Mexican Street Corn Salad

This Mexican Street Corn Salad is the perfect way to use up all of that fresh summer corn; with smoky, spicy and tangy flavours this salad will keep you coming back for more.

I love corn, like really looovvvvve it. Corn is hands-down my favourite summer vegetable, so much so that I could probably eat 3 or 4 ears in one sitting. Loaded with butter and sea salt, it’s just so good! Although eating it right off the cob will always be my favourite way, it’s not for everyone and there are so many other ways to use this summer ingredient. Often considered a vegetable, corn is in fact a gluten-free grain, so it is an ideal source of complex carbohydrate that can provide energy for the day.

Mexican Street Corn Salad, traditionally known as esquites, is an off the cob version of elotes. Elotes is a dish of Mexican grilled corn that is eaten of the cob, loaded with mayonnaise, spices, lime juice and lots of cheese. Esquites is the salad version of elotes and a delicious (and easier to eat) version of corn on the cob. When corn is in season this Mexican Street Corn Salad is the perfect dish to bring to any summer BBQ or backyard feast as its rich, creamy and smoky flavour will please everyone’s taste buds.

Mexican Street Corn Salad

This recipe calls for fresh corn on the cob however, you could also use frozen corn kernels and cook them in a pan with butter to create a grilled effect. Additionally, if you can’t find traditional Mexican Cojita cheese, you can substitute it for a crumbly feta or Parmesan cheese.

Author: Stephanie Kay
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 25 minutes
Yield: 4 servings 1x
Category: Salads, Sides
Cuisine: Gluten-Free

Scale

Ingredients

Salad Ingredients:

5 ears sweet corn (about 4 cups)
1 tbsp. melted butter or olive oil
2 scallions, finely sliced
1/2 cup fresh cilantro, coarsely chopped
1 jalapeño, seeded and finely minced (optional)
1/4 cup. Cotija cheese, crumbled (or Feta or Parmesan)

Dressing Ingredients:

3 tbsp. Homemade Mayonnaise
1 lime, juiced
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 tsp. cumin
1/2 tsp. smoked paprika
1/4 tsp. black pepper
1/4 tsp. sea salt

Instructions

Preheat a grill to medium-high heat.
Begin by preparing the corn. Shuck the corn and remove as much of the silk as possible. (If any remains it is not a problem, they will burn off on the grill.)
Coat each ear of corn with melted butter or oil, and place them on the grill. Cook for 10-12 minutes, rotating the ears every 2-3 minutes to ensure they do not burn. You want to create char marks on all sides, but do not want the entire cob to become entirely black.
Once the corn is cooked, set aside and allow to cool slightly.
While the corn is cooling, prepare the dressing. Whisk together homemade mayonnaise, lime juice, garlic, spices, salt and pepper.
Once the corn is cool enough to handle, stand the corn, picked-side down, on a cutting board, and use a sharp knife to slice down along the cob to remove the kernels. Discard the ears.
In a large bowl, combine the corn kernels, scallions, jalapeño, cilantro, Cojita cheese, coat with dressing, and toss well to combine.
Season with extra salt and pepper to taste, and top with extra cheese and cilantro to serve.
Enjoy!