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    Home » Recipes » Salad

    June 13, 2019

    Mexican Street Corn Salad

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    This salad is light, fresh and full of bright flavors. Grilled sweet corn, peppers, and onions are tossed with a cilantro-lime dressing making it the perfect side dish (or chip dip!) for taco night!

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    A white bowl heaped full of Mexican Street Corn salsa with the ingredients arranged on the side and in the back ground.

    When most people think of Iowa, they think of one of two things: pigs or corn. We have more pigs than any other state and there's corn/beans growing along almost every road, so I suppose it's a fairly accurate depiction of our state!

    Does field corn = sweet corn?

    What many people don't know is that the majority of the corn grown in Iowa isn't grown for human consumption. You see, sweet corn and field corn are very different. Sweet corn is what we see in the grocery store and field corn (which is over 99% of the corn in Iowa) is grown for livestock feed.

    So if you think about it, it really makes sense why Iowa is a great place to raise pigs. Farmers grow corn and soybeans, feed it to their livestock, and then have organic fertilizer on their land to help the next year's crop grow even better. Ag is pretty cool, huh??

    An over head view of a big bowl of Mexican Street Corn salsa on a table surrounded by ingredients.

    Although most of the corn my family grew was field corn, we typically had a few rows of sweet corn. Oh how I miss being able to walk out the to backyard to grab a few cobs! That freshly-picked sweet corn just can't be beat.

    The beginning of sweet corn season was amazing. Us kids would pick the corn, shuck it and bring it in for Mom to cook. But there was one day that I know I dreaded....."sweet corn day." It was the one day each summer that we'd freeze bags upon bags of sweet corn so we could enjoy it year round. Pick, shuck, wash, cut, bag. Pick, shuck, wash, cut, bag. And on and on and on!!

    Looking back, I shouldn't have complained. Sure, they were typically hot and muggy days, but once we'd get started, it really wasn't all that bad. We'd play music, chat, and probably argue over who could shuck a corn cob the fastest. And the fact that we'd have tasty sweet corn throughout the year was worth every minute of "sweet corn day!"

    A close up side view of a big white bowl filled with Mexican Street Corn Salsa.

    Eating sweet corn right off the cob (after being lathered in butter and a sprinkling of salt) just can't be beat. However, in the future, when I buy corn, I'll be sure to buy a few extra ears for this recipe I'm sharing with you today!

    This recipe is called Mexican Street Corn Salad because in Mexico, there are several street vendors that'll sell corn on the cob with a variety of toppings. This recipe incorporates all of those flavors in a fresh and vibrant salad.

    Although I can't help but eat this salad straight from the mixing bowl with a big 'ol spoon, I've also used it as a dip for tortilla chips and as a "corn salsa" on tacos. No matter how you eat it, it's fantastic!

    What should my corn and red pepper look like coming off the grill?

    There's really no "right or wrong" when it comes to charring the vegetables. Essentially the more you char them, the darker they'll get and the more "char flavor" you'll have in the salad. I like them how they look in the photo below. They're not super dark, but they have some nice charred pieces that will bring some flavor to the recipe.

    Four pieces of corn and one red pepper charred on a grill.

    What if I don't have a grill?

    No problem at all. This recipe can easily be made on the stovetop! Essentially, instead of charring the corn and red pepper on the grill, you'll do the same thing on a hot saucepan....easy!!

    Can I add avocados?

    I don't think I could ever say "no" to avocados. You certainly can - it'll add a little extra creaminess that will be incredible. Just remember that you'll want to add the avocado right before serving so they don't turn into little brown cubes in your beautiful salad!

    Can I make this ahead of time?

    Yes!! One thing that I love about this recipe is that you can put it together (minus the cheese) and keep it in the refrigerator until you need it. Then, simply crumble the cheese on, stir it up, and serve!

    A close up a of spoon full of Mexican Street Corn Salsa.

    This salad would be a perfect side dish for my Mexican Lasagna or my Stacked Enchiladas! Mmmm sounds like a fiesta!!

    Mexican Street Corn Salad

    Mexican Street Corn Salad

    kelsey
    This salad is light, fresh and full of bright flavors. Grilled sweet corn, peppers, and onions are tossed with a cilantro-lime dressing making it the perfect side dish (or chip dip!) for taco night!
    5 from 1 vote
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    Prevent your screen from going to sleep.
    Prep Time 15 mins
    Cook Time 10 mins
    Course Salad, Side Dish
    Cuisine Mexican
    Servings 8 (½ c servings)

    Ingredients
      

    • 4 cobs sweet corn shucked and cleaned
    • 1 red bell pepper
    • ½ c sliced cherry tomato (or chopped Romas)
    • ¼ c finely chopped red onion
    • 2 tablespoon fresh lime juice
    • ¼ c chopped cilantro
    • 2 tablespoon sour cream or plain greek yogurt
    • ¼ teaspoon salt
    • ½ teaspoon paprika
    • 1 tablespoon olive oil
    • 1 teaspoon vinegar
    • 4 oz queso fresco or cotija cheese crumbled

    Instructions
     

    • Heat the grill to about 450°F.
    • Set the corn and red pepper directly on the grill grates to give them a little char. Rotate the corn and pepper every 2 minutes until it's got some color on all sides. This should take about 10 minutes total. Remove them from the grill.
    • (Alternatively, if you would prefer not to grill, place a dry skillet over high heat. Once it's hot, add the corn and pepper. Rotate every couple minutes until there is color on all sides, similar to what you'd do on the grill. Remove the corn and pepper and let cool a bit.)
    • When the charred corn and peppers are cool enough to handle, cut the corn off and dice the pepper.
    • In a medium-sized mixing bowl, combine the corn, red pepper, diced tomatoes and chopped onions. Set aside.
    • In a small bowl, whisk together the lime juice, cilantro, sour cream, salt, paprika, oil and vinegar.
    • Pour the sauce over the salad and toss to combine.
    • When ready to serve, crumble the cheese over the salad and toss.

    Notes

    Mexican Street Corn can be served as a side, as a taco topper, or as a tortilla chip dip!  I just can't help but to eat it by the spoonful as soon as it's ready!! 🙂
    Tried this recipe?Follow me at @dancearoundthekitchen.kelsey and let me know how you liked it!

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    about kelsey

    About Kelsey

    Combining my love for food and family is a pretty easy calculation. Almost all family gatherings include food… After all, a party without cake is just a meeting right? Read more...

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      Recipe Rating




    1. Kathleen Pope says

      June 21, 2019 at 1:00 pm

      5 stars
      Looks amazing Kelsie!! Congrats on the feature on Meal Plan Monday!

      Reply
      • Kelsey says

        June 23, 2019 at 9:43 pm

        Thank you, Kathleen! 🙂

        Reply
    2. Beth says

      June 25, 2019 at 10:14 am

      When do you add the sour cream?

      Reply
      • Kelsey says

        June 25, 2019 at 1:11 pm

        Hi Beth! I'm so glad you said something - the sour cream should added with the lime juice, cilantro and other spices. I just edited the recipe to include it. Thanks so much!! -Kelsey

        Reply

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    Hi, I'm Kelsey! I am a wife, mother and BFFs with my KitchenAid mixer, happy to bring you easy meals and decadent desserts! Welcome to my blog!

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