, turning occasionally, until it's lightly charred.
In addition to the corn, the filling also includes black beans, poblano pepper, onion, and garlic. A mix of chili powder, cumin, and smoked paprika give it rich, smoky flavor and spice. Lastly, cotija cheese is sprinkled in to help the filling stick together.
Now, let's talk toppers. A cooling avocado-cilantro cream is the perfect counterpart to these 'dillas. It's a simple mix of avocado, yogurt, cilantro, lime and jalapeño, which comes together in 5 minutes flat. Also, it can be made 1 to 2 days in advance to make weeknight dinner even more of a breeze.
So, let's recap: these quesadillas are cheesy, fiber-filled, and oh-so satiating. Serve them alongside a simple side salad or soup for an easy, yet totally satisfying meal. 
And, as always, if you give this recipe a try, be sure to tag #dishingouthealth so I can see your beautiful creations!
More Easy Corn Recipes:
Charred Jalapeno and Corn Hummus
One Pan Creamed Corn Orzo with Shrimp
20 Minute Summer Squash and Corn Salad
Elote Corn Quesadillas with Avocado Cream
Ingredients
- **Avocado Cream**
- ½ ripe avocado
- ½ cup fresh cilantro leaves
- ¼ cup plain whole milk Greek yogurt
- 1 Tbsp. lime juice
- ½ fresh jalapeño seeds and ribs removed
- ¼ tsp. salt
- **Quesadillas**
- 2 Tbsp. olive oil plus more for cooking quesadillas
- ½ onion chopped
- 1 poblano pepper seeds and ribs removed, chopped
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- 1 tsp. chili powder
- 1 tsp. ground cumin
- ½ tsp. smoked paprika
- ½ tsp. salt
- 2 large or 3 small ears of corn grilled and kernels removed (alternatively, 2 cups of frozen/thawed fire-roasted corn; I like Trader Joe's brand)
- 1 15.5-oz can black beans, drained but not rinsed
- 3 Tbsp. Cotija cheese
- 8 oz. freshly grated Monterey Jack cheese
- 6 flour tortillas
Instructions
- Prepare Avocado Cream by combining all ingredients plus 2 Tbsp. water in a blender or food processor; blend until smooth. Set aside.
- Heat oil in a large skillet over medium. Add onion and poblano pepper; cook 3 to 4 minutes, until softened. Add garlic, chili powder, cumin, paprika, and salt; cook 1 minute. Stir in corn, black beans, and cheese; cook 2 minutes, stirring often, until cheese melts throughout mixture. Transfer mixture to a bowl; wipe skillet clean.
- Divide half of Monterey Jack cheese evenly over half of each tortilla. Spoon elote corn mixture evenly over cheese, and sprinkle remaining half of Monterey cheese over corn. Fold bare half of tortilla over into a half moon.
- Heat about 1 tsp. olive oil in skillet over medium-high heat. Working in batches and adding extra oil as needed, cook quesadillas until bottoms are golden brown, ~3 minutes. Flip quesadillas; cook until bottoms are golden brown and cheese melts, ~3 minutes. Transfer to cutting board and cut each quesadilla into 3 wedges. Serve with Avocado Cream.
Notes
Bee
Is there nutritional info available? I don’t see it. Thanks!!
Dania
I love what you do. It is delicious and healthy. I just have a hard time reading the recipes because I don't speak much English.
Rebecca
These were fantastic! So flavorful and easy
Terri
How is this gluten-free with flour tortillas? I think corn tortillas are difficult to make quesadillas.
dishingouthealth
Hi Terri, there was a recipe note I left out regarding making them gluten-free (thank you for the call-out!). Using corn tortillas, the quesadillas work best when you fill one whole corn tortilla with the cheese and filling and layer another corn tortilla on top. Cook the same way the recipe advises, and then slice the quesadilla into six wedges.