This Mexican Street Corn recipe is fresh, vibrant and creamy, with a touch of spice. It’s simple to make and really is one of the best salads for any occasion!
Mexican Street Corn Salad
One of my favorite ways to enjoy corn is elote style, which is grilled corn on the cob covered with mayonnaise, chili powder or other spices, cheese and lime. I created my Mexican Street Corn salad recipe after delicious elote!
Be sure to check out my Air Fryer Corn on the Cob recipe too! Follow Picky Palate on Instagram for daily recipe inspiration.
What You’ll Need
Mexican Street Corn Salad consists of simple fresh ingredients. See the recipe card at the bottom of the post for full instructions.
- Corn- Use my Air Fryer Corn on The Cob recipe to make perfect grilled style corn. You can also use frozen corn if needed.
- Mayonnaise– Use full fat mayonnaise for best results.
- Cotija Cheese- Find Cotija Cheese in the refrigerated section near the Mexican Cheeses. You can also use Queso Fresco, Parmesan or Feta if needed.
- Garlic- Mince the garlic finely for the recipe.
- Green Onion- Green onion adds color and flavor.
- Cilantro- Fresh chopped cilantro adds freshness and color to the salad.
- Lime Juice- Fresh lime juice gives freshness to the salad.
- Jalapeno- For a little spice add finely chopped jalapeños.
- Paprika- Smoked paprika or chili powder are great in the salad.
- Salt- I use kosher salt to season.
- Pepper- For best tasting results use freshly ground black pepper.
How To Make Mexican Street Corn Salad
Prepare Corn. Use my Air Fryer Corn on the Cob recipe for a simple quick way to prepare the corn. You can also choose to grill corn on medium high heat for a few minutes on each side to get corn slightly charred. Let corn cool then cut kernels off of cobs into a large bowl.
Add Ingredients To Corn. Add mayonnaise, Cotija cheese, garlic, green onion, cilantro, lime juice, jalapeño, paprika, salt and pepper to the bowl of grilled corn. Stir until well combined.
Refrigerate. Chill until ready to serve.
Garnish. When ready to serve, garnish with additional Cotija cheese, cilantro and Tajin seasoning if desired.
Recipe Tips For Success
Here are some helpful tips to help you make the best corn salad!
Grill Corn. For best tasting results grill the corn or use the air fryer method to get the cramelized/grilled corn pieces in the salad.
Refrigerate. Refrigerate salad for a couple hours before serving for best tasting results.
Try Variations. If you don’t want spice, omit the jalapeños. You can add chopped bell pepper instead.
Don’t Skip The Cheese. Cotija cheese adds the perfect little salty bite to the salad. If you can’t find Cotija, use Queso Fresco or even Feta Cheese if needed.
Serve Cold or Hot. You can serve this salad cold which is so great for summer or try it warmed up for a very different side dish rather than salad. Both are delicious.
Questions About Recipe
Do I Have To Char The Corn?
While you don’t have to char or grill the corn, I highly recommend it. The charred pieces of corn really add to the flavor of the salad.
What Is Cotija Cheese And Where Can I Find It?
Cotija cheese is a salty Mexican cheese that crumbles similar to Feta Cheese. Find it in the refrigerated section of the grocery store near the cheeses. There should be a small section of Mexican Cheeses.
What If I Can’t Find Cotija Cheese, Can I Use Another Cheese?
If you can’t find Cotija cheese, try Parmesan Cheese, Queso Fresco and even Feta Cheese.
How To Serve
I love making Mexican Street Corn Salad in advance to bring to parties. It’s great as a summer salad or warmed up as a side dish to your favorite burgers and chicken recipes.
Try serving with these Mexican Recipes:
Storage Instructions
Refrigerate. Store any leftover corn salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Freezing Instructions. To freeze corn salad, place corn into an airtight container or freezer safe bag for up to 3 months. Thaw before using.
Try More Salad Recipes
Mexican Street Corn Salad
Equipment
- Air Fryer or Grill
- cutting board
- chef knife
- large mixing bowl
- mixing spoon
Ingredients
- 4 cups charred corn kernels or 24 ounces frozen corn
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 1/2 cup Cotija Cheese
- 1/4 cup chopped cilantro leaves
- 1/4 cup chopped green onions
- 3 tablespoons finely chopped red onion
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped jalapeno
- 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika or chili powder
Instructions
- Use my Air Fryer Corn on the Cob recipe for a simple quick way to prepare the corn. You can also choose to grill corn on medium high heat for a few minutes on each side to get corn slightly charred. Let corn cool then cut kernels off of cobs into a large bowl.
- Add mayonnaise, Cotija cheese, cilantro, green onion, red onion, jalapeno, lime juice and smoked paprika to bowl of corn. Stir to combine and refrigerate until ready to serve.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
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