Mexican Street Corn Salad Recipe

This Mexican Street Corn Salad recipe (aka Esquites or Elote salad) is tangy, spicy, and deliciously creamy. Whether you cook the corn on the grill or in a skillet, this easy Mexican corn salad is guaranteed to be a hit for all your summer gatherings.

Course Salad, Side Dish

Cuisine Mexican

Diet Vegetarian

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 10

Total Time 25

Servings servings

Calories 178kcal

Author Aysegul Sanford

Ingredients

For The Corn:

1 tablespoon vegetable oil or melted butter
6 ears of corn kernels cut from cobs - Approximately 4 ½ to 5 cups
½ teaspoon kosher salt
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper

For The Mexican Corn Dressing:

2 tablespoons mayonnaise I prefer vegan mayo - affiliate link
3 tablespoons sour cream
½ teaspoon chili powder
3 tablespoons lime juice freshly squeezed
½ teaspoon kosher salt
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper

For The Mexican Corn Salad:

1 medium-size jalapeno seeded and sliced/chopped
¼ cup red onion chopped finely
3 tablespoons fresh cilantro chopped - more to use as garnish
½ cup cotija cheese crumbled

Instructions

For The Grilled Mexican Street Corn Salad Recipe:

To prep the corn: Fold the husk of each corn back leaf by leaf and tie them with kitchen twine. Lightly brush corn on the cub with oil.
Heat a grill pan or an outdoor grill. Grill corn, turning occasionally until it is charred in spots. Keep an eye on it as this happens rather quickly.
Cut the corn off the cob and place the corn in a large bowl. Set aside to cool.
To make the Mexican Corn Dressing: Mix together mayonnaise, sour cream, chili powder, lime juice, salt and pepper in a small bowl.
To assemble the Mexican Corn Salad: Pour the corn dressing over the corn. Add in jalapeno, onion, and cilantro. Give it a gentle toss. Make sure that the dressing is distributed equally throughout the salad.
Transfer the salad to a salad plate and top it off with cotija cheese and garnish with cilantro.

For The Skillet Roasted Mexican Street Corn Salad Recipe:

To prep the corn: Cut the corn off the cob. I used 6 ears to get about 4 ½ to 5 cups. Alternatively, you can also use canned corn or frozen corn. If using frozen, you do not need to thaw it out.
Heat oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Stir in the corn, and stirring frequently, sauté for 5-7 minutes until it starts to get (lightly) chared. If you are using frozen corn, you might need to cook a few minutes longer. Transfer to a bowl and set aside.
To make the Mexican Corn Dressing: Mix together mayonnaise, sour cream, chili powder, lime juice, salt and pepper in a small bowl.
To assemble the Mexican Corn Salad: Pour the corn dressing over the corn. Add in jalapeno, onion, and cilantro. Give it a gentle toss. Make sure that the dressing is distributed equally throughout the salad.
Transfer the salad to a salad plate and top it off with cotija cheese and garnish with cilantro.

Video

Notes

A word on adding garlic: As I was working on this recipe I was told that the authentic Mexican street corn salad recipe does not include garlic. However, when I make this at home for my family I usually mix in a clove of minced garlic in the dressing. If you are a lover of garlic, feel free to do so.
Add in an avocado: If you are a lover of avocado, add in a small cubed avocado into the salad. I usually do this if I am serving this as a salsa with tortilla chips on the side.
To make it with canned corn: Use 2 (15 oz) cans of corn. And make sure to drain and rinse to get rid of the extra salt and starch. Follow the rest of the directions for the skillet method to make it with canned corn.
To make it with frozen corn: If you opt-out for frozen corn, you will need 3 (10 oz) bags or 2 (16 oz) bags. And no need to thaw - simply remove from the freezer. Follow the rest of the directions for the skillet method to make it with frozen corn.

Nutrition