Description
This Mexican Street Corn Salad features vibrant, charred corn kernels mixed with creamy, tangy, and spicy ingredients. It offers a fresh, flavorful side dish perfect for complementing Tex-Mex meals such as tacos, quesadillas, burrito bowls, and more. The combination of grilled corn, jalapeños, cotija cheese, and zesty lime dressing creates a delicious balance of smoky, creamy, and zesty flavors.
Ingredients
Scale
Corn
- 6 ears fresh corn – husked and cleaned, grilled
Salad Dressing & Mix-Ins
- 1–2 large jalapeños – diced (with or without seeds)
- 1/3 cup red onion – diced
- 1/3 cup cilantro – minced
- 1/3 cup cotija cheese – crumbled
- 1/4 cup mayonnaise with olive oil (or other mayo) – or more as needed
- Zest and juice of 1–2 large limes (adjust to taste)
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
Instructions
- Grill the Corn: Preheat an outdoor grill to medium-high heat. Grill the corn ears until char marks appear on all sides, turning every few minutes to ensure even charring. If you don’t have an outdoor grill, use an indoor grill pan to achieve similar results.
- Cut Corn from the Cobs: Remove the grilled corn from the grill and allow it to cool slightly. Once cool enough to handle, carefully cut the kernels off the cobs and set them aside in a bowl.
- Prepare the Salad Mixture: In a mixing bowl, combine the mayonnaise, lime zest and juice, diced jalapeños, diced red onion, crumbled cotija cheese, minced cilantro, kosher salt, garlic powder, and ground cumin. Stir thoroughly to blend all the flavors.
- Combine and Serve: Add the grilled corn kernels to the mixing bowl with the seasoning mixture. Stir well until the corn is evenly coated. Serve the salad immediately as a flavorful side dish with your favorite Tex-Mex dishes.
Notes
- Adjust the amount of jalapeño depending on your spice preference; remove seeds for a milder salad.
- Use fresh lime juice and zest for the best bright flavor.
- For a dairy-free version, substitute cotija cheese with a vegan cheese alternative or omit it entirely.
- The salad is best served fresh but can be refrigerated for up to one day; flavors may intensify upon resting.
- Grill the corn until nicely charred to enhance the smoky flavor fundamental to the dish.
