Mexican Street Corn Salad Recipe
Mexican Street Corn Salad Recipe combines charred corn with spicy, creamy salad ingredients. A super tasty side dish that’s delicious on SO many Tex-Mex dishes, including tacos, burrito bowls, quesadillas, and salads.
Try our Hot Jalapeno Corn Dip or Mexican Street Corn Kale Salad next!
Mexican Street Corn
I’ve been making this street corn salad for about a year now, and my oldest son has too. Since he’s wondering why it’s not on the blog yet, (cuz it’s his FAVORITE!), I’m finally sharing it with y’all.
This recipe is the salad version of Elote, commonly called Mexican Street Corn. Elote is grilled corn smothered in a creamy mayo sauce and topped with chili powder, cheese and lime juice/zest.
Reasons to love this salad:
- It’s a perfect Tex-Mex side dish.
- Easy to make when you’re grilling anyway (or use a grill pan inside).
- A combo of flavors and textures – spicy, creamy, crunchy, zesty, and salty.
- Great leftover!
Ingredients needed:
Prep all the salad ingredients in advance, grill the corn, let cool (while your meat is on the grill), and then slice the corn off the cobs. Mix it all up, and wa-la. A delicious side for all the things!
- Corn – Use fresh corn on the cob for best results.
- Jalapeños – Use 1-2 jalapeños. You can include seeds and rind if you enjoy spicy. If not, leave them out.
- Onion – Red onion works best in this corn salad.
- Cilantro – A handful of cilantro, chopped finely.
- Cheese – Use a crumbly Cotija Mexican cheese.
- Mayo – You’ll only need about 1/4 cup of mayo for this because the lime juice adds to the creaminess.
- Seasonings – Kosher salt, garlic powder, and ground cumin.
- Lime – Use 1-2 limes, according to your preference. I usually use the zest of one lime in this.
How to make Mexican Street Corn Salad:
Step 1
Grill the corn. Preheat an outdoor grill (or use an indoor grill pan) to medium-high heat. Grill corn to char the outsides slightly. Don’t overcook. Remove to cool slightly.
Step 2
Remove kernels. When corn is cool enough to handle, slice corn kernels off the cobs.
Step 3
Prepare salad ingredients. In a medium bowl, combine the jalapeño, red onion, cilantro, Cotija cheese, mayo, seasonings, and fresh lime zest and juice.
Step 4
Add corn to the salad. Then add the corn kernels to the salad ingredients, and stir well.
Step 5
Serve. Serve this corn salad with a variety of Tex-Mex recipes. See below for ideas.
Recipe FAQs:
Yes, “Elote” is the Spanish word for “corn on the cob,” typically served as street food in Mexico. “Street corn” is an English term used to describe this popular Mexican dish made from grilled corn on the cob that is usually coated with a mixture of mayonnaise, cotija cheese, lime juice, and chili powder (or other seasonings).
Cotija cheese is a type of Mexican cheese that is commonly used in many traditional Mexican dishes. It is a salty and crumbly cheese with a dry texture and a distinctive flavor. Cotija cheese is typically used as a topping for dishes such as tacos, tostadas, and salads. It is often sprinkled on top of refried beans, grilled meats, or roasted vegetables to add a salty and tangy flavor.
Queso fresco: Queso fresco is a mild and crumbly Mexican cheese that can be used as a substitute for cotija cheese. It has a similar texture but is less salty.
Feta cheese: Feta cheese has a similar crumbly texture and salty flavor to cotija cheese, although it has a more tangy taste.
Grana Padano is a hard and crumbly Italian cheese that has a nutty and salty flavor.
How to serve this salad:
This street corn salad is delicious on SO MANY things! I’ve got tons of Tex-Mex dishes for you to try with it.
- Carne Asada Burrito Bowls (see photo below)
- Grilled Chicken Burrito Bowls (see photo below)
- Grilled Shrimp Tacos
- Healthy Taco Soup Recipe
- Steak Quesadilla Recipe
- Easy Fish Tacos
- Instant Pot Crispy Carnitas
Kitchen Tools used for this recipe: (Affiliate Links)
Add this Mexican Street Corn Salad to ALL your Tex-Mex dishes!
xoxo ~Sue
Mexican Street Corn Salad Recipe
Ingredients
- 6 ears fresh corn – husked and cleaned, and grilled
- 1-2 large jalapeños – diced (with or without seeds)
- 1/3 cup red onion – diced
- 1/3 cup cilantro – minced
- 1/3 cup cotija cheese – crumbled
- 1/4 cup light mayo – I use a lighter version with olive oil
- 1-2 large limes (the zest and juice) – use as much as you like, depending on the juiciness of the limes
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
Instructions
- Preheat an outdoor grill to medium-high heat. Grill the corn until char marks form on all sides, rotating every few minutes. (You can also grill the corn on an indoor grill pan.)
- Remove corn and when it's cool enough to handle, cut the corn off the cobs. Set aside.
- Combine the remaining ingredients in a mixing bowl – the mayo, lime zest and juice, jalapenos, red onion, cotija cheese, cilantro, and seasonings. Stir well.
- Place the corn in the mixing bowl, and stir well to coat. Serve immediately.
AMAZING! We made this with the Deconstructed Stuffed Peppers and it was delicious. This will be a staple of many future taco/burrito nights in our household!
This makes me so happy. Thanks Brynn!
Out of all the recipes on SueBeeHomemaker, this is one we make the most! This is the ULTIMATE compliment to any burrito bowl
Hooray! So glad you enjoyed it!
OMG! Made this and it was awesome! Used with grilled shredded chicken and made burrito bowls. My kids said it was better than Chipotle – and they love Chipotle burrito bowls!
We love this corn so much too! Makes all Tex-Mex recipes better. Thanks Cathy!
This street corn goes with everything I love!
Was able to try this prior to the blog release and it’s fantastic. So much so I am making it this weekend and probably often in the future!!
I hope you keep enjoying this yumminess!