This Mexican Street Corn Salad, a riff off my Mexican Street Corn Pasta Salad recipe, takes inspiration from the traditional Mexican street food known as Esquite. 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. Can’t get enough? If you love this Elote salad recipe, be sure to also try our Elote Street Corn Dip and Mexican Street Corn Soup recipe.
Table of Contents
- What is Esquites?
- Ingredients
- How To Make Esquites (aka Elote Salad)
- Ingredient Substitutions and Variations:
- How To Serve & Store:
- A Few Tips For The Best Mexican Street Corn Salad Recipe:
- FAQs:
- Why should you make this recipe?
- Other Mexican-Inspired Recipes You Might Like:
- Other Corn Side Dishes You Might Like:
- Mexican Street Corn Salad Recipe
As a huge Mexican food lover, I could not resist the add this Mexican salad/salsa recipe into my collection of easy side dishes and salads.
What is Esquites?
The word “Esquites” means toasted corn.
Esquites (Mexican street corn salad) is the salad form of elotes (Mexican Street Corn served on the cob). The salad version is made by removing corn from the kernel and mixing it with a creamy sauce usually flavored with chile powder, lime juice, and cilantro and then topped with Cotija, an aged Mexican cheese.
Ingredients
There are three sets off ingredients for this Mexican corn side dish:
- Corn: You can use fresh corn on the cob or off the cob during the months that sweet corn is available. If it is not available, then you can also make this spicy corn salad using canned or frozen corn as well.
- The Creamy Dressing: To me, this is the best part. It is made up of mayonnaise, sour cream, chili powder, lime juice, and salt and pepper. If you want this to be more of an authentic Mexican corn salad and can get your hands on it, feel free to use Mexican crema instead of sour cream and some lime zest.
- The Salad: To turn this into more of a salad, I added some chopped red onion, jalapenos, cotija cheese (the traditional Mexican cheese used in the original esquites recipe), and cilantro
How To Make Esquites (aka Elote Salad)
This recipe has 3 folds.
Step 1: Cook the corn
I find that the ideal way to cook corn is on the grill. However, I wanted this recipe to be one that you can make throughout the year. So, here are two of my favorite ways to cook the corn for this corn salad recipe.
- How To Cook Corn On The Grill: To cook the corn on the grill, first prep your corn. Holding onto the ear of corn in the palm of your hand, simply pull back the husk, tie it with kitchen twine, and lightly brush it with oil (vegetable oil or a little bit of butter).
Meanwhile, heat an outdoor grill or grill pan over medium-high heat. Grill the corn, turning occasionally with a set of tongs until charred in spots.
This happens rather quickly, about 2 minutes on each side, so be sure to keep an eye on it. Cut the corn kernels off the cob and transfer to a large bowl to cool. - How To Cook Corn In A Skillet: If the weather does not permit, you can cook the corn in a skillet. To do so, cut the corn kernels from the cob. Heat 1 tablespoon of oil over medium-high heat in a large skillet.
Saute the corn for 5-7 minutes, in batches if necessary (more on that later), turning occasionally, but also allowing some of the kernels to get a deep, brown char. Transfer to a large bowl to cool.
Step 2: Make The Dressing
Make the creamy corn salad dressing by mixing together the mayonnaise, sour cream, chili powder, lime juice, salt, and pepper in a small bowl. Taste and adjust your seasonings as necessary.
Step 3: Assemble
Assemble the Mexican Sweet Corn Salad by tossing the dressing with the cooled, charred corn, then add the chopped jalapeno, onion, and cilantro, and gently toss to distribute evenly. Transfer to a large salad plate and garnish with crumbled Cotija cheese and more fresh cilantro!
PRO TIP: According to Cook’s Illustrated, to achieve a nutty and slightly bitter flavor on your charred corn cooked in a skillet, cook the corn in batches, in a small amount of oil, with the cover on.
The more contact the corn kernels have with the skillet, the greater the amount of smoky, charred goodness. Even more so, the longer you leave the corn kernels in contact with the hot skillet, the more the sugars will caramelize, giving you a deep, dark char.
And if done right, the kernels will start to pop! Covering the skillet prevents the kernels from popping out and the trapped steam ensures the corn kernels cook all the way through.
Ingredient Substitutions and Variations:
- Make it spicier and/or hot: You can add various spices such as smoked paprika, ground cumin, and ground coriander to the dressing to make it spicier. You can also add a few dashes of your favorite hot sauce into the creamy sauce if you like it hot.
- Change up the fresh veggies: You can swap red onions (or Mexican Pickled Onions) with green onions. If you are not a fan of jalapenos, you can use bell peppers instead.
How To Serve & Store:
- To Serve: I usually serve it as a salsa with tortilla chips and lime wedges on the side along with my 4-ingredient guacamole recipe. It also makes a delicious topping for my favorite, baked chicken breasts, flank steak tacos, and brisket tacos.
- To store leftovers: Place leftovers in an airtight container and store in the fridge for up to 3 days.
A Few Tips For The Best Mexican Street Corn Salad Recipe:
- Bloom your chili powder in 1 teaspoon of olive oil in a small skillet over low heat for about 30 seconds to bring out the natural aromas in the spices.
- Don’t like it too spicy? Be sure to remove the seeds and ribs from the jalapeno before chopping, or simply swap the jalapeno with small green bell pepper, seeded and chopped.
- Can’t find Cotija cheese? Half a cup of cotija cheese is all you need but if you can’t find it you can use crumbled feta, grated parmesan, or Romano cheese instead.
- A word on adding garlic: As I was working on this recipe I was told that the authentic Mexican street corn salad recipe does not include garlic. However, when I make this at home for my family I usually mix a clove of minced garlic in the dressing. If you are a lover of garlic, feel free to do so.
- Don’t care for cilantro? Swap it with parsley or simply omit it.
- Want to even more seasonal flavor? Add 1 pint of halved grape or cherry tomatoes to make a Mexican Corn Tomato Salad. Or if you want to add some greens, go for arugula or butter lettuce salad greens.
- Make Mexican street corn salad with avocado by adding 1 cubed avocado to add a pop of color and silky butteriness.
- Serve it with corn chips to turn it into a Fiesta Corn Salad!
FAQs:
Mexican Street Corn, also known as elotes, is basically grilled corn-on-the-cob that has been smothered in a mayo-sour cream sauce and generously sprinkled with Cotija cheese and fresh cilantro! We are taking it a step further by turning the street corn into an easy Mexican corn salad, also known as esquites.
The dressing comes together quick and easy, with just a few simple ingredients. The traditional base is mayonnaise and sour cream (you can also use Mexican crema in place of sour cream). Chile powder turns it into a spicy Mexican corn salad, along with the jalapeno, and lime juice is there for acidity and brightness.
This is one of those salad dressings that you need to taste as you go, especially when it comes to seasoning it with salt and pepper. I usually like my corn dressing to be on the saltier side, but I was intentionally conservative in the amount I listed in the recipe below to give you a good starting point. That is why it is essential that you taste it as you mix it to adjust to your liking.
Rather than mayonnaise, a vegan mayo works wonders – and I actually prefer the flavor of this spicy Mexican street corn salad with my favorite veganaise (affiliate link).
Sour cream can also be swapped out for plain Greek yogurt, which will add a nice bit of protein, too! I think that’s the best part of this corn salad recipe. By swapping out a few ingredients, it is effortless to turn it into a healthy one.
I’m glad you asked! Canned or frozen corn make the perfect substitution to make this Mexican sweet corn salad recipe any time of year!
Canned Corn Salad Recipe: If you choose to use canned corn, you will need 2 (15 oz) cans of corn. And make sure to drain and rinse to get rid of the extra salt and starch.
Frozen Corn Salad Recipe: If you opt-out for frozen corn, you will need 3 (10 oz) bags or 2 (16 oz) bags. And no need to thaw – simply remove it from the freezer.
Follow the directions for the skillet method for both canned and frozen corn kernels.
This Mexican corn salad is traditionally served cold but it can be served warm or at room temperature.
Why should you make this recipe?
- Ready in 30 min: My version of the Elote Salad recipe you see here can be ready in 30 minutes.
- Can be served warm or cold: I love the fact that you can serve it both warm or cold, which makes it a perfect side dish for any summer picnic or BBQ.
- Sweet, savory and tangy all at the same time: I love this grilled Mexican street corn salad recipe because it is so well-balanced and easy to make! The corn adds a touch of sweet, the char adds a touch of savory, and the creamy corn salad dressing adds a burst of tang and spice.
- Works with all kinds of corn: Whether you choose to cook the corn outdoors on the grill (or grill pan) or indoors in a large skillet or use frozen or canned corn, this Easy Mexican Salad recipe works with all kinds of corn. So you can make it all year round.
Other Mexican-Inspired Recipes You Might Like:
- One Pan Mexican Quinoa
- Mexican Egg Casserole
- Chipotle Cashew Cream
- Mexican Chicken Quesadilla
- Chicken Thigh Nachos
- Mexican Stuffed Bell Peppers
- Corn Tortilla – Made from scratch
- Need more inspiration? Check out all my Easy Mexican Recipes
Other Corn Side Dishes You Might Like:
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Mexican Street Corn Salad Recipe
Ingredients
For The Corn:
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil or melted butter
- 6 ears of corn, kernels cut from cobs – 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.
Video
Notes
- A word on adding garlic: As I was working on this recipe I was told that the authentic Mexican street corn salad recipe does not include garlic. However, when I make this at home for my family I usually mix in a clove of minced garlic in the dressing. If you are a lover of garlic, feel free to do so.
- Add in an avocado: If you are a lover of avocado, add in a small cubed avocado into the salad. I usually do this if I am serving this as a salsa with tortilla chips on the side.
- To make it with canned corn: Use 2 (15 oz) cans of corn. And make sure to drain and rinse to get rid of the extra salt and starch. Follow the rest of the directions for the skillet method to make it with canned corn.
- To make it with frozen corn: If you opt-out for frozen corn, you will need 3 (10 oz) bags or 2 (16 oz) bags. And no need to thaw – simply remove from the freezer. Follow the rest of the directions for the skillet method to make it with frozen corn.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
This post was first published in May 2019, but updated with more information in April 2022 with no changes to the original recipe.
Made this today for the Deli. I work at the Ken’s corner Red Apple. I fried the corn in a half cup mayo, two tablespoons olive oil and some lemon juice until lightly browned and all the mayo transparent. I was very pleased with the results.
Happy to hear that Gerhardt. Thanks for coming by and taking the time to leave a review.
I love this recipe! Considering corn is pretty high in sugar vegetable, I’d like to find a way to make this a bit more healthful. Has anyone tried making it with yogurt?
I have tried mixing some of the mayo sauce with plain yogurt. It tastes different but it still tastes good. Hope this helps.
I am on a wfpb eating program that does not include refined sugar, dairy, or meat. Can this recipe be made without the cheese and still taste good?
Hi Carolyn,
I think it would. It is a last minute addition that can be omitted to fit your dietary needs.
Cheers!
I know someone has posted to make everything ahead of time and then assembles when ready to serve. Could you assemble the whole thing a day before to let the flavors blend together or would it be best to mix right before serving?
I would prep the salad ingredients and dressing ingredients separately and keep them in airtight containers. Then mix them together an hour before serving. That way flavors will have time to blend together and taste super fresh.
Hope this helps.
My favorite recipe of the spring and summer. I’ve made this several times already and everyone loves it.
That makes me so happy to hear Lisa. Thanks for coming by.
This recipe reminds me SUMMER. I love this taste so much.! So tasty and so easy to make!
Me too. Best salad recipe for summer! Thanks Darly.
I made it last week and everyone loved it! Easy to make and delicious. Thanks for the recipe
YAY! This is music to my ears Judy. Thanks so much for coming by.