This Mexican Corn Salad is vibrant and fresh and such a delicious summer salad recipe. The perfect side dish for parties or BBQs.
This is such a delicious and simple salad for summer in particular to take advantage of the fresh corn on the cob. I have had a bunch of versions of this corn and it is always something I order when it is on the menu.
You might be familiar with Elote which is a Mexican corn on the cob slathered in mayo, cheese, seasoning. I know. You are saying mayo? What? You just have to trust me on this. It is really delicious. As much as I adore Elote, it is much easier to eat the corn off the cob. So this is basically Elote but in a bowl so less mess and no waste. When the corn is off the cob, it is typically referred to as Esquites. So if you love Elote, I promise you will really enjoy this salad.
You can definitely make this with frozen corn but the flavor is SO MUCH better with fresh corn on the cob if you can get your hands on it.
To make this dish just requires grilling your corn and mixing up a simple dressing, drizzle over the corn and that is it. Yum! This recipe does call for Mayo which sounds crazy but the creaminess of the mayo mixed with the tanginess of the lime juice makes this salad really bright and delicious for summer.
I know mayo and cilantro are controversial ingredients so I offered a bunch of substitutions in this recipe. I really like the mayo/lime/cotija combination but you can use Mexican Crema or even sour cream instead of mayo.
- 5-6 ears of corn, husked and grilled (or substitute 4 cups frozen corn)
- 3 tablespoons mayonnaise (or Mexican Crema)
- 2 tablespoons lime juice
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 tablespoons fresh Cotija cheese, crumbled (or substitute Parmesan or Feta cheese)
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, finely chopped (you can substitute scallions if you prefer)
- Grill fresh corn on the cob on a grill pan on the stove for about 10 minutes over medium-low heat or on an outdoor grill.
- (You can substitute frozen corn- add to a skillet with a drizzle of olive oil and allow to brown on each side.)
- In a small bowl, add mayo, garlic, cilantro and cotija cheese and mix together. Add lime juice and stir well.
- Remove corn from grill, allow to cool and use a knife to lightly trim the kernels off the cobs. Place kernels in a bowl and drizzle dressing over the top, mixing well.
- Season with salt and pepper and paprika and serve with a little extra cheese or a lime slice on the side.
If you decide to give this recipe a shot, please come back and let me know what you think!
Here are a few other recipes I think you might also enjoy:
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