Mexican Street Corn Salad
Mexican Street Corn Salad has all the flavors of elotes, but turned into a scoop-able salad you won't get enough of! Grilled smoky corn, creamy lime mayo, jalapeño, cilantro and avocados are the heroes of this salad. You'll soon make this your go to salad all summer long for BBQ, tacos and more!
Ingredients
Corn
- 4-5 corn on the cob peeled.
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 1/2 teaspoons chilli powder
Salad:
- 3 Tablespoons Mayonnaise
- 1 garlic clove minced
- 3 Tablespoons lime juice
- 1/3 cup red onion minced
- 1 jalapeño minced (optional, but highly recommended)
- 1/3 cup cilantro minced
- 1 teaspoon chilli powder
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 avocado diced finely
- 1/4 cup cotija cheese crumbled. Or feta cheese
Garnish:
- Lime wedges jalapeño slices, more cilantro if needed.
Instructions
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Preheat the grill to medium heat.
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Toss the corn cobs on a baking sheet with olive oil and chilli powder.
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Rub the seasoning well into the corn.
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Place the corn on the grill over high heat and keep tossing them around until lightly charred and softened.
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Remove from the grill and cover lightly with plastic wrap as you prepare the salad.
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Take each grilled corn, and place it on a wooden board standing up with the wide bottom on the board.
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Use a sharp knife o one hand, and hold the corn with the other. Slide the knife along the corn to remove the kernels. Repeat with the remaining corn.
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In a salad bowl, add in the mayonnaise, lime, chilli powder and add in the corn kernels.
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Add the remaining salad ingredients and toss until well blended.
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Taste for extra salt or lime juice according to your taste.
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Enjoy
Recipe Video
Recipe Notes
Tips for Street Corn Salad
- Seasonal and fresh corn is BEST, always!
- Make sure the corn kernels don't look bruised or crushed when buying fresh corn. Plump juicy corn kernels is what you need!
- Grilling the corn for this Mexican street corn salad recipe is part of the taste. The char and smokey grill adds to the flavor. You can however used boiled corn on the cob if you're stuck.
- If you want to obtain a similar charr flavor without the grill, use the stove top. Use a cast iron skillet or any heavy duty skillet. Cut off the corn kernels and then dry sear them until blistered and slightly charred.
- You can use greek yogurt, sour cream or a combo with the mayonnaise for the base of the dressing.
- Lime has a unique flavor, so it's best to use that instead of lemon unless you need to.
- You can turn the spice level as high or as low as you prefer for this salad recipe.
- If cilantro is not your thing, by all means use parsley.
How to Serve Corn street Salad?
This salad is great as it's own, but also makes the perfect dip.
- Serve it with chips like Pita Chips, Homemade Potato Chips or store bought tortilla chips.
- Use it as a Taco topping over Salmon Tacos, Ground Beef Tacos, Mahi Mahi Tacos.
- Serve it as a side dish to Grilled Trout, Sheet Pan Fajitas, 30 Mins Mexican Tilapia, Grilled Sirloin Steak.
- So many ways to enjoy this!
Variations on Mexican street corn salad:
- Taco upgrade, try adding in cooked shrimp, salmon, chicken or steak bites.
- Add in black beans similar to Black Bean and Corn Salad.
- If you swap the cilantro, then you can make a Mediterranean inspiration twist. Try basil, oregano and try Parmesan or feta.
How To Make Ahead and Store Leftovers
The best way to store leftovers is to keep them in airtight container for 3 days. You can use it with salads, tacos, over Ground Beef Nachos, and so much more!
To make in advance since this corn salad is a great potluck option, you can it 1 say ahead. If you're thinking of freezing this salad, we strongly don't recommend so. The texture of the corn changes and so it's not a good option.
What's in Mexican Street Corn Salad?
Think of it as the famous Mexican Elote. Charred corn, creamy cilantro lime dressing, cotija cheese, paprika, chili powder are the main flavors. Since this is a salad, we add to it finely minced onions, and some avcoados but they're optional.
Is Mexican street corn salad the same as Esquites and Elotes?
YES in terms of core flavors, elotes means on the cob, and esquites are kernels in a cup. So while the flavors are the same, the format is different.
Can I use canned or frozen corn?
As mentioned before, we have made this with frozen organic corn kernels and it was great! You can char it in a heavy duty skillet and it's just perfect—char straight from frozen in a hot, dry skillet. Canned corn however is our least favorite option and we don't recommend it!
Is the salad served hot or cold?
Traditional esquites are often served warm, but the salad we feel can be served cold and it's just as tasty. The flavors actually become richer after a short rest in the fridge.
What's the best cheese substitute for cotija?
Cotija is a Mexican cheese, dry and crumbly. We always substitute cotija with crumbled Greek feta.
Can I make this salad dairy free or Vegan?
Yes! Try vegan mayo and a plant-based feta-style cheese, or simply skip the cheese and add a little extra salt for balance.
Can I get that smoky flavor without grilling?
We recommend the stove top char if you can't grill. Use a cast-iron skillet or broiler for this. Pat dry the kernels and char in the hot skillet or under the broiler until blistered and charred.