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    Home » Recipes » Appetizers & Snacks » Mexican Street Corn Steak Nachos

    February 13, 2021

    Mexican Street Corn Steak Nachos

    5 from 2 votes

    2 Comments

    Feb 13, 2021

    by Lori Murphy

    Jump to Recipe

    Leftover steak or beef tenderloin makes the best individual nachos especially when topped with homemade Mexican street corn or esquites. An easy one bite appetizer with something for everyone!

    zoom of a beef and street corn nacho with cotija cheese and cilantro leaf

    Mexican Street Corn Nachos were born out of what to do with some leftover steak sitting in the fridge. They aren't your traditional cheese nacho recipe with drippy sauce but more of an individual bite that is room temperature and full of flavor thanks to an easy street corn salad recipe loaded with spice and a touch of heat.

    If you've been around here for a while, you know that we love beef tenderloin recipes. A quick visit to my Beef Tenderloin Sliders or Potato and Beef Tenderloin Bruschetta recipes and you'll know that roasting up a beef tenderloin whether for a holiday or game day is one of our favorite techniques.

    And this recipe answers the age old question that I know is keeping you up at night...

    close up of sliced roasted beef tenderloin on wooden cutting board

    What to do with leftover steak

    Whether you have leftover tenderloin or ribeye, you can make nachos or other good stuff. You can also add leftover steak to make:

    • Philly Cheesesteaks. Melt sharp provolone over some ribeye on a griddle to make these so good and satisfying weeknight sandwiches.
    • Crispy Beef Burritos. Substitute the ground beef mixture for the leftover steak and you'll have an easy dinner recipe ready to go! Here's a quick video on how to fold a burrito.
    • Mac 'n Cheese. A beefy mac adds such good umami to my cheesy and easy Last Meal Mac and Cheese.

    Distracted enough? Time to make some leftover steak nachos. But we have to start with the corn salad recipe.

    towel with bowls of roasted corn, mayonnaise, cotija cheese and spices and some limes, garlic and jalapenos

    Roasting frozen corn

    You don't have to resort to charring and grilling fresh corn to make esquites salad. The secret weapon to these steak nachos counts on you having one key ingredient tucked in your freezer: some frozen fire-roasted corn (like Trader Joe's or any other brand you can find).

    Don't have any frozen corn on hand? You can roast frozen corn yourself right in your oven!

    1. Crank your oven to 400˚.
    2. Spread the corn on a baking sheet and toss with a drizzle of olive oil.
    3. Season with salt and pepper (or even add chili powder here).
    4. Roast for about 20 minutes until charred checking halfway through and stirring.
    • dark cutting board with a knife and some chopped garlic, parsley, jalapeno and limes nearby
      1
    • white bowl tossing ingredients of street corn salad with a black spoon
      2

    Fast Mexican Street Corn Salad

    The best thing about esquites is how simple they are to make. To the corn, you're going to stir together:

    • chopped cilantro
    • jalapeno
    • spices like cumin and chili powder
    • lime
    • cotija and a little parmesan (hey I'm Italian!)
    • mayo and crema
    • white tray with two tortilla chips and beef and two with sliced avocado
      1
    • green flowered bowl of street corn salad and a white tray with four beef nachos with elotes
      2

    Assembling the perfect individual nacho

    • Space the tortilla chips on a platter.
    • Fan some sliced avocado on each chip. The avocado acts as the glue for the steak.
    • Top with a thinly sliced piece of beef followed by a spoon of esquites, a fresh crumble of cotija and garnish of cilantro.

    Best kind of tortilla chips for nachos

    Use firm and fairly flat tortilla chips. My favorites are the El Milagro Salted Tortilla Chips.

    angled white tray with three tortilla chips with beef and elotes salad

    FAQ's

    What other leftover proteins can I used for these nachos?

    Leftover roasted portobellos would make a great vegetarian nacho. And my Authentic Carnitas recipe offer a whole other take on these.

    How can I make these no-bake nachos into a hot version?

    Grate some sharp cheddar and heap on each individual chip. Broil until toasty and assemble as directed.

    I don't have any frozen corn. What else can I use to top these nachos?

    Any jarred salsa or black bean dip would be great on top of the beef tenderloin.

    What cheese can be substituted for the cotija?

    Feta or queso fresco make great alternatives to cotija. You could also use a dry ricotta or farmers cheese.

    Is one kind of tortilla chip better than another for nachos?

    You want a flat, firm tortilla chip. This isn't the time for the thin delicate chips.

    Make ahead, storing, reheating

    Make ahead

    The Mexican street corn salad can be made ahead of time and since the beef is leftover, there isn't much to make ahead. This is more of a "from the fridge" recipe.

    Storing

    The corn salad can be made up to 2 days ahead of time.

    Reheating

    Reheat the beef tenderloin in a sheet pan at 400˚ for about 5 minutes just to warm it through.

    angled white tray with three tortilla chips with beef and elotes salad.
    5 from 2 votes

    Mexican Street Corn Steak Nachos

    Print RATE PIN
    An easy single bite steak nacho topped with a esquites salad.
    Prep Time:10 mins
    Total Time:10 mins
    Servings 4
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    Ingredients
     

    For the nachos

    • 16 tortilla chips
    • ½ avocado, pitted and sliced
    • 4 slices leftover beef tenderloin or steak, sliced in quarters to make 16 pieces
    • 4 ounces cotija cheese, divided

    For the esquites

    • 1 bag fire roasted frozen corn, thawed and cooked according to package directions
    • 2 jalapenos, seeded and finely chopped
    • 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
    • 2 Tablespoons mayonnaise
    • 1 Tablespoon crema or sour cream
    • 1 teaspoon cumin
    • 1 teaspoon chili powder
    • 1 teaspoon kosher salt, more if needed
    • ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
    • 1 Tablespoon grated parmesan cheese
    • ½ lime, juiced
    • ½ cup chopped cilantro
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Instructions

    For the street corn (esquites)

    • Place thawed and heated corn in a medium sized bowl. Stir in jalapeno and garlic until combined.
    • In a measuring cup, mix the mayo and crema together. Stir in the spices and parmesan until mixed well.
    • Add the mayo/crema combo to the corn and stir until combined.
    • Sprinkle in 2 oz of cotija, cilantro and lime juice. Toss until incorporated. Taste and correct for seasoning.

    Assemble the nachos

    • Lay tortilla chips on a platter leaving space in between.
    • Top each tortilla chips with the following ingredients:
      slice/piece of avocado
      beef
      esquites
      remaining crumbled cotija
      cilantro
      squeeze of lime
    • Serve 4 nachos per person.
    Course: Appetizer
    Cuisine: Southwest; Tex-Mex
    Author: Lori Murphy
    Did you make this recipe? Tag @josieandnina or tag #josieandnina!
    Appetizers & SnacksChristmas30 Minute MealsBeef

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    Disclosure: Disclaimer: I am an Amazon Associate and/or affiliate for other brands which means I earn some coffee money from qualifying purchases that in no way affects the price you pay

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    1. Lisa Albregts says

      May 02, 2022 at 6:49 pm

      5 stars
      Incredibly tasty! Our family has named this a new fave.

      Reply
      • Lori Murphy says

        May 05, 2022 at 9:49 am

        Love this so much Lisa! I could eat the whole bowl of the street corn - just make that sometime as a salad! Thanks so much for trying it!

        Reply

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