This vegan elote is fresh, tangy, and delicious! Make this recipe for your next summertime party or barbecue – it’s crazy easy and even non-vegans love it!

vegan elote on a baking sheet with fresh lime wedges

This vegan elote is literally my summer dream come true. Elote, also known as Mexican street corn, is one of those things where if it’s on a menu, there’s a 1,000% chance I’m ordering eat. As soon as the weather warmed up, the corn cravings hit HARD. And I couldn’t wait to make it to a local Mexican restaurant to enjoy some elote. So I made it myself! I was also set on developing a recipe that both I (the dairy-free one) and my sister (the vegan one) could enjoy.

With literally just a few simple swaps, I took this classic summertime favorite and turned it into a classic vegan summertime favorite. And trust me, I’ve fed this vegan elote recipe to plentyyyyy of non-vegans and none of them (not a single one!!!) could tell the difference. Practically bursting with flavor, be sure to add this easy recipe to your 4th of July lineup. You won’t be disappointed.

What You Need To Make Vegan Elote

Corn – Ahh corn season, let us rejoice! Sweet corn peaks between July and September, making right now the best time to buy it and eat it. While we’ve literally just kicked off corn season, I’m already sad about it soon being over. Though short, corn season is oh-so sweet (see what I did there hehe). Anyway, back to the recipe – pick up four sweet corns on the cob with preferably the husk on. The husk on will make for a more fresh and flavor-packed vegan elote, though husk off will make for less cleanup. If the husk is on, easily remove it by peeling away at the green leaves (aka the husk) and be sure to remove as much of those stringy fibers as possible. Once clean, snap off the end where the husk attaches to the corn and start on this recipe.

Vegan Mayonnaise – Feel free to use whatever brand of vegan mayonnaise you’d like in this vegan elote recipe! I used the Follow Your Heart Vegenaise and had great results. Vegan mayo is quite a bit thinner than regular mayo, which is why I keep the lime juice to a minimum in this recipe. Though don’t worry, that lime flavor still manages to shine through! If you’re not vegan, you can use an equal amount of regular mayonnaise in its place.

Adjust This Recipe To Fit Your Diet

Add Cheese: If not vegan or dairy-free, sprinkle your finished elote with a little bit of queso fresco!
Make it Less Spicy: While I definitely wouldn’t classify this recipe as spicy, the chili powder add just the tiniest bit of heat. If you’re concerned about this, feel free to use just 1/4 teaspoon of chili powder instead. Or you can replace the chili powder with smoked paprika if you’d like.
Use Regular Mayonnaise: Regular mayo can be used as a 1:1 swap for the vegan mayo in this recipe!