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Mexican Street Corn Salad is a fresh and creamy recipe that makes a fantastic side dish! Perfect for summer produce, but a recipe you can cook all year long. It’s comes together with crumbled cotija cheese, fresh cilantro, and a fantastic creamy chipotle dressing.
A fresh corn salad is just the recipe you want for ultimate flavor and texture. This variation of a Mexican Street Corn salad delivers on these two aspects. A creamy and smoky taste, fresh lime juice for some tang, and a crunchy texture from a few different veggies that will make your taste buds sing! If you’ve tasted Mexican street corn before, it hits the spot as a fantastic side dish with chipotle spice, cilantro, and lime juice. Also referred to as “elote”, this popular side dish gets a salad makeover that is sure to become an instant favorite! I’ve been enjoying Mexican side dishes on repeat lately such as my Black Bean Quinoa Salad and Mexican Slaw.
My favorite recipes to create are those that combine in-season produce that still maximize flavor and still come together as quick and easy, healthy meals. As a nutritionist, I love to create my own spin on classic recipes to up the nutrients. This Mexican Street Corn Salad is no different! I am adding whipped cottage cheese to the dressing for some additional protein and creaminess. I made this salad several times the past month to get it just right. I’ve served it to guests who all loved it!
For a fresh summer twist that’s perfect for hot days and outdoor gatherings, check out my Mexican Street Corn Pasta Salad with Chicken. It combines all the classic elote flavors with pasta, chicken, and crispy bacon for a hearty, crowd-pleasing dish.
How to Make Mexican Street Corn Salad
Here are the ingredients you will need:
- Fresh corn: I think this recipe tastes best when you cut off the cob. However, if not in season you can also use frozen corn. I’ve tried it both ways!
- Cotija cheese: this is Mexican parmesan that may have to be grated. You can typically find at any grocery store in the specialty cheese section! This ingredient really adds to the recipe and should not be omitted.
- Cherry tomatoes: I love the addition of chopped tomatoes here. Any type works, but cherry tomatoes fresh in-season are fantastic.
- Red onion: this is for a little punch and crunch. You can also use green onion.
- Bell pepper: red of green bell pepper work well here for some extra crunch and zip!
- Romaine lettuce: this is one ingredient you can easily omit, I’ve made it both ways. I do love the addition of crunchy lettuce, but it also tastes great without.
- Chipotle peppers in adobo sauce: Chipotle peppers in adobo sauce is a must! This is what gives the recipe a smoky chipotle flavor in the dressing.
- Mayonnaise: just a few tablespoons of mayo really bring out the creamy deliciousness in the recipe.
- Whipped cottage cheese: because I am not the biggest fan of mayo, I mix with some whipped cottage cheese that tastes very similar to Greek yogurt or sour cream and I’ve even started using it in other recipes like bowls and high-protein snacks.
- Lime juice: the lime in this recipe really seals in the flavor adding some tang and brightness to the entire recipe!
- Fresh cilantro: is another absolute must for topping!
This recipe comes together so easily by chopping the veggies, making the dressing in a food processor, and cooking the corn. There are a few different ways to cook for the corn. I tried a few different methods from using frozen corn and sautéing (works great), boiling first then throwing on the grill (also a delicious method but takes longer), or finally just cutting the fresh corn off the cob and sautéing (my personal favorite). I wrote the recipe below to reflect the cutting of the corn and cooking in a saute pan, but feel free to use one of the other methods mentioned!
Storing
This Mexican Street Corn Salad tastes best served fresh and warm or at room temperature. It does keep in the fridge for a day or 2, but tastes best the first night you make it. It will not freeze!
Mexican Street Corn Salad
Ingredients
For the Salad:
- 5 ears Fresh corn*
- 1 tbsp avocado oil or olive oil
- 1/2 cup chopped cherry tomatoes
- 1 cup chopped romaine lettuce
- 1/3 cup chopped red onion
- 1/2 cup chopped bell pepper
- 1/2 cup crumbled cotija cheese
- 1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro
For the dressing:
- 1/2 cup cottage cheese
- 2 tbsp mayonnaise
- 1 juice of lime
- 1 chipotle pepper in adobo sauce
- 1 tbsp adobo sauce
- pinch of sea salt
Instructions
- Begin by making your corn. Heat a large saucepan to medium high heat. While the pan is warming up, cut the corn off the cob. Toss in a tbsp of oil, then add the corn and cook for about 10 minutes or until corn is softened.
- In a large bowl, combine the corn with the salad ingredients: chopped tomato, red onion, bell pepper, romaine lettuce, and half of the cilantro.
- Make the dressing: add cottage cheese and mayo to a food processor. Blend until the cottage cheese is smooth and "whipped". Now toss in the chipotle pepper, adobo sauce, fresh lime juice, and a pinch of salt.
- Add the dressing to the large bowl and top with cotija cheese and remaining cilantro. Serve immediately!.
Notes
