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This Mexican Street Corn Salad will be one of your new, favorite summer recipes! In only 20 minutes, you can prepare a savory, creamy side dish that provides enough servings to feed a crowd!
This Mexican Street Corn Salad recipe is a simple, yet delicious side dish that comes together quickly enough for a weeknight meal but provides enough servings for a party. It has become a weekly staple in our summer rotation.
This recipe is Mexican recipe is traditionally known as “Esquites” and captures all the flavor of a traditional Mexican Street Corn or “Elote” recipe. Elote is made by grilling ears of fresh corn and then coating it with a flavorful sour cream mixture and topping with crumbly Cotija cheese. To save time, instead of cooking on the cob, we have used canned sweet corn in this recipe, but if you have a few extra minutes, grill your corn first to add that traditional, grilled corn flavor.
We love traditional Mexican Street Corn, but really love this salad recipe as a grill isn’t a necessity and the recipe can easily be tailored to your personal preferences. You can serve this recipe as a side dish with a protein like these 10-minute shrimp tacos. If you’ve got some leftover chicken, steak, or even a few vegetables add them directly to the salad for a well-rounded, complete meal.
Why You Will Love This Recipe
- Easy. This summer side dish comes together with just a few simple steps in only 20 minutes.
- Versatile. This recipe is usually served as a side dish but can easily be served as a main dish by adding a protein of your choice.
- Kid-friendly. Even your kids will love this delicious, creamy sweet corn salad recipe.
Ingredients
Below are the simple ingredients you will need to make this summer salad recipe. Scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of the page to see the exact amounts for each ingredient.
- Corn: To save time, use canned sweet corn or you can use fresh, grilled corn. Simply slice the kernels off after grilling before adding to the salad.
- Avocado oil: An oil with a high smoke point, we prefer it for this recipe, but any neutral oil will work.
- Sour cream: The base for the creamy texture of the salad.
- Lime juice: Provides a nice, acidic summer flavor twist with just a hint of sweetness.
- Spices: smoked paprika, chili powder, garlic powder, salt help create the unique, creamy sauce’s flavor.
- Cotija cheese: A delicious, crumbly Mexican cheese. If you can’t find cotija cheese, you can substitute with queso fresco or feta cheese.
- Jalapeno: Minced jalapenos provide a hint of heat to the recipe
- Red onion and cilantro: Top the recipe with these ingredients to infuse a bit of color and subtle, delicious flavor.
How to Make Mexican Street Corn Salad
This salad recipe only requires a few easy steps and a handful of ingredients. Follow the step-by-step photos and instructions below to make this recipe. Be sure to scroll to the bottom of the page for the recipe card for the full list of ingredients and amounts.
Saute the corn
Drain your cans of corn and set aside. In a large skillet, heat the avocado oil over medium-high heat. Carefully add the corn and saute for 8-10 minutes until the corn is charred. Remove from heat and allow to cool.
Prep the sour cream mixture
Stir together the sour cream, lime juice, smoked paprika, chili powder, garlic powder, and salt in a large bowl. Set aside.
Combine ingredients
Add the cooled corn to the sour cream mixture and stir to combine and coat the corn. Add the cotija cheese, minced jalapeno, red onion, and cilantro and stir again until well combined. Serve!
Serve
We love to enjoy this side dish with chicken or steak tacos. It also pairs well with a protein, tortilla chips, or numerous other dishes depending on if you are serving as a main dish or a side. Here are a few of our favorite choices to serve alongside this corn salad.
Storage and Reheating Instructions
This Mexican corn salad will store well in an airtight container for up to 3 days in the fridge. If you freeze this recipe, we recommend freezing before adding the final toppings (cotija, red onion, cilantro, and jalapeno). These ingredients are best enjoyed fresh. You can freeze for up to 3 months in a freezer safe container.
Tips and Tricks
- Add a protein to turn this salad into a delicious, filling lunch or dinner.
- Tailor the ingredients to your personal preferences. This is an excellent recipe to customize with additional ingredients such as onion, avocado, bell pepper, or even diced tomatoes.
- For even more flavor, use freshly grilled sweet corn. This will take a little more time but adds an incredible smoky, grill flavor to the salad.
Recipe FAQ
Yes, this recipe is gluten free if prepared as described.
You can freeze this recipe but we recommend freezing before adding the final toppings (cotija, red onion, cilantro, and jalapeno). Those ingredients are best added when fresh just prior to eating.
This recipe has a mild amount of spiciness due to the jalapenos. If you don’t enjoy spicy foods, you can hold the jalapenos or reduce the amount.
Yes, you can use frozen corn. Be sure to prepare according to the package’s directions.
Other Salad Recipes
Mexican Street Corn Salad
Ingredients
- 3 15 oz cans of corn, drained
- 2 tbsp avocado oil
- 1/4 cup sour cream
- 2 tbsp lime juice
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp chili powder
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- ¼ tsp salt
- 1 cup cotija cheese
- 1 jalapeno, minced
- ⅓ cup red onion, diced
- ¼ cup cilantro, chopped
Instructions
- Drain your cans of corn and set aside. In a large skillet, heat the avocado oil over medium-high heat. Carefully add the corn and saute for 8-10 minutes until the corn is charred. Remove from heat and allow to cool.
- Meanwhile, stir together the sour cream, lime juice, smoked paprika, chili powder, garlic powder, and salt in a large bowl. Set aside.
- Add the cooled corn to the sour cream mixture and stir to combine and coat the corn. Add the cotija cheese, minced jalapeno, red onion, and cilantro and stir again until well combined. Serve!
Notes
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Leftovers keep well in the fridge for up to 3 days.
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This is a creamy, salty, and spicy BBQ side perfect for summertime!
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This is great on its own, but is a great addition to salads and tacos, too!
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
