Elotes and esquites, the beloved Mexican street food of grilled corn (both on and off the cob) adorned with mayonnaise (or sour cream), chile powder, Cotija cheese, and lime, is impossible to dislike. Sweet, smoky, spicy, and savory, it balances everything good in each bite. This stir-fry borrows that winning flavor combination and applies it to thin slices of pork tenderloin, chiles, and charred corn kernels for a winning weeknight dinner. It all gets tossed with crumbled cheese and mayo, before getting crowned with a zigzag of creamy mayo, a dusting of spice, cilantro, and lime juice. If mixing the pork in mayonnaise before cooking seems weird, don’t fret: The thin coating helps the meat caramelize and keeps it tender.
Read More: The 2026 Farmers Market Challenge
If you like this dish, you may enjoy No-Grill Elote, Gingery Pork and Sugar Snap Pea Stir-Fry, or Sweet-and-Sour Pork Tenderloin.
Recipe information
Total Time
45 minutes
Yield
4 servings
Ingredients
Preparation
Step 1
Slice 1 pork tenderloin (1–1½ lb.) crosswise on a slight diagonal against the grain ¼" thick. Transfer to a medium bowl, add 2 Tbsp. mayonnaise, 1 tsp. Diamond Crystal or ½ tsp. Morton kosher salt, and 1 tsp. paprika or ground red chile of choice, and toss to coat. Set aside.
Step 2
Cut kernels from 6 ears of corn, husked into a large bowl; discard cobs. Heat 2 Tbsp. vegetable oil in a large stainless-steel or cast-iron skillet over high until almost smoking. Add corn kernels and 2 medium jalapeños, thinly sliced, and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender and charred in spots, about 4 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl. (If skillet has browned too much, wipe out before proceeding.)
Step 3
Add more oil to pan if dry and heat over high. Working in batches if needed to prevent overlapping, arrange reserved pork in a single layer in pan and cook, turning halfway through, until browned and cooked through, about 2 minutes per batch.
Step 4
Transfer pork to bowl with corn mixture. Add juice of 3 limes, 2 Tbsp. grated Cotija cheese, 1 Tbsp. mayonnaise, and remaining ½ tsp. Diamond Crystal or ¼ tsp. Morton kosher salt; toss to coat.
Step 5
Arrange stir-fry on a platter and squeeze some mayonnaise over in a zigzag pattern. Sprinkle with more Cotija and paprika and top with cilantro leaves with tender stems. Serve with lime wedges for squeezing over.
Recipe notes
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