You’ll love how the creamy, spicy, cheesy flavors of elote come together in this Mexican Street Corn Salad featuring charred corn, fresh veggies, and a flavorful tangy dressing. Mexican Street Corn is a delicious snack that can be purchased from vendors in Mexico. You’ll be handed a whole corn cob that has been expertly grilled, slathered with a creamy sauce, and covered with a flavorful treatment of cotija cheese and chili powder. While I do enjoy making grilled corn on the cob and giving it the Elote treatment, sometimes it’s more practical to make this Mexican Street Corn Salad instead. This tasty corn salad, also known as “esquites” is eaten with a fork, rather than your hands, so it can be a better option for those of us who would rather not eat with our fingers. Plus, fresh corn kernels are easy to cook on the stove, which means that you can make elote corn salad any time of the year, no grill needed! Enjoy this Mexican Corn Salad with any of your favorite cookout meals, or serve it as a side dish with Tex-Mex Favorites like Carne Asada, Steak Fajitas, and Cilantro Lime Chicken.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Another delicious salad recipe that uses sweet corn is my Cowboy Caviar Dip!
Key Ingredients In Mexican Street Corn Salad
Here’s what you need to make this easy and delicious esquites recipe:
Corn: This recipe works best with fresh sweet corn on the cob. We’ll carefully remove the kernels and then cook them in a skillet. Mayo and Yogurt: Instead of Mexican Crema, which is not often available in grocery stores outside of Mexico, a blend of mayonnaise and plain Greek yogurt is the next best thing. Jalapeno: Chop up one jalapeno to give the salad a bit of heat. You can also use serrano peppers if you prefer more spiciness. Cheese: Look for cotija cheese at your supermarket. If you can’t find it, the next best option is a different salty and crumbly cheese such as feta or ricotta salata. Spices: Chili pepper is a must! We’re also using fresh garlic, salt, and pepper to give our corn salad the best flavor. Cilantro, Green Onion, and Lime Juice: Use fresh herbs and limes to add brightness to the salad.
Complete list of ingredients and amounts can be found in the recipe card below.
How To Make Mexican Street Corn Salad (Esquites)
Recipe Tips
Serve the salad on a plate or in a clean serving bowl, garnished with extra cheese, more fresh cilantro, and sliced green onions if you like. For extra heat, leave the seeds in the jalapeno pepper. Much of the heat in any pepper lives in the seeds and the membranes around them. Wear gloves when dicing hot peppers like jalapeno or serrano. This way you won’t get any of the spicy oils on your fingers. If you can’t get your hands on fresh corn, you can make this recipe with frozen corn or even canned corn! Thaw frozen corn first, and for either type, be sure to drain and dry it well before cooking.
Storing Tips
Mexican street corn salad is best served immediately, but you can store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
What To Serve With Mexican Street Corn Salad
This creamy, cheesy corn salad will pair well with any grilled meat, fish, or chicken, but it’s best when served with other delicious and homemade Mexican dishes! Make esquites on taco night, and serve it with easy Ground Beef Nachos, Shredded Chicken Tacos, or my slightly fancy Salmon Tacos. Make a batch of Crock Pot Pinto Beans and Mexican Rice and you can enjoy a full Mexican Feast! This Mexican Street Corn Salad is a delicious and easy side dish that will work perfectly with any barbecue menu or taco Tuesday dinner! Don’t forget to save the recipe so that you can make it over and over again. © Little Sunny Kitchen
