Esquites for Two
Esquites are a classic recipe in Mexican culture, and if you don’t know by now, it’s one of my favorite cuisines. It’s a dish made with corn, lime juice, and of course queso. In my esquites for two recipe, we’re packing in all the flavors in an easy to make a tasty dish for just two people. I’m using frozen corn today since it’s winter, but you can absolutely use fresh corn if you can find it!
Cheese
The cheese I’m using today is cotija. It’s a crumbly Mexican cheese. Thankfully it’s pretty easy to find Mexican cheeses here, but if you’re not as fortunate, you can substitute another Mexican cheese. Feta isn’t the same, but I’ve used it in a pinch since it crumbles.
Vegetarian-Friendly
This recipe is vegetarian (does contain dairy and eggs, but you can use vegan substitutes), gluten free, and can be used as a salad or as a dip.
Small Batch Recipe
Per usual, we’re scaling down this recipe to make just 2 servings. This is perfect if it’s just you and you like leftovers, or it’s you and your spouse (or roommate, or whatever). Be sure to follow me for more small batch recipes!
Game Day Recipes
If you’re looking for other game day food, be sure to also check out these recipes:
Esquites for Two
2 servings
This simple corn salad is packed with Mexican flavors and makes a great dip
Ingredients
1 Tbsp butter, unsalted
1 cup frozen corn
1 small clove garlic
2 Tbsp mayonnaise
¼ tsp chili powder
2 Tbsp cotija cheese
1 tsp lime juice
2 sprigs cilantro, chopped
Salt & pepper
Optional:
Tajin
Additional cotija
Additional cilantro
Hot sauce
Method
Add butter and corn to skillet. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until cooked through and it begins to char, about 10 minutes.
Finely mince garlic and add to skillet for the last 2 minutes of cooking.
Remove from heat.
While corn cools, in a small mixing bowl mix mayo, chili powder, cotija, and lime juice.
Add corn and chopped cilantro and mix to combine. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
If desired, add some hot sauce to add some heat or some tajin for extra flavor. Garnish with additional cheese and cilantro.
Serve warm or cold. Can be served as a salad, a topping for tacos, or as a dip with tortilla chips.
Notes:
If you can’t handle the heat, substitute chili powder with paprika or omit. This recipe isn’t spicy for me, so add some more chili powder or hot sauce if you’d like a little more fire.
You can absolutely use fresh corn if it’s in season!
If you’re using a stainless steel pan like me, you might want to use a little cooking oil before adding the corn so it doesn’t stick. I used some avocado oil.