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    Home » Salads

    Mexican Street Corn Salad

    Published: Jul 2, 2023 · Modified: Apr 28, 2025 by Becky Thames-Simmons · This post may contain affiliate links · Leave a Comment

    Mexican Street Corn Salad is a spinoff of the popular street food, Mexican street corn. Mexican street corn (in Spanish, elote) is grilled corn on the cob slathered with mayonnaise and sprinkled chili powder, cojita cheese, and lime.

    mexican street corn salad in a white bowl with a spoon and lime wedges with pepper cilantro red onion garlic
    Jump to Recipe - Print Recipe

    This page contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn a small commission from qualifying purchases when you purchase using the links on this page. It doesn't increase the price of the items for you, and it helps me cover the costs of bringing great recipes to you.

    In Spanish, this salad is called esquites.

    There are many variations to this salad, but the base ingredients to include are corn, mayonnaise, chili powder, cojita, and lime.

    This recipe pairs really well with Chicken Pozole Verde and even Beef Chili with Beans.

    I based this recipe off the one my sister Margaret uses, which she got from a pub in her town that makes up a really good version of it (I've had it, too).

    Ingredients

    • Corn
    • Olive oil
    • Mayonnaise
    • Sour cream
    • Cumin
    • Paprika
    • Garlic
    • Lime juice
    • Cojita or feta cheese
    • Parmesan cheese
    • Cilantro
    • Red onion
    • Jalapeno
    • Salt and pepper

    See recipe card for quantities.

    Instructions

    1. Char the corn kernels in a skillet.
    2. Mix the mayonnaise, sour cream, garlic, lime juice, cumin and paprika to make the dressing.
    3. Combine all the ingredients, stirring thoroughly. Test for salt, pepper and lime juice, adjust if desired.
    4. Serve garnished with additional cheese, red onion and cilantro, if desired.

    Substitutions and variations

    Leave out any of the ingredients you don't care for. Here are some substitutes for existing ingredients:

    • Greek yogurt - instead of sour cream or mayonnaise, or both
    • Cheese - If you cannot find cojita cheese, feta cheese is a great substitute (I grated mine with this really cool grater, but crumbled works just as well)
    • Chopped red bell pepper would be a flavorful and colorful addition!
    zulay kitchen cheese grater hand crank for kitchen with reinforced suction section with five blades
    Zulay Kitchen Cheese Grater (sponsored)

    Storage

    This salad will store in the refrigerator for up to five days (if it lasts that long). Mexican Street Corn Salad won't stand up well to freezing, so I don't recommend it.

    Top tips

    cartoon light bulb

    Mix all the dressing ingredients together before adding them to the rest of the ingredients, because they'll blend much better.

    cartoon light bulb

    I have found that Mexican Corn Salad tastes even better a day after making it. The extra time in the refrigerator gives all the flavors a chance to really meld and blend together nicely.

    Related

    Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:

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    Pairing

    These are my favorite dishes to serve with Mexican Street Corn Salad:

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    • chicken chili verde in a bowl garnished with avocado slices
      Chicken Chili Verde - with time savers!
    • beef chili with beans in a bowl topped with sour cream
      Beef Chili with Beans
    • beef and chicken chilaquiles in a pan
      No-Bake Meat Lover's Chilaquiles

    📖 Recipe

    mexican street corn salad in a bowl with a wooden spoon and lime wedges

    Mexican Street Corn Salad

    Bring the flavors of the Mexican streets to your table! Perfect for any occasion.
    Print Pin
    5 from 2 votes
    Rate and Comment
    Course: Salad
    Cuisine: Mexican
    Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes
    Cook Time: 10 minutes minutes
    Total Time: 20 minutes minutes
    Servings: 6 servings
    Calories: 310kcal
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Ingredients

    • 16 ounces corn frozen should be thawed, canned should be drained
    • 2½ tablespoons olive oil
    • ⅓ cup mayonnaise
    • ⅓ cup sour cream
    • 3 cloves garlic minced
    • 3 tablespoons lime juice fresh-squeezed
    • ½ teaspoon cumin
    • ¼ teaspoon paprika
    • 4 ounces feta cheese, crumbled or cojita
    • ¼ cup grated parmesan cheese
    • 10 cilantro sprigs, chopped
    • ¼ cup red onion, diced
    • 1 jalapeno pepper, chopped very small
    • salt and pepper to taste

    Instructions

    • Heat the oil in a skillet on high heat. Add the corn kernels and stir to coat with the oil. Cook for about five minutes, to get a char on the kernels. Frozen and canned corn may take less time than fresh.
    • Remove from heat and transfer to a large bowl, allowing it to cool for a few minutes.
    • In a small bowl, mix the mayonnaise, sour cream, garlic, lime juice, cumin and paprika.
    • To the bowl with the corn, add the remaining ingredients and the mayonnaise mixture. Stir to combine thoroughly. Test for salt, pepper and lime juice, adjust if desired.
    • Serve garnished with additional cheese, red onion and cilantro, if desired.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 310kcal | Carbohydrates: 20g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 24g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 7g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Trans Fat: 0.02g | Cholesterol: 33mg | Sodium: 375mg | Potassium: 251mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 698IU | Vitamin C: 10mg | Calcium: 155mg | Iron: 1mg

    Food safety

    • Don't leave food sitting out at room temperature for extended periods
    • Never leave cooking food unattended
    • Use oils with high smoking point to avoid harmful compounds
    • Always have good ventilation when using a gas stove

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    Hi, I'm Becky! Follow along with me as I share all my family's favorite recipes along with new really great new ones. I'm happily retired and staying busy in my kitchen to bring you the best recipes for unfussy time in your kitchen..

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