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Inspired by esquites, a popular Mexican street food, this Mexican Street Corn Salad has all the creamy, tangy, smoky flavor of classic elote, but it is easier to serve, scoop, and share. Made with grilled corn, cotija cheese, jalapeño, cilantro, and a simple lime mayo dressing, it is the perfect summer side dish for tacos, BBQs, potlucks, and weeknight dinners.
This Mexican street corn salad is the best recipe to make during peak corn season, when fresh corn is naturally sweet and perfect for grilling. It’s creamy, tangy, smoky, and just a bit spicy, plus a fun alternative to regular butter-slathered corn on the cob.
If you’re not familiar with Mexican street corn salad, it’s inspired by two popular Mexican street foods: esquites and elote. Esquites is made with corn kernels mixed in a creamy mayo sauce with lime, chile, and cheese, and is traditionally served in a cup with a spoon. Elote uses many of the same flavors, but is served on the cob. This salad brings both together in a creamy, tangy, smoky corn salad that’s easy to scoop, serve, and share.
Why You’ll Love This Mexican Corn Salad
- Quick to make and ready in about 20 minutes.
- Easier to serve than buttery corn on the cob or elote.
- Great warm, at room temperature, or chilled.
- Perfect for summer BBQs, taco Tuesdays, potlucks, and Cinco de Mayo.
- Can be made with grilled corn, skillet-charred corn, boiled corn, or Instant Pot corn on the cob.
- Make-ahead friendly.
Table of Contents
- Why You’ll Love This Mexican Corn Salad
- Ingredients You’ll Need
- How to Make Mexican Corn Salad with Frozen or Canned Corn
- How to Make Mexican Street Corn Salad
- Tips for the Best Mexican Street Corn Salad
- Recipe Variations
- Serving Ideas
- Make Ahead and Storage Tips
- More Fresh Salad Recipes
- Mexican Street Corn Salad Recipe
Ingredients You’ll Need
This Mexican street corn salad recipe is made with simple, fresh ingredients. For the best flavor, use fresh corn on the cob when it’s in season (May through September).
- Corn: Fresh corn on the cob is best from July through August, though it is generally in season from May through September. Its sweet, juicy flavor is hard to beat, but frozen or canned corn will also work when fresh corn is unavailable.
- Butter: Brush a little butter over the corn before grilling to help it brown and add rich flavor. Olive oil can also be used.
- Cotija cheese: A salty, crumbly Mexican cheese that gives this salad its classic street corn flavor. Feta is the best substitute.
- Jalapeño: For a little fresh heat. Remove the seeds and membranes if you’re sensitive to spicy food.
- Fresh cilantro: Adds bright, fresh flavor and color. Leave it out if you do not like cilantro.
- Mayonnaise and sour cream: Create the rich, creamy, tangy base for the dressing. Mexican crema can also be used in place of sour cream.
- Garlic: Adds savory flavor.
- Lime juice: Brightens the dressing and balances the richness of the mayo and sour cream.
- Tajín (or chili powder): Adds chile-lime flavor and a little color. Use Tajín for the most classic flavor.
- Salt and black pepper: Enhance the flavor of the corn, dressing, and cheese.
How to Make Mexican Corn Salad with Frozen or Canned Corn
Fresh grilled corn gives this Mexican street corn salad the best smoky-sweet flavor, but frozen or canned corn also works when fresh corn is out of season. The key is to remove as much moisture as possible, then cook the corn in a hot skillet so it can brown and lightly char before tossing it with the creamy dressing.
- Frozen corn: Thaw it completely, then pat it dry with paper towels. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat with a little butter or olive oil, then add the corn in an even layer. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the corn is hot and lightly browned in spots.
- Canned corn: Drain well and pat it dry before adding it to the skillet. Cook it the same way as frozen corn, with a little butter or olive oil, until lightly charred. Let the corn cool slightly before mixing it with the cotija, jalapeño, cilantro, and creamy lime dressing.
This recipe calls for 4 large ears of fresh corn, which equals about 4 cups, or 32 ounces, of corn kernels.
How to Make Mexican Street Corn Salad
- Start by preheating the grill to medium-high heat and lightly oiling the grates. Brush the corn with melted butter, then grill for 10 to 12 minutes, turning every few minutes, until the kernels are tender and lightly charred all over. Let the corn cool for about 5 minutes.
- In a separate small bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, sour cream, minced garlic, lime juice, Tajín, salt, and black pepper until smooth and creamy.
- Carefully slice the kernels off the cob and add them to a large bowl with the cotija cheese, diced jalapeño, and fresh cilantro. Pour the dressing over the corn mixture and toss until everything is evenly coated.
- Finish with extra cotija cheese, a sprinkle of Tajín, and more fresh cilantro, if desired. Serve warm, at room temperature, or chilled.
Tips for the Best Mexican Street Corn Salad
- For the best flavor, use fresh corn on the cob and grill it over direct heat until lightly charred. The charred spots add smoky flavor and help this Mexican street corn salad taste more like classic elote.
- Let the grilled corn cool for about 5 minutes before mixing it with the dressing. If the corn is too hot, the mayonnaise and sour cream can become thin or oily.
- Remove the seeds and membranes from the jalapeño for a milder salad, or leave some in if you like extra heat.
- Taste before serving and adjust as needed. A little extra lime juice, Tajín, cotija cheese, or salt can help brighten the flavors, especially if the salad has been chilled.
- Serve this salad warm, at room temperature, or chilled. If making it ahead, add a squeeze of fresh lime juice and a little extra cotija just before serving.
Recipe Variations
- Make it spicier: Add extra jalapeño, cayenne pepper, or hot sauce.
- Make it milder: Remove the jalapeño seeds and membranes, or leave it out.
- Add avocado: Stir in diced avocado just before serving.
- Add more vegetables: Try green onions, red onion, or diced red bell pepper.
- Make it heartier: Add black beans, grilled chicken, or shrimp.
- Swap the cheese: Use crumbled feta if you can’t find cotija cheese.
Serving Ideas
This Mexican street corn salad is a great make-ahead side dish for summer cookouts, potlucks, and backyard BBQs. It pairs especially well with classic warm-weather favorites like classic hamburgers and turkey burgers, grilled chicken, steak, shrimp, ribs, and hot dogs.
It’s also fantastic with Mexican-inspired recipes like:
- Ground beef taco meat
- Birra tacos
- Carne asada fries
- Sheet pan shrimp fajitas
- Homemade chicken mole
- Shrimp tacos
- Cilantro lime rice
- Or any of these 40+ best Mexican recipes perfect for Cinco de Mayo
If you have leftovers, spoon them over nachos, tostadas, taco salad, or a DIY burrito bowl with Mexican rice, beans, guacamole, homemade salsa, pico de gallo, and grilled chicken or shrimp.
Make Ahead and Storage Tips
To make-ahead: Grill the corn and prepare the dressing up to 1 day in advance, then store them separately in the refrigerator. Toss everything together with the cotija cheese, jalapeño, and cilantro just before serving.
To store: Transfer leftovers to an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days.
To serve leftovers: Enjoy chilled or let the salad sit at room temperature for 10-15 minutes before serving. Add a squeeze of fresh lime juice, extra cotija cheese, and a sprinkle of Tajín to brighten the flavors.
More Fresh Salad Recipes
For another fresh summer side dish, try my classic corn salad recipe. It’s lighter and less creamy than this Mexican street corn salad, with sweet corn, fresh vegetables, and a bright vinaigrette-style flavor.
If you try making this easy Mexican corn salad recipe, I’d love to hear what you think! Please leave a comment and a star rating below, your feedback helps other readers discover (and enjoy) this recipe too. Thank you so much! 💛
Mexican Street Corn Salad
Ingredients
For the Salad
- 4 large ears fresh corn on the cob
- 1 tablespoon melted butter, or olive oil
- ½ cup cotija cheese, crumbled, plus more for serving
- 1 small jalapeño, seeded and finely diced
- 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped, plus more for serving
For the Creamy Dressing
- 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoons sour cream
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
- ½ teaspoon Tajín or chili powder, plus more for serving
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat the grill: Heat the grill to medium-high, about 400-450°F. Clean and lightly oil the grates to help prevent the corn from sticking.
- Prepare the corn: Brush 4 large ears of fresh corn with 1 tablespoon melted butter or olive oil, coating all sides.
- Grill the corn: Place the corn directly on the grill grates. Cook for 10-12 minutes, turning every 2-3 minutes, until the kernels are tender and lightly charred in spots.
- Cool and cut the corn: Transfer the grilled corn to a plate and let it cool for about 5 minutes. Stand each ear upright in a large bowl or on a cutting board, then carefully slice the kernels from the cob.
- Combine the salad ingredients: Add the grilled corn kernels to a large mixing bowl with ½ cup crumbled cotija cheese, 1 seeded and finely diced jalapeño, and 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro.
- Make the dressing: In a separate small bowl, stir together 2 tablespoons mayonnaise, 2 tablespoons sour cream, 2 minced garlic cloves, 2 tablespoons lime juice, ½ teaspoon Tajín or chili powder, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon black pepper until smooth.
- Toss the salad: Pour the creamy lime dressing over the corn mixture. Toss until the corn, cheese, jalapeño, and cilantro are evenly coated.
- Garnish and serve: Top with extra cotija cheese, a sprinkle of Tajín, and more fresh cilantro, if desired. Serve warm, at room temperature, or chilled.
Notes
- Corn: Fresh corn on the cob gives this salad the best flavor, especially when grilled until lightly charred. This recipe calls for 4 large ears of corn, which equals about 4 cups of corn kernels.
- Using frozen corn: Thaw the corn completely, pat it dry, then cook it in a hot skillet with butter or olive oil until lightly browned.
- Using canned corn: Drain the corn very well and pat it dry before charring it in a skillet. Too much moisture can make the salad watery.
- Cotija cheese: Cotija is salty, crumbly, and classic for Mexican street corn. Feta cheese is the best substitute.
- Jalapeño: Remove the seeds and membranes for a milder salad. Leave some in or add extra jalapeño for more heat.
- Dressing: Let the grilled corn cool for about 5 minutes before adding the dressing so the mayonnaise and sour cream do not thin out or become oily.
- Make ahead: Grill the corn and prepare the dressing up to 1 day ahead. Store them separately, then toss everything together before serving.
- Storage: Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Add a squeeze of fresh lime juice, extra cotija, and a sprinkle of Tajín before serving to brighten the flavors.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
