Mexican Street Corn Salad Recipe
This Mexican Street Corn Salad recipe (aka Esquites) is tangy, spicy, and deliciously creamy. Whether you cook the corn on the grill or in a skillet, this easy Mexican corn salad is guaranteed to be a hit for all your summer gatherings.
Since spring has officially sprung here in Vermont, summer gatherings and grill season are upon us. And it gives my husband and I the perfect excuse to take advantage of all those sweet corn-on-the-cobs popping up at the Farmer’s Markets.
This Mexican Street Corn Salad takes inspiration from the traditional Mexican street food known as Mesquite. An esquites recipe is a roasted corn salad smothered in a spicy, tangy, lime-scented dressing.
In other words, it is the salad version of those famous elotes you can find on the streets of Mexico, or in your home kitchen with my recipe for Mexican Street Corn.
Ingredients
For The Corn:
1 tablespoon vegetable oil or melted butter
6 ears of corn kernels cut from cubs – Approximately 4 ½ to 5 cups
½ teaspoon kosher salt
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
For The Mexican Corn Dressing:
2 tablespoons mayonnaise I prefer vegan mayo – affiliate link
3 tablespoons sour cream
½ teaspoon chili powder
3 tablespoons lime juice freshly squeezed
½ teaspoon kosher salt
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
For The Mexican Corn Salad:
1 medium-size jalapeno seeded and sliced/chopped
¼ cup red onion chopped finely
3 tablespoons fresh cilantro chopped – more to use as garnish
½ cup cotija cheese crumbled
Instructions
For The Grilled Mexican Street Corn Salad Recipe:
To prep the corn: Fold the husk of each corn back leaf by leaf and tie them with kitchen twine. Lightly brush corn on the cub with oil.
Heat a grill pan or an outdoor grill. Grill corn, turning occasionally until it is charred in spots. Keep an eye on it as this happens rather quickly.
Cut the corn off the cob and place the corn in a large bowl. Set aside to cool.
To make the Mexican Corn Dressing: Mix together mayonnaise, sour cream, chili powder, lime juice, salt and pepper in a small bowl.
To assemble the Mexican Corn Salad: Pour the corn dressing over the corn. Add in jalapeno, onion, and cilantro. Give it a gentle toss. Make sure that the dressing is distributed equally throughout the salad.
Transfer the salad to a salad plate and top it off with cotija cheese and garnish with cilantro.
For The Skillet Roasted Mexican Street Corn Salad Recipe:
To prep the corn: Cut the corn off the cob. I used 6 ears to get about 4 ½ to 5 cups. Alternatively, you can also use canned corn or frozen corn. If using frozen, you do not need to thaw it out.
Heat oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Stir in the corn, and stirring frequently, sauté for 5-7 minutes until it starts to get (lightly) chared. If you are using frozen corn, you might need to cook a few minutes longer. Transfer to a bowl and set aside.
To make the Mexican Corn Dressing: Mix together mayonnaise, sour cream, chili powder, lime juice, salt and pepper in a small bowl.
To assemble the Mexican Corn Salad: Pour the corn dressing over the corn. Add in jalapeno, onion, and cilantro. Give it a gentle toss. Make sure that the dressing is distributed equally throughout the salad.
Transfer the salad to a salad plate and top it off with cotija cheese and garnish with cilantro.