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Grilled Steak Elote Tacos

Grilled steak elote tacos with charred steak slices and a creamy corn elote sauce, finished with cotija and cilantro. Quick grill timing keeps the flank or skirt steak juicy while the corn gets lightly blackened.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
resting 5 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: Mexican
Calories: 690
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

steak
  • 1.5 lb flank steak or skirt steak
  • 0.25 salt and pepper to taste to taste
elote corn mixture
  • 2 cup corn kernels
  • 0.5 cup mayonnaise
  • 0.25 cup cotija cheese, crumbled
  • 0.25 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
  • 2 tbsp lime juice
  • 1 jalapeño, minced
  • 2 tbsp fresh cilantro, chopped
tacos
  • 8 corn tortillas
  • 0.25 Lime and cilantro for serving for serving

Equipment

  • 1 grill or grill pan
  • 1 hot skillet

Method
 

Grill the steak
  1. Preheat a grill or grill pan to high heat. Keep it hot so the steak develops char quickly.
  2. Season the steak generously with salt and pepper on both sides. Pat lightly so seasoning adheres.
  3. Grill the steak for 6-7 minutes per side for medium-rare, then transfer to a cutting board and rest for 5 minutes. Resting helps the juices redistribute.
  4. Slice the grilled steak against the grain into thin pieces. This shortens the muscle fibers for easier bites.
Make the elote corn mixture
  1. Charr the fresh corn kernels in a hot skillet until lightly blackened, about 3-4 minutes. Stir occasionally so most kernels blister.
  2. Combine mayonnaise, cotija cheese, Parmesan cheese, lime juice, and minced jalapeño in a bowl. Mix until thick and evenly combined.
  3. Fold in the charred corn and fresh cilantro. The sauce should cling to the corn kernels.
Warm tortillas and assemble
  1. Warm the corn tortillas on the grill or griddle. Heat until pliable with light browning spots.
  2. Fill each tortilla with sliced steak and top generously with elote corn mixture. Add enough so the creamy corn peeks out at the edges.
  3. Garnish with fresh cilantro and lime wedge before serving. Finish right away for the best warm/creamy contrast.

Notes

For the best texture, slice the steak after resting so juices stay in the meat. Store leftovers in separate containers: cooked steak and elote corn mixture keep in the refrigerator up to 3 days; tortillas store up to 2 days. Freeze the steak up to 2 months for best quality, but note the elote mixture is best fresh and may look slightly grainy after thawing. If you want a lighter option, use Greek yogurt in place of mayonnaise for a tangier, lower-fat elote sauce.