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Mexican Street Corn Salad (Esquites)

A creamy, smoky, tangy Mexican street corn salad made with charred corn, chili-lime dressing, cotija cheese, cilantro, and jalapeño.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Salad, Side Dish
Cuisine: Mexican
Calories: 260

Ingredients
  

Street Corn Salad
  • 4 cups corn fresh or frozen, charred
  • 2 tbsp butter
  • 0.33 cup mayonnaise
  • 0.25 cup sour cream optional
  • 0.33 cup cotija cheese crumbled
  • 3 tbsp lime juice fresh
  • 2 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 jalapeño minced, optional
  • 0.5 tsp chili powder
  • 0.25 tsp smoked paprika optional
  • 0.5 tsp salt
  • 0.25 tsp black pepper
  • 0.25 cup cilantro chopped
  • 2 green onions sliced

Equipment

  • Skillet
  • Mixing bowl
  • Cutting board

Method
 

  1. Heat butter in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add corn and cook 6–8 minutes until lightly charred. Let cool.
  2. In a bowl, whisk mayonnaise, sour cream, lime juice, garlic, chili powder, paprika, salt, and pepper.
  3. Add charred corn, cotija, cilantro, jalapeño, and green onions to the bowl.
  4. Toss to coat evenly. Adjust seasoning with more lime or chili powder as desired.
  5. Serve immediately or chill for later. Top with extra cotija before serving.

Notes

For best texture, add cilantro and cotija right before serving.