Can I make this recipe ahead of time?

Yes, you can make this recipe ahead of time. You can make this recipe up to a day ahead of time. Before serving it, stir the salad well and sprinkle additional cotija and cilantro on top.

Is this recipe spicy?

This recipe has a very low spice level. The jalapeno gives the recipe a hint of spice, which is well-balanced by the creamy dressing and sweet corn kernels. If you want to omit spice completely, you can leave out the jalapeno.

What is 'fire-roasted' canned corn?

Fire-roasted canned corn is a flavor of canned corn that's slightly charred. It has a mild flavor that's perfect for this recipe. You can find it next to the regular canned corn in the grocery store. If you can't find it, use regular canned corn or substitute with fresh or frozen corn.

Should this recipe be served warm or cold?

Traditionally, this recipe is served warm; however, it's also tasty when it's served cold or at room temperature.

Mexican Corn Salad with Canned Corn

Name: Mexican Corn Salad
Prep time: 10 min
Total time: 10 min
Cuisine: Mexican
Ingredients: 3 (15 ounce) cans fire-roasted corn, drained (or 4 fresh ears of corn, grilled)*; 5 green onions, chopped (only the green parts); ½ cup crumbled cotija, plus more for topping; ½ cup diced red onion; ⅓ cup chopped cilantro; 1 jalapeno, diced; 3 tablespoons mayonnaise; 1 clove garlic, minced; Juice of 1 lime (about 2 tablespoons); ½ teaspoon chili powder; ¼ teaspoon salt; ⅛ teaspoon black pepper

Description

Ready in only 10 minutes, this Mexican corn salad is topped with cotija cheese and tossed in a creamy lime dressing. It's inspired by the street food Esquites. This recipe uses canned corn, but you can also use grilled fresh corn.

Ingredients

Scale

3 (15 ounce) cans fire-roasted corn, drained (or 4 fresh ears of corn, grilled)*
5 green onions, chopped (only the green parts)
½ cup crumbled cotija, plus more for topping
½ cup diced red onion
⅓ cup chopped cilantro
1 jalapeno, diced
3 tablespoons mayonnaise
1 clove garlic, minced
Juice of 1 lime (about 2 tablespoons)
½ teaspoon chili powder
¼ teaspoon salt
⅛ teaspoon black pepper

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Instructions

Add the salad ingredients to a medium bowl: corn, green onions, cotija, red onion, cilantro, and jalapeno.
In a small bowl, stir together the dressing ingredients: mayonnaise, garlic, lime, salt, and pepper.
Add the dressing to the salad and toss to mix. Taste and season with additional salt and pepper if needed.
Serve immediately or cover and refrigerate until ready to serve. Optionally, sprinkle with more cotija before serving. This recipe can be served warm or cold. To serve it warm, heat the corn before making the recipe.

Notes

*If you're using canned corn, fire-roasted is best. This is usually found next to the regular canned corn in the grocery store. If you can't find fire-roasted corn, plain canned corn will work; but it won't have quite as much flavor. You can also use 4 ears of corn, grilled for 15 minutes and sliced off the cob.

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 0 minutes
Category: Salad
Cuisine: Mexican

Keywords: corn, street corn, elote, esquites, mexican, salad, cotija, dip, salsa, spicy, summer, canned