Mexican Street Corn Salad is a creamy corn side dish, appetizer, or snack. The ingredients include fresh lime juice, cotija cheese, jalapeños, cilantro, and just enough chili powder and cumin to add a little spice. You have to admit that sounds yummy.
The corn is cooked in a hot skillet until some of the kernels are browned and charred. That extra step makes a difference, and you don't even have to thaw the frozen corn first.
This is an easy side dish for barbecues, potlucks, taco night, or just about any meal where you want something besides the usual potato or pasta salad. And it only takes about 20 minutes to make.
Mexican Street Corn Salad Ingredients
This salad has a lot going on, but the ingredients are simple.
- Corn: The recipe calls for 24 ounces of frozen corn. Fresh corn kernels will work, too.
- Red onion: Dice it so you get a little onion throughout the salad without big pieces.
- Jalapeños: Seed and dice two jalapeños for a little heat.
- Garlic: Use 2 to 3 cloves of minced garlic.
- Cilantro: A bunch of chopped cilantro adds plenty of fresh flavor.
- Green onions: Slice ¼ cup to add to the corn mixture.
- Cotija cheese: This crumbly Mexican cheese is salty and works really well with corn and lime.
- Dressing: Sour cream and mayonnaise make the creamy base. Lime juice, chili powder, cumin, salt, and black pepper season it.
Let's Talk About The Corn
Frozen corn works great for this Mexican Street Corn Salad, and there's no need to thaw it. Just toss it into the skillet. Fresh corn kernels are the best but sadly we don't always have that option.
I don't recommend canned corn for this recipe. It has more moisture, and the kernels can get too soft while you're trying to brown them.
The trick is to get a good char on the corn instead of simply heating it through. Add the olive oil and frozen corn to a large skillet over high heat.
Resist the urge to keep stirring. Let the corn sit for a few minutes before stirring so the kernels have a chance to brown. You're looking for those darker, charred spots that give the salad more flavor.
The Creamy Lime Dressing
The dressing is a simple mixture of sour cream, mayonnaise, fresh lime juice, salt, black pepper, chili powder, and cumin.
Stir everything together until it's well combined. The recipe calls for the juice of two limes, so there's enough lime to balance the creamy ingredients and all that sweet corn.
Taste the dressing after mixing it and adjust as needed.
How To Make Mexican Street Corn Salad
This salad comes together pretty quickly once the vegetables are chopped.
First, heat the olive oil in a large skillet over high heat. Add the frozen corn and cook it until browned and charred in spots. Transfer the corn to a large bowl and let it cool.
While the corn cools, mix the sour cream, mayonnaise, lime juice, salt, black pepper, chili powder, and cumin in a separate bowl.
Add the diced red onion, jalapeños, garlic, cilantro, green onions, and cotija cheese to the corn.
Pour the dressing over everything and stir until combined well. All done! Serve the Mexican Street Corn Salad immediately or refrigerate until you're ready to eat.
Mexican Street Corn Salad Recipe
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: Mexican
Keyword: Corn Salad, Mexican corn, Mexican Street Corn Salad
Servings: 4
Calories: 334.88 kcal
Author: Recipe Idea Shop
Ingredients
- 24 oz frozen corn
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ½ red onion, diced
- 2 jalapeños, seeded and diced
- 2-3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 bunch cilantro, chopped
- ¼ cup green onions, sliced
- ¼ cup cotija cheese
Dressing
- 3 tablespoons sour cream
- 3 tablespoons mayonnaise
- 2 limes, juiced
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon chili powder
- ⅛ teaspoon ground cumin
Instructions
- In a large skillet over high heat, add oil and char the frozen corn until browned. Transfer corn to a large bowl and let cool.
- To make the dressing, add the sour cream, mayo, lime juice, salt, pepper, chili powder, and ground cumin to a bowl. Stir well to combine.
Taste and adjust as needed.
- Add the red onion, jalapeños, garlic, cilantro, green onions, and cotija cheese to the large bowl with the corn.
Pour the dressing on top. Stir well to combine.
- Serve immediately or refrigerate until ready to serve.
Add Avocado
Want to make the salad a little more filling? Add some avocado. Avocado goes well with the lime, jalapeño, cilantro, and creamy dressing already in the salad.
Since avocado can brown after it's cut, add it when you're ready to serve the salad rather than too far ahead of time.
Serve Right Away Or Chill It
You can serve Mexican Street Corn Salad immediately after mixing or refrigerate it until you're ready to serve.
That makes it handy when you're preparing several dishes for a barbecue or potluck and want to get this one out of the way early.
Make This Easy Corn Salad
Sweet charred corn, fresh lime, cotija cheese, jalapeños, and a creamy dressing make this a good change from the usual cookout side dishes. Plus, starting with frozen corn means you can make Mexican Street Corn Salad any time of year.
And don't forget to let that corn sit in the skillet long enough to brown. Those charred kernels are worth the extra few minutes.
Save or Print the Recipe
Mexican Street Corn Salad
Author: Recipe Idea Shop
Ingredients
- 24 oz frozen corn
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ½ red onion diced
- 2 jalapenos seeded and diced
- 2-3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 bunch cilantro chopped
- ¼ cup green onions sliced
- ¼ cup cotija cheese
Dressing:
- 3 tablespoons sour cream
- 3 tablespoons mayonnaise
- 2 limes juiced
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon chili powder
- ⅛ teaspoon ground cumin
Instructions
- In a large skillet over high heat, add oil and char the frozen corn until browned. Transfer corn to a large bowl and let cool.
- Prepare the dressing by adding the sour cream, mayo, lime juice, salt, pepper, chili powder, and ground cumin to a bowl. Stir well to combine. Taste and adjust as needed.
- To the large bowl with the corn, add the red onion, jalapenos, garlic, cilantro, green onions, and cotija cheese. Pour the dressing on top. Stir well to combine.
- Serve immediately or refrigerate until ready to serve.
