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Mexican Street Corn Salad

This Mexican Street Corn Salad is based on the flavors of the famous corn on the cob sold on the streets in Mexico. Its creamy, tangy, fresh flavor makes it the perfect side dish for a cookout or potluck. Plus, it’s ready in about 10 minutes!

A serving of the finished salad in a blue bowl.

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Now that summer is in full swing, we’re all looking for recipes that are easy and very quick to prepare, aren’t we? This Mexican Street Corn Salad is exactly that.

It’s based on the famous treat sold by street vendors in Mexico. Its proper name is Elote, corn on the cob that is coated with mayonnaise and cojita cheese and served with a wedge of lime. Now, I’ve never been to Mexico, but I’ve certainly heard about elote many times.

Elote sounds heavenly to me. This recipe takes all those ingredients and turns them into a delicious salad. Same flavors with about one-third the cooking time. Works for me!

Serve this with some yummy chicken tenders or a juicy turkey burger for a delicious summer supper.

🛒 Ingredients You’ll Need


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  • Canned whole kernel corn (using canned whole kernel corn makes for a very short prep time but you can use fresh corn if you like; you’ll need about 4 ears)
  • Butter
  • Mayonnaise (Lower fat mayo works just as well in this recipe)
  • Cojita cheese (if you don’t have access to cojita cheese, substitute Parmesan)
  • Lime
  • Cilantro

You’ll find detailed measurements for all ingredients in the printable version of the recipe at the bottom of this post.

🔪 How to Make Mexican Style Corn Salad


This recipe is so simple that you don’t even need my usual step-by-step photos.

  • Open two (15-ounce) cans of whole kernel corn.
  • Bring the corn with its liquid to a boil in a saucepan. Let it boil for a minute or two, drain it and return it to the pan.
  • Add everything else and stir. Easy-peasy!
A serving of the finished salad in a blue bowl.

❗ Recipe Tips


  • Authentic Mexican street corn is grilled on the cob. If you’d like to use fresh corn on the cob for this recipe, you’ll need four ears. Shuck the corn and remove all the silks. Place the ears on a charcoal or gas grill away from direct heat and cook, turning frequently, until the corn has lots of grill marks and a bit of charring. Cut the kernels away from the cob and then combine with the remaining ingredients in the recipe.
  • Leftovers are great added to a burrito bowl or taco salad.
  • Store leftovers in a tightly sealed container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Freezing is not recommended.

🔀 Variations


  • Add two or three finely chopped green onions.
  • Stir in about a half teaspoon of smoked paprika for a nice, smoky flavor.
  • Toss in a finely diced fresh or pickled jalapeno if you like things more spicy!

❓ Questions About Mexican Street Corn Salad


Can I use frozen corn in this recipe?

You can use frozen corn to make Mexican street corn salad. Allow the corn to thaw first. If there’s no liquid, add about a half cup of water with the kernels in a saucepan and proceed with the recipe.

Is Mexican street corn salad served hot or cold?

You can serve your salad either way! It’s great either warm, at room temperature, or cold.

What is cotija cheese?

Cotija cheese is a crumbly, salty, crumbly cow’s milk cheese used in a lot of Mexican recipes. If you don’t have access to cotija, you can substitute an equal amount of grated Parmesan.

Lana Stuart.

Questions? I’m happy to help!

If you have more questions about the recipe, or if you’ve made it and would like to leave a comment, scroll down to leave your thoughts, questions, and/or rating!

Thanks so much for stopping by!

📖 Recipe

A serving of the finished salad in a blue bowl.

Mexican Street Corn Salad

Great summer side dish with chicken, pork, burgers…you name it!
5 from 4 votes
Print It Rate It Save
Course: Salads
Cuisine: American
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 10 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 224kcal
Author: Lana Stuart

Ingredients

  • 30 ounces canned whole kernel corn
  • 1 tablespoon butter
  • 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
  • ¼ cup grated cotija cheese or substitute Parmesan
  • Juice of one lime
  • ¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

  • In a medium saucepan, bring the corn to a boil over high heat.
  • Drain and return the hot corn to the pan.
  • Add the remaining ingredients and mix well.

Notes

  • If you’d like to use fresh corn on the cob for this recipe, you’ll need four ears. Shuck the corn and remove all the silks. Place the corn on a charcoal or gas grill away from direct heat and cook, turning frequently, until the corn has lots of grill marks and a bit of charring. Cut the kernels away from the cob and then combine with the remaining ingredients in the recipe.
  • Store leftovers in a tightly sealed container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Freezing is not recommended.

    Nutrition Information

    Serving 1 | Calories 224kcal | Carbohydrates 29g | Protein 6g | Fat 9g | Saturated Fat 4g | Trans Fat 1g | Cholesterol 17mg | Sodium 529mg | Potassium 261mg | Fiber 1g | Sugar 1g | Vitamin A 199IU | Vitamin C 4mg | Calcium 52mg | Iron 1mg

    Nutrition information is calculated by software based on the ingredients in each recipe. It is an estimate only and is provided for informational purposes. You should consult your healthcare provider or a registered dietitian if precise nutrition calculations are needed for health reasons.

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    — This post was originally published on June 28, 2013. It has been updated with additional information.

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    Recipe Rating




    11 Comments

    1. 5 stars
      This is a keeper, I made this salad for dinner and it was Awesome. easy, and tasty and that touch of lime made everything just right. I love your recipes you make cooking fun. I have tried several of your recipes. I am a seasoned cook and I love the way you cook most of the time I have everything on hand.

    2. I love corn in the summertime! I’ve always wanted to try Mexican corn so this would be the perfect side dish for me!

      1. Lana Stuart says:

        And it’s so easy, too, Tanya! If you have children, they’ll really enjoy this.

    3. Looks fabulous. And easy. And tasty. Can’t get any better than that.

      Miss P

      1. Lana Stuart says:

        Yep! All of the above :-)

    4. Yummers! Oh, and you added cilantro….. Clever! Sounds like an easy side for the 4th. How timely of you……. (*happy sigh*) Thanks, Lana!

      1. Lana Stuart says:

        You’re welcome, Lorraine! It is definitely an easy side dish – takes about 10 minutes total – and it’s great for July 4th! Enjoy!

    5. sippitysup says:

      You took a summer fav and put it in a bowl! Love it. GREG

      1. Lana Stuart says:

        Yes! And even better if you use fresh corn, of course.

    6. Barbara | Creative Culinary says:

      Yum…sounds great to me although I’m up to my ears in corn (hehe) so might try it with corn I take off the cob!

      1. Lana Stuart says:

        Up to your ears…I get it. Ha!