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Mexican Street Corn Salad is a delicious vegetable side dish recipe made from grilled corn. This corn salad is my version of Esquites with black beans and a few other add-ins. The dressing is creamy and a little smoky, with just the right amount of zing from lime juice. A wonderful potluck vegetable side dish. Serve warm or cold.
Originally Published 6/20/2019
Mexican Street Corn Salad
This is my not-so-traditional version of the popular “off the cob” Mexican street corn called Esquites. It’s not the authentic recipe, but I have made a very close, delicious variation.
This corn salad is really delicious and has wonderful taste and textures. This is also a perfect potluck salad recipe.
Gather up all of the ingredients and enjoy the process of creating a delicious and very pretty meal that your family and friends will love!
Start by grilling the corn. If you aren’t able to grill it, you can cut the kernels off the cob and cook them in a skillet with a bit of olive oil. It just takes a few minutes.
If you are in a hurry, you can get away without grilling/browning the corn. It will still be a delicious salad.
Grilling the corn adds a nice depth of flavor. When you have time, I recommend it!
Can I use frozen corn?
Yes, I have done this. You’ll need 4 cups. I like to thaw it first to get most of the water out. If you don’t have time for that, just toss it in the skillet frozen!
You can also use canned corn in a pinch. Use enough to get 4 cups of corn. Just drain it well and toss it in the pan!
What can I use in place of the Cotija Cheese?
You can use some crumbled feta cheese. Feta is salty like Cotija (a little less so), and has a tanginess that will go well in the salad.
Remember that Cotija cheese is salty, so don’t add extra salt over and above the recipe until you try it with the cheese first.
Try Adding Some Protein
This Mexican Street Corn Salad would make a wonderful main dish. Just add some protein.
You can top it with grilled fish or shrimp, chicken, or add some extra beans.
Mexican Street Corn (Elotes)
Slow Cooker Creamed Corn
Classic Macaroni Salad
Instant Pot Milk and Honey Corn on the Cob
If you make this Mexican Corn Salad recipe, please leave me a comment with a star rating below and tell me how you liked it!
Mexican Street Corn Salad
Ingredients
- 1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
- 5 ears Fresh Corn, or frozen (4 cups of kernels), shucked and kernels removed
- 1 clove Garlic (pressed or grated on microplaner)
- ¼ teaspoon Kosher Salt
- ¼ teaspoon Pepper
- 1 Red Bell Pepper, diced
- ½ cup (packed) Cilantro, chopped
- ¼ cup Red Onion, diced
- 1 Jalapeño, seeded, diced
- 1 (15 oz can) Black Beans, drained & rinsed
Dressing
- 2 Tablespoons Mayonnaise
- 2 Tablespoons Sour Cream (or plain Greek Yogurt)
- 1 Tablespoon Lime Juice (or more to taste)
- 1 clove Garlic (pressed or grated on microplaner)
- ¼ teaspoon Chili Powder
- ¼ teaspoon Cumin
- ¼ teaspoon Smoked Paprika
- ¼ teaspoon Kosher Salt
- ¼ teaspoon Pepper
- ½ cup Cotija Cheese, (or feta) crumbled
Garnish
- 2 Green Onions, chopped
- Cilantro
- Avocado
- Cotija or Feta Cheese
Instructions
- Grill your corn, then cut the kernels from the cobs. If you are not able to grill it, heat a large skillet and add the olive oil. Then add the corn, ¼ tsp salt and ¼ tsp pepper, and 1 garlic clove (pressed). Cook the corn kernels until you get a little bit of browning on them. Add corn to a large bowl.
- Chop all of the veggies and cilantro. Then press/grate the garlic. Add to the bowl.
- Add the black beans to the bowl.
- Mix the dressing ingredients together.
- Stir the dressing into the salad until well combined.
- Serve with your choice of garnishes.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Resources to Make Mexican Street Corn Salad recipe
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We had ordered a Mexican corn salad in a restaurant in Kelowna. We loved it. Searched the internet and found this recipe and it was even better. I use Feta cheese and it was delicious. I also used all the juice from one lime plus the zest. Serve with tortilla chips and it’s a meal💙
That’s great! I’m happy this recipe worked well for you!
Very delicious, dressing even better than expected. Used hot paprika as I got to it first in the spice cabinet, and added a dash of chipotle pepper as my paprika was not smoked. Added grape tomatoes, halved, to the salad. Loved it!
This is an excellent recipe. Delicious!
So delicious. I could eat it with a big spoon haha. My sister also liked it and took the leftovers home.