Mexican Street Corn Salad + Video
Mexican Street Corn Salad is tangy and sweet with a kick of heat, like the popular street corn! Make this fresh side dish in just 20 minutes!
Ingredients
- 4 cups sweet corn (**See Notes below, thawed, drained, or cut off the cob)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1/2 cup red onion chopped
- 1/4 cup green onion chopped
- 1 jalapeno seeded and diced
- 1/4 cup cilantro chopped
- 1 garlic clove minced
- 1/2 cup cojita cheese
- 2 1/2 tablespoons sour cream
- 2 tablespoons mayo
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/4 teaspoon chili powder
- 4 tablespoons fresh lime juice from 2 limes
garnish (optional)
- chopped cilantro
- extra cojita cheese
Instructions
- Cut corn kernels off of cob, or drain canned or thawed corn.
- Heat oil in a large skillet over high heat. Carefully spoon corn into the skillet and cook for about 8-10 minutes, or until corn starts to brown. Remove from heat and transfer to a large mixing bowl and allow to cool.
- Once the corn has cooled, add all remaining ingredients to the mixing bowl and stir until combined well.
- Garnish with additional chopped cilantro and extra cojita cheese if desired. Serve cold and enjoy!
Video
Notes
You can use fresh, frozen, or canned sweet corn for this recipe. If you are using frozen corn, just be sure to thaw beforehand. If you are using canned corn, drain the excess juice. For corn on the cob, husk and cut the kernels off. You could also grill your corn on the cob until slightly charred, then cut the kernels off and toss with the ingredients.
Cojita is a cow’s milk cheese, “named after the town of Cotija, Michoacán where it originated, Cotija cheese has a strong, salty flavor and is mostly used as a topping or mixed into sauces.” Source
You can substitute sour cream for the yogurt.
This is great served as a side, especially for cookout foods like barbeques, tacos, enchiladas, fajitas, or burgers. You can also dip your chips into it for an appetizer.
Add red pepper flakes for extra spice. You could also add extra veggies like chopped red pepper, or avocados. If you would like avocado in your salad, add it just before serving since it oxidizes quickly. You could also add a little lemon to your avocado to keep it from browning.
This is best served the same day. If you have leftovers or you want to prepare this ahead of time, you can store the salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator for about 3 days. If you are serving guests, I recommend making this just one day ahead.
The traditional name for Mexican street corn salad is called “esquites”. This is typically served in a cup with corn off of the cob and mixed in a variety of ways. This is not the same as “elote”, which has the corn still on the cob.
I recommend wearing food safe gloves while cutting jalapenos to protect your hands from the oils. The oils are extremely hard to wash off, and can then transfer to your eyes or other parts of your body. Be sure to remove all seeds, unless you would like your salad to have more spice. If you are serving guests, let them know if you have added jalapeno seeds, as this can make it extra spicy for some people.
Nutrition
Serving: 1 | Calories: 308cal | Carbohydrates: 38g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 17g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 24mg | Sodium: 413mg | Sugar: 9g | Fiber: 4g | Calcium: 121mg | Iron: 1mg