If you need a tasty Summer side dish, the search can stop here. Look no further than this zesty, crunchy corn salad with fritos chips. It’s a heapin’ helpin’ of Summertime flavor in every spoonful.
Look around your local grocers here in the Southern states, and you’ll be hard pressed not to spot a table overflowing with fresh corn straight from the fields. It’s piled high, just waiting to be shucked!
Corn is one of those veggies that we love year round. When it’s in season, we take full advantage- stocking up and then some.
If we’re not throwing the shucked cobs straight on the grill, we love to boil them in a milk & butter mixture like Grandma used to make. We call it down home milk & honey corn on the cob, and it is amazing. Finger lickin’ good!
We’ve also been known to cut the corn straight off the cob & include it in favorites like this Southern fried skillet corn, or even our jalapeno popper grilled corn salad.
If we aren’t using it right away, corn cut off the cob’s perfect for blanching & freezing. It’s an easy way to throw fresh veggies into a cozy meal. At some point though, I almost always run through my stores. It doesn’t seem to matter how much I try to stock up & prepare.
This is where having a great recipe that utilizes canned corn comes in handy. I still get my fix, and it doesn’t matter what time of the year it is.
It also helps if you have a brand of canned corn you can rely on. I generally like all canned corn, but only some are truly sweet. That sweet, yet crunchy & tender combination can be hard to find. I’ve always had consistently good results with canned shoepeg sweet corn, especially the kind I can buy year-round at Costco.
Whether it’s working with the fresh variety or a canned corn salad, you really can’t go wrong with following this recipe for Crunchy Corn Salad with Fritos Chips.
Our crunchy corn salad is easy to throw together, making it great for a last minute get together & also for planning ahead too.
It uses common ingredients, nothing to fancy or hard to find. Everything is tossed together in a creamy Tex Mex style dressing- making it a delicious change up from the traditional pairing of sweet corn, butter, & salt.
Don’t get me wrong, I still adore a cob of corn slathered in butter and sprinkled with salt, but variety is the spice of life. My kitchen thrives on it, as does my family.
Luckily, for me and for them- a few simple ingredients are all we need for a delicious change up to our regular menu.
INGREDIENTS NEEDED TO MAKE THIS FRITO CORN SALAD:
- corn
- celery
- bell pepper
- green onions
- corn chips
- cheddar cheese
- mayonnaise
- sour cream
- vinegar
- sugar
- chili powder
- garlic powder
- onion powder
- cumin
A little bit of a longer list than we’re normally advertising, but well worth the extra bit of work. The list can easily be divided in two right down the middle.
The first half being for the actual bulk of the salad, and the rest creating a rich & creamy dressing that binds everything together. Plus, the dressing is where the flavor’s really at.
HOW TO MAKE THIS CRUNCHY CORN SALAD WITH FRITOS CHIPS:
- To a large mixing bowl, add the corn, celery, pepper, onion, and cheese.
- Toss the salad ingredients to evenly combine.
- In another mixing bowl, whisk together the mayo, sour cream, vinegar, sugar, & spices until evenly combined.
- Pour this mixture onto the salad.
- Toss until evenly combined.
- Stir in the corn chips, and serve immediately.
That’s it, just a couple straight forward steps & a delicious side dish will have come together for you.
We love that this crunchy corn salad is so simple. We also love that it combines sweet corn in a creamy dressing that’s lightly spiced with Tex Mex style seasonings. It’s perfect for Summer, but tasty enough to be appreciated any time of the year.
This easy corn salad is exactly that- easy. I love sharing this recipe for precisely that reason. Whatever level of cook, nobody ever has any issues. Everyone always whips up tasty results & gives it a glowing review.
That being said, there are a couple things I’ve learned over the years that can make it even easier. Or just simple changes that lead to yummy variations. Read through the tips & tricks section below to find mine out.
TIPS & TRICKS FOR MAKING THIS CRUNCHY CORN SALAD WITH CORN CHIPS:
- If canned corn isn’t your thing, sub 2-3 cups fresh corn kernels cut off the cob.
- Don’t have green onions on hand? Minced red onion will also work. Just make sure the pieces are small so they don’t overwhelm each bite.
- While we love cheddar in this recipe, colby jack & shredded pepper jack both work well.
- If you’re trying to cut calories, you can sub low fat mayonnaise & also swap plain Greek yogurt for the sour cream.
- To prepare this salad ahead of time, prepare all the salad ingredients and add them to a tupperware. Cover and refrigerate. Whisk together the dressing, cover, & refrigerate that as well. When ready to serve, toss the dressing & chips with the corn salad until evenly combined and serve.
- As stated in the recipe, this corn salad is delicious served hot or cold. If you want to serve it chilled (and keep it chilled on a blistering day), we’ve got a trick for that. Serve it in a metal bowl, and set the bowl over a bed of ice in a pan or tray to help it keep it’s cool. This will also keep it from spoiling in the heat.
- We use plain, unseasoned corn chips- but you can sub the seasoned ones if you’d prefer.
A solid side dish recipe is always a must for any home cook. One that includes the tastes of the season is particularly impressive. This crunchy corn salad recipe is easy to whip up, and guaranteed to impress any guests you serve it to.
Other Summer-y Vegetable Side Dish Salads To Enjoy:
- Chopped Avocado Caprese Salad
- Crunchy Pea & Bacon Salad
- Cucumber Dill Feta & Pistachio Salad
- Tomato Cracker Salad
If you’ve tried this CRUNCHY CORN SALAD WITH FRITOS CHIPS, or any other recipe on my site, let me know in the comment section how it turned out, we love hearing from our readers! You can also follow along with me on PINTEREST, FACEBOOK, and INSTAGRAM to see more amazing recipes and whatever else we’ve got going on!
Crunchy Corn Salad with Fritos Chips
Ingredients
- 2 regular sized cans sweet corn drained
- 3 stalks celery diced
- 1 sweet pepper seeded & thinly sliced
- 1 bunch green onions thinly sliced
- 2 cups corn chips
- 1 1/2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
For The Dressing
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 1/4 cup sour cream
- 1 1/2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 2 tbsp sugar
- 1/2 tsp chili powder
- 1/4 tsp garlic powder
- 1/8 tsp onion powder
- 1/8 tsp cumin powder
- salt & pepper to taste
Instructions
- Add all of the salad ingredients, except the chips & dressing ingredients, to a large mixing bowl. Gently toss to evenly incorporate.
- In a separate mixing bowl, add all of the dressing ingredients. Whisk them together until smooth & evenly combined.
- Pour the dressing out over salad, and stir to combine.
- Serve the mixture as is, topped with corn chips.
- Alternatively, if you prefer a cold salad- chill the corn salad for 20 hours. Stir the corn chips in just before serving.
Nutrition
