Crunchy sweet corn with crema and the perfect amount of spice. You won’t be able to stop eating this Mexican street corn salad.
I love side dishes like corn fritters and corn on the cob. If a salad is on Baking Beauty you know it is going to a good one. No bland wimpy lettuce here! Mexican Street Corn Salad is creamy, cool, and full of flavor! It has fresh sweet corn with a little bit of heat. You’ll fall in love after the first bite! WARNING It’s addicting! It is a wonderful side dish for BBQs and picnics.
I cannot stop making this recipe. I am going to be making it all summer long. With just a few ingredients, you can be chowing down on this too!
If you’re looking for a super delicious side dish you’re going to fall in love after the first bite. Get ready to give your taste buds a true treat!
Related: Caesar Pasta Salad
What Is Mexican Street Corn?
Mexican Street Corn is a flavorful mixture corn, cheese, crema, and spices. It also has a hint of spiciness. If you’re looking for a traditional Mexican street corn recipe I have one here: Mexican Street Corn aka Elotes. The great part about this salad is that it’s really versatile and easy to adjust to your tastes. If you want to add in additional ingredients, or adjust to your tastes you can absolutely do so.
Ingredient Notes
Corn: Use fresh corn off the cob for the best flavor. If it is no in season frozen corn on the cob can also be substituted.
Olive Oil
Bell Pepper: Any color will do, but I like red because of the color it adds to the salad.
Cilantro
Green Onions
Jalapenos: Remove the seeds and ribs for a milder flavor.
Lime Juice: Adds the perfect amount of tartness to balance the creaminess.
Mexican Crema: Mexican Crema is a slightly thick tangy cream. It’s a bit thinner and slightly sweeter than sour cream. If you can’t find crema you could use sour cream instead. You can also make crema at home.
Cojita Cheese: Cojito cheese is a salty crumbly cheese. It crumbles well and is used in a wide variety of dishes. If you’re wanting to swap it out for something different, you can also use Feta.
Tapatio Hot Sauce:A thick spicy hot sauce goes great in this dish. Cholula would also be great here.
Salt/Pepper, Cumin, and Smoked Paprika
How To Make Mexican Street Corn Salad
- Cook Corn: You can cook the corn in a stock pot, the instant pot, or even on the grill.
- Cook Veggies: Saute onion, bell pepper, and jalapeno.
- Mix salad: Stir in remaining ingredients.
Frequently Asked Questions
How To Remove Corn From the Husk Easily
I prefer the good old way of shucking corn by hand. While this may be the quickest way, it does take a bit of elbow grease. You can also use the microwave method. Put the corn, husk and all, in the microwave for about 8 minutes. Once done, take it out and ,cut off the bigger end of the corn. Then pick up the opposite end of the corn ,and let the corn fall out of the husk.
Can You Use Frozen Corn?
Yes, you can! Just make certain that you thaw it out completely so that you can drain out all of that extra liquid. You don’t want your end result to be too wet. I believe fresh corn offers the best flavor, but if you’re making this in the winter it can be a great substitute.
Can You Make It Ahead?
Absolutely! And truth be told, making it ahead of time isn’t a bad idea! That just gives the flavors that much longer to meld together.
Variations
- Make It Less Spicy: Leave out the Jalapenos and hot sauce.
- Add More Veggies: Add in more veggies like tomatoes, black olives, or even avocado.
- Pasta Salad: Add in beans, and pasta for a heartier side dish.
Serve With
You can also serve with other appetizers like chips and queso, carne asada fries, or southwestern egg rolls.
Mexican Street Corn Salad
Ingredients
- 4 Ears Sweet Corn Husked
- 1 tablespoon Olive Oil
- ½ Red Bell Pepper Diced
- ½ Red Onion Diced
- ½ Cup Fresh Cilantro Roughly Chopped
- 6 Green Onions Sliced
- 2 Jalapenos Seeded & Diced
- ½ teaspoon Dried Cumin
- ½ teaspoon Smoked Paprika
- Salt/Pepper to taste
- ½ Cup Mexican Crema
- ½ Cup Cotija Cheese Crumbled
- 2 Dashes Tapatio Sauce or to taste
Instructions
- In a large stock pot, bring a pot of water to a boil. Cook corn for 4-5 minutes. (You can also use a trivet in the Instant Pot and and cook on manual high pressure for 2 minutes. Quickly release pressure after cooking). Cut corn off cob.
- In a large skillet (or Instant Pot), heat olive oil over medium high heat. Cook bell pepper, jalapeno and onion until softened. Remove from heat.
- Stir in corn, lime juice, hot sauce, and salt/pepper, cumin, and smoked paprika.
- Fold in crema, cheese, green onions and cilantro.
Nutrition
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