Mexican Corn Salad

Roasting the corn keeps this Mexican Corn Salad flavorful instead of soggy, and the cotija, lime and creamy dressing stay fresh even when made ahead. It’s flexible, party-friendly, and easy to get right.

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“I love this salad. This is my go-to for a potluck. I always get so many inquiries on where I got the recipe. And I get requests to bring it. I wouldn’t change a thing.”

—Sheila

“Really yummy! Used to get Mexican Street Corn at a farmers market in California in the summers. Moved to the east coast and miss it. Loved this recipe and brought it to a party where everyone else loved it too and finished it up.”

—Michelle

Roasted Mexican Corn Salad With Big Elote Flavor

Mexican corn salad takes everything people love about Mexican street corn and turns it into an easier, fork-friendly side dish. It has sweet corn, salty cheese, creamy dressing, fresh lime and cilantro, plus just enough heat to be interesting without being overwhelmingly spicy.

This version stands out from others because the corn is roasted off the cob first. That concentrates the sweetness and gives you little golden edges that are so, so good.

It is also flexible enough to fit into your real life. You can serve it warm, chilled, or at room temperature, and it still tastes exactly as good as it did when you first made it.

Technically, this dish is closest to esquites, which is the off-the-cob version of elote. But since most home cooks search for Mexican corn salad, street corn salad, or elote salad, we’re calling it what people are actually typing into Google while standing in the produce aisle.

Street Corn Salad Ingredients

A full recipe card, including exact ingredient amounts, appears at the bottom of this post.

• corn – you’ll need 6 ears of sweet corn. We roast the kernels after cutting them off the cob, because that gives you more even browning and more sweet, toasty flavor in every bite. Frozen corn works, too, and is a totally respectable move when fresh corn is not in season. You’ll need about 4 to 4-1/2 cups frozen corn to start.
• diced green chiles – these add mild pepper flavor and a little savory depth without making the salad aggressively spicy. Drain the excess liquid out before using them.
• garlic – two small garlic cloves add a lot of flavor to this salad. Since this is a no-cook dressing, mince it very finely so you get flavor without big raw garlic chunks.
• red onion – red onion gives the salad bite and color. Finely chopped is the move here so it seasons the salad instead of hijacking it.
• cotija cheese – this is salty, crumbly and classic for elote salad. We’ve also tested this with feta, and it works very well when cotija is hard to find.
• cilantro – adds freshness and keeps the salad from feeling too rich. If you’re firmly on Team No Cilantro, a smaller amount of sliced green onion can add some brightness for you.
• lime juice – adds a tangy brightness to elote corn salad. Bottled juice will work in a pinch, but fresh tastes much better here, if possible.
• mayonnaise – gives the dressing body and clings to the corn.
• sour cream – adds tang and softens the richness of the mayo. The combination of both tastes more balanced than using only one. Plain greek yogurt also works well in this elote salad recipe.
• chili powder and cayenne – chili powder adds earthy warmth, while cayenne lets you control the heat level. Minor adjustments here can make the salad more family-friendly or a little bolder.
• salt – corn needs salt. Always.

How To Make Elote Corn Salad

1. ROAST. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Cut the kernels from the cobs, spread them on a sprayed rimmed baking pan in a single layer, and roast 30 to 40 minutes, stirring twice, until the corn is lightly golden.

2. STIR. In a large bowl, stir together the garlic, onion, 1/2 cup cheese, cilantro, lime juice, green chiles, mayonnaise, sour cream, chili powder, cayenne and salt.

3. TOSS. Let the corn cool slightly, then add it to the bowl and toss until well combined. You want the corn warm, not screaming hot, so the dressing stays creamy instead of getting oily.

4. SERVE. Sprinkle with the remaining 1/4 cup cheese and serve right away, or refrigerate and serve cold or at room temperature later.

Variations

• GRILLED CORN – Use our recipe for Grilled Corn On The Cob to cook it outside instead of in the oven.
• SPICIER – Add chopped fresh jalapeno or Pickled Jalapeños for more heat.
• HEARTIER – Fold in black beans, grape tomatoes or diced avocado if you want to stretch it into more servings or eat it as a light lunch on its own.

Make Ahead And Storage

• Make Ahead: Prepare the salad as directed, then transfer it to a storage container and refrigerate uncovered until fully chilled. Once chilled, cover and refrigerate up to 3 days. Give it a good stir before serving.
• Refrigerate: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator up to 3 days.
• Freeze: Freezing is not recommended. The creamy dressing can separate and the corn texture softens too much after thawing.

Roasted Corn Salad FAQs