Mexican Corn Salad

Name: Corn Salad Mexican
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 25 min
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); 1 lime, (juiced); ⅓ to ½ cup Mexican crema, (see recipe below); 1 jalapeño, (seeded and diced (optional)); ½ cup cotija cheese, (crumbled); ½ cup mayonnaise; ½ cup heavy cream; 1 tablespoon lime juice; ¼ teaspoon chipotle chili powder; ⅛ teaspoon salt

A sweet corn dip made with Mexican crema, spices, cotija cheese, this Mexican corn salad is a delicious way to transform elote (Mexican street corn) into a tasty chunky salsa or side dish!

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Table of Contents

Elote Corn Salad Ingredients
Substitutions And Additions
How To Make This Mexican Street Corn Salad Recipe
How To Serve
Storing This Creamy Corn Salad
More Recipes You’ll Love
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This Mexican corn salad recipe has all the favorite flavors of elote. It is made of sweet corn cooked in a skillet, then covered in a spicy mix of Mexican crema, jalapeño, and spices, and topped off with cotija cheese to create an easy side dish.

Elote Corn Salad Ingredients

Mexican Corn Salad raw ingredients that are labeled

A traditional Mexican salad, it’s the perfect mix of sweet and savory, with just a touch of heat.

With each bite, you’ll experience a burst of flavor that will transport you straight to the heart of Mexico.

The tender kernels of corn combine with Mexican crema and zesty cilantro to create a dish that is as refreshing as it is satisfying.

You’ll need:

4 cups of frozen corn, thawed
1 tablespoon of salted butter
¼ teaspoon of ground cumin
¼ teaspoon of chipotle chili powder
¼ teaspoon of black pepper
¼ teaspoon of salt
½ red onion, diced
⅓ bunch of fresh cilantro chopped
½ cup of cotija cheese, crumbled
1 lime, juiced
1 jalapeño, seeded and diced (optional)
⅓ to ½ cup of Mexican crema (see recipe below)

Mexican Crema

½ cup of mayonnaise
½ cup of heavy cream
1 tablespoon of fresh lime juice
¼ teaspoon of chipotle chili powder
⅛ teaspoon of salt

Substitutions And Additions

CREMA: A common question that arises when making this simple salad recipe, is whether Mexican crema is the same as sour cream. While they are similar, Mexican crema is different from sour cream, and I would recommend sticking with the recipe for the creamy dressing listed above; however, it is an option if that is all you have or if you prefer the taste.

Mexican crema is runnier and lighter than sour cream. It has a tangy sweetness to it that sour cream is lacking. The outcome of your Mexican street corn salad recipe will be enhanced greatly by using the crema recipe over sour cream.

GRILLED CORN: This delicious salad can be made using fresh corn on the cob instead of kernel corn.

How To Make This Mexican Street Corn Salad Recipe

You can mix up the creamy dressing first to give it time to chill in the fridge. Next, combine the ingredients following our instructions below to make this tasty salad.

STEP ONE: In a medium bowl, combine the Mexican crema ingredients and whisk them together. Cover with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator until ready to add the corn mixture.

OUR RECIPE DEVELOPER SAYS

The time in the refrigerator allows the crema to thicken which is exactly what you want. The longer you leave it (even up to 24 hours), the better.

mexican crema ingredients whisked together in a bowl

STEP TWO: In a large skillet over medium-high heat, add the thawed corn kernels and butter. Stir well to combine. Let it cook in the pan, stirring often until the corn starts to look charred.

PRO TIP:

A cast-iron skillet works best, but a nonstick skillet will do the trick, too.

STEP THREE: Place the corn into a large bowl and let it cool for 10 minutes, stirring often to allow the corn to cool evenly.

STEP FOUR: Add the cumin, chipotle chili powder, black pepper, salt, red onion, cilantro, and cotija cheese, juice from 1 lime, jalapeño (if you like, this is optional), and ⅓ to ½ cup of Mexican crema. Stir together all of the ingredients to combine.

PRO TIP:

If the crema is too thick for your liking when you are ready to use it, a splash of lime juice will thin it out as needed.

STEP FIVE: Top with additional cotija cheese and chopped cilantro.

STEP SIX: Serve slightly warm, room temperature, or cold.

How To Serve

You can serve this authentic Mexican street corn salad, either warm or cold.

Serve the salad alongside shrimp tacos with spicy cilantro lime sauce or our enchilada cups.

You could even add a bowl of Spanish rice and our homemade guacamole to the menu.

If you love this Mexican salad, you have to try grilled elote as well. The corn salad would also be perfect when paired with easy-to-make dinner dishes like our ground beef enchiladas.

MORE CORN RECIPES

Casserole Ideas

Southern Corn Casserole

Side Dishes

Ingredients For Mexican Street Style Corn

Storing This Creamy Corn Salad

IN THE FRIDGE: If you have leftovers of this famous Mexican street corn salad, store them in a tightly covered airtight container or bowl.

When you are ready to eat the leftovers, add additional leftover Mexican crema to make the consistency more creamy. The crema recipe makes a little bit extra to account for the corn being a bit dry the next day, so make sure to save any extras.

IN THE FREEZER: We don’t recommend freezing this salad as the creamy dressing will not remain creamy during the freezing process.

a large serving bowl full of Mexican corn salad

Whether you’re celebrating taco Tuesdays or throwing a family fiesta, this classic Mexican corn salad is the perfect side dish or appetizer dip. Also known as elote, this corn salad recipe is full of delicious fresh flavor. From the sweet corn mixed with a homemade Mexican crema to the sprinkling of fresh cotija cheese and spicy seasoning, this is an easy-to-make, authentic dish.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is it called Mexican street corn?

Corn on the cob is a favorite street food in Mexico and has therefore been dubbed “Mexican street corn”.

What type of corn should I use?

You can use either frozen corn or fresh grilled or boiled corn cut from the cob for this creamy corn salad recipe.

What is cotija cheese, and where can I find it?

Cotija cheese is a white, firm, dry, and slightly salty cheese that originated in Mexico. You can find it at most specialty stores or Latino markets. If you cannot find it, you can use either feta cheese or parmesan cheese in its place for a great alternative.

Is there something I can substitute for Mexican crema?

If necessary, you could substitute sour cream for the crema, although it will have a different taste. Crema is lighter than sour cream and has a tangy taste lacking in sour cream.

What is the red powder in Elotes?

The red powder that is sprinkled on Mexican street corn is Tajin chili powder. It has a delicious chili lime flavor.

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Corn Salad Mexican

5 from 4 votes

A sweet corn dip made with Mexican crema, spices, cotija cheese, this Mexican corn salad is a delicious way to transform elote (Mexican street corn) into a tasty chunky salsa or side dish!

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 15

Total Time 25

Servings

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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
1 lime, juiced
⅓ to ½ cup Mexican crema, see recipe below
1 jalapeño, seeded and diced (optional)
½ cup cotija cheese, crumbled

Mexican Crema

½ cup mayonnaise
½ cup heavy cream
1 tablespoon lime juice
¼ teaspoon chipotle chili powder
⅛ teaspoon salt

Instructions

In a medium bowl, combine the Mexican crema ingredients and whisk together. Cover with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator until ready to add to the corn mixture.
In a large cast-iron or nonstick skillet over medium-high heat, add the thawed corn and butter. Stir well to combine. Let it cook in the pan, stirring often until the corn starts to look charred.
Place the corn into a bowl and let cool for 10 minutes, stirring often, allowing the corn to cool evenly.
Add the cumin, chipotle chili powder, black pepper, salt, red onion, cilantro, and cotija cheese, juice from 1 lime, jalapeño (optional), and ⅓ to ½ cup Mexican crema. Stir together to combine.
Top with additional cotija cheese and chopped cilantro.
Serve slightly warm, room temperature, or cold.

Video

Notes

The time in the refrigerator allows the crema to thicken which is exactly what you want. The longer you leave it (even up to 24 hours), the better.
A cast-iron skillet works best, but a nonstick skillet will do the trick, too.
If the crema is too thick for your liking when you are ready to use it, a splash of lime juice will thin it out as needed.
If your corn looks too dry, add more crema to it. The crema recipe makes a little bit extra to account for the leftovers being dry the next day.

Nutrition

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This recipe was developed, tested, cooked and photographed by the Spaceships Kitchen. From our dinner table to yours, we hope you think it's out of this world!

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