Mexican Street Corn Salad (Elote Deconstructed)

Mexican Street Corn Salad Recipe is deconstructed Elote or Mexican Street Corn, a popular Mexican street food, served in a bowl, instead of as corn on the cob, and covered with a fantastic chili lime cream sauce and cotija cheese.

I am blessed to live in a city in South Texas with lots of Mexican food, both Tex-Mex and Mexican as well as Mexican Street Food, which is becoming more popular as we have more food trucks.

However, sometimes I like to make some of my favorite dishes at home and save the money.

What is Elote or Mexican Street Corn?

Elote is corn on the cob that is a popular street food in Mexico. It is often grilled or boiled and served with salt, chili powder, lime juice, Mexican Cheese, and mayonnaise.

Why is Elote Considered Street Food?

It is considered street food because people eat it as corn on the cob, pulling down the husk and using it to hold the corn on the cob. So they don’t need a knife and fork to eat it. They can hold the corn and eat it while walking down the street.

How is Mexican Street Corn Salad Different Than Elote?

Instead of serving this dish as corn on the cob, like my Instant Pot Corn On The Cob recipe. The kernels are cut from the corn cob and served in a bowl.

This makes an excellent side dish for a weeknight dinner or for any occasion. This also allows you to customize the salad with your favorite ingredients.

What Ingredients are in Mexican Street Corn Salad?

These are the ingredients you will need to make Mexican Street Corn Salad. Please see printable recipe below for the specific amounts of each ingredient.

• Corn (can be fresh corn on the cob or frozen corn)
• Mayonnaise
• Mexican Crema or sour cream
• Lime Juice
• Cotija Cheese or other Mexican cheese, such as Queso Fresco
• Minced Garlic
• Chopped Red Onion
• Chopped Red Bell Peppers or Chopped Tomatoes
• Chopped Cilantro
• Seeded and Diced Jalapenos (optional)
• Salt and Pepper
• Chile Powder

How To Make Mexican Street Corn Salad

It is really easy to make this Mexican Street Corn Salad. Below is a summary of the basic steps on how to make it. Please see the printable recipe below for more detailed instructions.

1. If you are using fresh corn on the cob, you can remove the husks and cut off the kernels.
2. Saute in the corn oil in a hot skillet. You can use this method if you are using frozen corn as well. Just be sure to thaw and drain the corn before sauteing in the skillet. When slightly charred, about 5 minutes, then place in a bowl.
3. Add all remaining ingredients to the bowl and stir well.
4. Refrigerate until you are ready to serve!

See the video above showing how to assemble the Mexican Street Corn Salad.

When to Serve Mexican Street Corn Salad?

Mexican Street Corn Salad makes a delicious, spicy side dish for a Cinco De Mayo party or for a Mother’s Day dinner, or for a holiday dinner.

It is especially popular in the summer when fresh corn is available, but can be served all year long by using frozen corn when fresh corn may not be available.

In addition, it is very popular for a summer picnic or potluck dinner.

What To Serve With Mexican Street Corn Salad

Mexican Street Corn Salad can be served with just about anything. Some of my favorites are:

• Pico De Gallo – fresh tomatoes, onions, chilies, garlic, and lime juice make an excellent dip or topping.
• Guacamole – made with fresh avocados, makes a creamy spicy Mexican dip.
• Mango Habanero Wings – sweet and spicy wings spice up any meal.
• Tijuana Shrimp Dip Nachos – Tortilla Chips topped with a creamy, cheesy shrimp dip.
• Tex Mex Beef Fajitas – This Tex-Mex Beef Fajitas recipe, made with skirt steak or flank steak, and served with sauteed onions, red and green peppers, makes an easy, delicious, smoky, spicy and flavorful dinner.
• Crockpot Chicken Tacos – Need only 5-ingredients and a crockpot, or slow cooker, to make incredibly moist and tender Mexican style chicken tacos for taco night or any night.

Variations on Mexican Street Corn Salad

The nice thing about making this as a salad is that you can customize to add your favorite ingredients. Here are some ideas for additional ingredients to create variations of the original salad.

1. Chopped Avocados – Try adding some chopped avocados to give the salad an extra flavor boost and additional color.
2. Black Beans – Make the salad even heartier by adding a can of drained black beans to the salad.
3. Pico De Gallo – spice up the salad by adding spicy pico de gallo (diced tomatoes, onions, garlic, and jalapenos) to the salad.
4. Different Types of Cheeses – Experiment with different types of cheese. Maybe try feta or cheddar to change it up a little.
5. Add different types of chilies. I used jalapenos in this salad, but you could add serranos, habaneros, or your favorite chili pepper.
6. Use Greek yogurt instead of mayonnaise. To lighten up and give it a protein boost, you could substitute the Greek yogurt for the mayonnaise.

Tips For Perfect Mexican Street Corn Salad

1. Fresh Corn. If you have fresh corn available, use it for the freshest salad possible. However, if it is not available you could use frozen corn. Just thaw it out and drain it well first.
2. Char the Corn. Cut off the kernels and saute them in oil in a hot skillet until they are slightly charred.
3. Make Ahead. One of the nice things about this Mexican Corn Salad is that you can make it a day ahead and let the flavors meld together to become even more flavorful the next day.

Other Corn Recipes You May Like

If you like this Mexican Street Corn Salad, you will love these other corn recipes.

• Instant Pot Corn Chowder – an easy corn chowder made in the Instant Pot.
• Corn and Zucchini Salsa – a Mexican corn salsa with corn and zucchini.
• Homemade Creamed Corn with Jalapenos and Bacon
• Spicy Corn Chowder
• Maque Choux Corn – A Cajun Corn Dish.

More Mexican Salads and Side Dishes

• Pico De Gallo
• Mexican Rice
• Guacamole
• Mexican Turkey Garbanzo Bean Salad
• Cucumber Tomato Salad With A Mexican Twist

Now you have all the information you need to make your own Mexican Street Corn Salad at home. It is easy. You will love the spicy, creamy, sweet corn in this salad. Give it a try and come back and leave me a comment and rating to let me know how you liked it.

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