Mexican Street Corn Salad
A beautiful blend of sweet and spicy this Mexican Street Corn Salad is essentially deconstructed Elote made off of the cob, ready to serve a crowed, and finished with a dash of smoky seasoning. Making it a truly out of this world side dish idea for any occasion, especially barbecues & potlucks.
Different stroke for different folks, right? In many ways the hubs and I are polar opposites.
The first example that comes to mind being that most days I’m happy living in a ‘neat mess’ while our kids are young, where he needs everything to be a hundred percent spic and span to function properly.
Still after all the years we’ve been together, we have reaffirmed what we found out on our initial blind date, that opposites really do attract.
And with a little bit of effort over the years, they endure and keep on keeping things interesting.
Never a dull moment around here, that’s for sure.
Another thing we are polar opposites on? Condiments, well really mostly mayonnaise. I love it, he hates it.
I’m not talkin’ eat it by the spoonful love, that would even make me gag and probably worse.
But if I’m having a sandwich– a sandwich isn’t a sandwich without some mayo. PB And J’s aside, of course.
The hubs on the other hand, can’t have more than the barest hint just to moisten the bread.
Like you must smooth on a nice even coat, and then pretty much scrape it all off before ‘dressing’ the sandwich.
It makes no sense to me, but he insists it gets the flavor in there without the unbearable texture.
Whatever floats your boat, babe. Just as long as you’re packin’ your own lunches.
It’s weird though, because this aversion doesn’t translate to everything.
I mean, he can go to town on a good potato salad with the best of ’em. He loves it when I pack him egg salad sandwiches for work.
BUT it leaves me with a very fine line to walk between a mayo salad studded with a few bits of potato or egg and whatever else, and trying more for the tid bits of everything else just moistened and loosely held together by a teensy bit of mayo.
Have you ever had Mexican street corn? It’s absolutely delicious, and if you haven’t yet experienced it’s awesomeness, I highly encourage you to go out and do so STAT.
That being said, one of it’s fundamentals is being slathered with a bit of mayo, sprinkled with cheese, and seasoned.
I’m pretty sure my husband wanted to vomit the first time we tried it together and I got a little speck on my chin.
He held it in, and did his best not to let me know since it was pre-marriage and all.
Come to think of it, maybe I should have wondered a bit more why he was so quick to not want to try a bite himself.
Oh well.
Fast forward a decade, and I knew he’d like the flavors if he could really give it half a chance. I just had to keep his mayo-hattin-habit in mind.
Couldn’t have a random drop of mayo hit and land on his tongue and throw the whole thing off.
So I decided to adapt it, and incorporate it into another trick that seemed to please the hub’s palate. Without further adieu, I give you Mexican Street Corn Salad.
This slightly spicy Mexican Street Corn Salad is a creamy, crunchy smooth and tangy side salad all in one yummy bowl.
It easily feeds a crowd, or can be halved to feed a smaller group.
Toasted corn kernels are mixed with salty Cotija cheese, a bit of diced spicy jalapenos, and fresh cilantro.
Stirred in with a lightly seasoned garlic, lime, and mayonnaise-based dressing, this street corn salad is perfect for bringing to parties, for paring with grilled meats, or just for getting that yummy fix you crave– without any mess on your face.
Love corn? Check Out These Other Recipes Too!
- Jalapeno Popper Grilled Corn Salad
- Down Home Milk & Honey Corn On The Cob
- Slow Cooker Cream Style Corn
If you’ve tried this MEXICAN STREET CORN SALAD, or any other recipe on the 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.
Mexican Street Corn Salad
Ingredients
- 2 14 oz bags of frozen corn
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- ¼ cup mayonnaise
- 8 oz cotija cheese crumbled
- ½ jalapeno diced, seeds removed
- ½ cup finely chopped cilantro
- dash of cayenne pepper
- 3 cloves of garlic minced
- juice of one lime
- sea salt
- Pinch of smoked paprika
- Pinch of chili powder
Instructions
- In a large skillet, over medium heat, add the olive oil and toast the corn-- cooking the corn for 10-12 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove the skillet from heat and set aside.
- In a separate, large bowl stir the mayo, cotija cheese, jalapeno, cilantro, cayenne, and minced garlic together, until evenly combined.
- Slice the lime in half and squeeze the juices from each half into the bowl. Stir until the juice is completely incorporated.
- Stir in the corn until completely incorporated, evenly, into the salad mixture.
- Refrigerate the salad until chilled.
- When ready to serve, spoon the mixture into bowls and sprinkle with a pinch of sea salt, smoked paprika, and chili powder.
Notes
Nutrition
These corns look fabulous and the recipe is so simple. Thanks for getting it to the party! I’m going to grab some before it’s over.
Happy FF! 🙂
Wow! Super good, and no messy face!
I think that’s one of my favorite things about this version. I can dig in without any embarrassment, especially in public.
Can this be made a day ahead?
Yes, but wait to add the cheese and cilantro until you’re ready to serve.
I made a similar salad but used 6 ears of fresh corn. Sauteed half of cut corn in Tsp of oil in screaming hot nonstick skillet with 1/4 tsp salt for 3 min covered & not stirred to get charred & steamed corn. Did the next half of corn the same way. 3T line juice, 3T sour cream, 1 T mayonnaise over cooked corn. Saute in skillet 1 t chili pwdr, 2 minced cloves garlic & 1/2 to 1 whole jalapeno pepper, diced. Add to bowl of corn & dressing. Added 1/2 c cilantro, 1 c cotija cheese (grated like parmesan), 5 sliced green onions, lots of green tops, if nice. Then I added 1 cup good feta, 1 c sliced tomatoes, 1 sliced avocado. Toss thoroughly and ENJOY!!
Can I use fresh corn?
Karen, of course. I’d just cook it and let it cool before cutting the kernels off the cob.
Can it be served warm?
It totally can be. Hot or Cold, whichever way you find you prefer.
Looks delicious! Any substitution suggestion for us mayo-phobes? Thanks!
You could try using a a yogurt, like a regular plain or plain Greek. Or you could halve the mayo and use sour cream for the other half so it’s less.
I’d like to double this and serve from a single large bowl… would you recommend stirring in the sea salt, paprika and chili powder or just garnishing the top before serving? The cotija cheese is already salty. Thanks for the recipe!
I would still stir everything together, and top with an additional sprinkle of paprika and cheese just before serving for a pretty presentation.
Hi! Sounds perfect with quesadillas! How many days can it be made ahead of eating? Thanks.
Yes, they would pair perfectly together. I’ve only made it up to a day ahead of time.
Can this be made ahead of time?
You sure can Marcy. Just be sure to store it in the fridge in an air tight container until ready to serve.
I made this to serve with Blackened Fish Tacos. I made a few changes to mine by using a small can of chopped jalapenos instead of chopped fresh jalapeno since that was what I had on hand. I also used a 32 oz bag of frozen corn and Goat Cheese, crumbled, as that was what I had on hand instead of the Cotija cheese. It was absolutely Amazing!!
I love how easy this salad is to adapt. Feta also will work if you have it on hand.
Omg…so good! Hot or cold!! Will definitely be in rotation for this summers get together!
It’s perfect for company, even at the last minute.
This was amazing and delicious! I made it for a party and was asked for the recipe by many in attendance. Perfect!!
I’m so happy to hear that it was a hit at your party, Holly.
just had it with dinner.
family consensus… no citrus, next time. they felt it would be closer to street corn without it. otherwise, a hit.
i’ll be making it again! thanks for the recipe.
Do you thaw the frozen corn first? Tx!
No need, it will thaw as it cooks.
im assuming nothing in this recipe has gluten, thus gluten free???
That would be my assumption as well, Bill. But, if it’s a serious issue– I’d check with someone more familiar with the topic.
I tried this recipe and mine came out tasting sour. Any ideas what I may have done wrong? I was so excited to try this.
I’d say omit the lime completely, or start with a very small amount and taste test until it’s just right for you. I doubt you did anything wrong, just some people are more susceptible to sour flavors, especially in creamy dishes.
After ordering Mexican Street Corn at an upscale Taco restaurant I just had to come home and make this myself. Your recipe is spot on to the one we ordered. We all loved it. Thank you for sharing this recipe. I will make it again.
Debbie, thank you so much for sharing this! I’m so glad you were able to get the same experience ‘at home’ like we were.
Do you use hellmans or miracle whip?
If one of our recipes calls for mayo, it’s always mayo NOT miracle whip. I’d make sure to make included miracle whip specifically in the ingredients since I think they taste nothing alike, and don’t use them interchangeably.
Can you tell me the nutritional information per serving? Calories, carbs, protein, fat, etc.?
Mary, I use the calculator through this link if I need to find specifics for nutritional info: https://www.verywell.com/recipe-nutrition-analyzer-4129594
Looks amazing, making on vacation for a Mexican night dinner. Can I use parmesan cheese? Eveyone is funny about there cheeses, I would use what the recipe says, but some have sour faces…
Parmesan may work, but it’s pretty pungent. The cotija is mild, but salty. I’d suggest feta instead, if you’re looking for an alternative.
Recipe was delish, thanks! Would you mind sharing where you bought the navy
serving bowls that you used? Thanks!!!
So glad you liked it! The little blue ramekins are actually from Kroger. The store goes by a couple different names depending on where you live. They had them in red, yellow, and blue.
What about using (bottled) ranch dressing instead of mayo?
If you try that Janny, let me know what you think! I don’t think it would taste bad, but mayo is a staple in any variation of Mexican Street Corn so it definitely wouldn’t have an authentic taste/feel.
I stumbled onto your site looking for a street corn recipe. This was so easy to make! I took it to a “taco Tuesday” party and it was everone’s favorite. You now have at least 10 other people visiting your recipes.
That’s awesome, Kendell– so glad everyone loved it! You’ll see pretty quickly we’re about fast fix, but full flavor, options. Can’t wait to hear the next thing y’all find that you fall in love with!
Just brought this modified recipe for a Thanksgiving get together yesterday and it was a huge hit. No Mayo at all just a half brick of softened cream cheese with some tsps of Greek yogurt for the dressing. Cotaja cheese too expensive but subbed feta instead. Minced the whole jalapeño and threw in an extra can of corn. They brought out a bag of blue corn chips and used it as a relish or dip for the chips. Thank you for this. Everyone loved it.
Thanks for sharing, Shelly! So happy to hear everyone loved it 🙂
Does it matter if I use sweet corn or just regular? What do you use?
Honestly? Whichever is in season and cheaper on the cob. Either will taste yummy!
would it be okay to use can corn and not toast the corn. Just mix everything
I think it would be ok. I’d probably use thawed frozen before canned, just because I wouldn’t want it to become mushy or squishy on stirring.