Description
This vibrant Mexican Street Corn Salad is a flavorful and creamy dish made with charred corn, zesty lime, spicy chipotle, and crumbled Cotija cheese. It combines a rich Mexican crema dressing with fresh ingredients like cilantro, red onion, and jalapeno for a perfect side or snack that can be served warm, at room temperature, or cold. Ready in just 25 minutes, it’s an easy, crowd-pleasing recipe that brings the deliciousness of street corn into a convenient salad form.
Ingredients
Scale
Mexican Street Corn Ingredients
- 4 cups frozen corn (thawed)
- 1 tablespoon salted butter
- ¼ teaspoon ground cumin
- ¼ teaspoon chipotle chili powder
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ red onion (diced)
- ⅓ bunch cilantro (chopped)
- ½ cup Cotija cheese (crumbled)
- 1 lime (juiced)
- 1 jalapeno (seeded and diced, optional)
Mexican Crema Ingredients
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- ½ cup heavy cream
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
- ¼ teaspoon chipotle chili powder
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Make Mexican Crema: In a medium bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, heavy cream, lime juice, chipotle chili powder, and salt. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use with the corn mixture.
- Char the Corn: Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the thawed corn and butter to the skillet. Stir well to combine and cook, stirring often, until the corn begins to char and develop a slight blackened appearance, giving it a smoky flavor.
- Cool the Corn: Transfer the charred corn to a bowl and let it cool for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally to allow it to cool evenly.
- Combine Salad Ingredients: Add the ground cumin, chipotle chili powder, black pepper, salt, diced red onion, chopped cilantro, crumbled Cotija cheese, the juice from one lime, diced jalapeno (if using), and ⅓ to ½ cup of the prepared Mexican crema to the cooled corn. Stir everything thoroughly to combine into a creamy, flavorful salad.
- Garnish and Serve: Top the salad with additional crumbled Cotija cheese and chopped cilantro for an extra burst of flavor and freshness.
- Serving Suggestions: Serve the Mexican Street Corn Salad slightly warm, at room temperature, or chilled, depending on your preference.
Notes
- For a spicier kick, retain jalapeno seeds or add extra diced jalapeno.
- You can substitute Mexican crema with a blend of sour cream and lime juice if unavailable.
- This salad can be prepared ahead of time and refrigerated for up to 24 hours for flavors to meld.
- Use fresh corn in season as an alternative to frozen for an even sweeter taste.
- If Cotija cheese is unavailable, feta cheese can serve as a substitute.
