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Queso Steak and Elote Tacos. These spicy Mexican-style tacos incorporate all the flavors of elote (also known as street corn) into grilled steak tacos. Homemade two-ingredient queso is spooned over each taco. There’s just the right amount of melty cheese and a CRUNCH with every bite. A quintessential summer taco, they’re always delicious.
I was so close to sharing another summer salad today. While the salad is coming (I’m so excited to share it), tacos felt like the right move for a Tuesday. I’ve been holding onto this recipe for far too long.
I made these tacos before my trip to France and have been waiting to share them with you! But honestly, I’ve been waiting longer than a few weeks! I’ve had this taco in my head for over a year now. It was my friend Benny who first gave me the idea to use queso as a taco topping. Ever since Benny showed me the light, I’ve been wanting to share this recipe.
I knew I wanted to keep the tacos simple yet still very summery. I’ve been grilling so much steak, chicken, and salmon, but I’ve never shared a grilled steak taco. And the flavors with the corn and queso sounded delicious.
I rubbed the steak with my homemade taco seasoning and grilled it. Then, I made a two-ingredient queso with pepper jack and a can of Rotel. I then mixed up the simplest street corn salad with a couple of cups of grilled corn.
These have a lot going on, and oh my gosh, they are so good. My brothers are obsessed.
These are the details
Step 1: make the street corn
This is a simplified street corn. I mixed a couple cups of grilled corn kernels with a few spoonfuls of mayo, a jalapeño, fresh cilantro, lime juice, and then lots and lots of crumbled feta cheese.
It’s traditional to use cotijia cheese, but I usually prefer feta, which I find to be much less dry and easier to crumble into recipes.
Step 2: grill the steak
Start by rubbing the steak down with taco seasoning. I used my homemade mix of chili powder, smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and then an extra pinch of cayenne for some kick.
Grill the steak until it’s cooked to your liking. Let the steak rest to lock in the yummy juices, then very thinly slice.
Step 3: make the shells
For this taco, I decided to double the shells: one flour tortilla and one hard shell. I sandwiched the two together with some melted cheese—my favorite combination.
Lay the flour tortillas flat on a baking sheet, then top them with a good amount of the three-cheese blend (cheddar, Monterey Jack, and mozzarella).
Place the pan in the oven to let the cheese melt. Once the cheese is melty, I add the hard-shell tacos. Then, I press the melty cheese into the hard shells. The cheese sticks to the shell and holds everything together. I then throw the shells back into the oven to warm through again.
Step 4: the queso
This is a two-step queso: Cubes of melty cheese mixed with one can of Rotel. Make sure to use a very melty cheese. I love pepper jack, but a block of Velveta will melt the nicest and smoothest.
Melt the cheese and tomatoes over low heat until the cheese sauce forms. If you want a spicy queso, add some jalepeños.
Step 5: assemble each taco
Take the shells and layer them with slices of steak and then the street corn. Spoon the hot queso over the corn.
I then add lettuce and avocado. You must serve while the queso is warm. These tacos are BEST this way.
Add extra cilantro and maybe another dip into the queso, which makes them even better! So fun!
Looking for other fun Mexican dinners to try, here are my favorites:
Crispy Cauliflower Tinga Tacos with Honey Lime Avocado Crema
Crockpot Carne Asada Tacos with Cilantro Lime Garlic Sauce.
Lastly, if you make these Queso Steak and Elote Tacos, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And, of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
Queso Steak and Elote Tacos
Servings: 6
Calories Per Serving: 587 kcal
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
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1. To make the street corn: mix all ingredients in a bowl. Season with salt. 2. To make the tacos: rub the steak all over with taco seasoning and oil. Set your grill or skillet to medium-high heat. Grill the steak until lightly charred, 5-8 minutes for medium-rare, per side. Remove the steak and allow to rest for 5-10 minutes, then slice.3. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 400° F. Lay the flour tortillas flat onto two baking sheets. Evenly divide the cheese blend between each tortilla. Bake 3-5 minutes until the cheese is melted. Add the hard shells to the center of each tortilla, pressing one side of the shell into the cheese. Bake another 2-3 minutes. Fold the remaining cheesy side onto the hard shell, pressing the shell into the cheese.4. To make the queso: In a small skillet set over low heat, melt together the cubes of cheese with the can of RO*TEL, stirring often until melted, about 5 minutes. If the sauce needs to be thinned, add a splash of water. 5. Arrange the sliced steak evenly into each shell. Top with street corn, then spoon over the queso. Serve immediately with any amount of desired toppings, use whatever you love!
Queso: I use melty pepper jack, but it will not melt as nicely or as smooth as Velveeta.
