Years ago, I tried Mexican Street Corn for the first time at a popular Mexican restaurant in the city. Let me tell you - it was absolutely delicious! I’m still thinking about it to this day! The beautifully cooked corn was dusted with chilli powder, drizzled with a good dose of Mexican crema and topped off with Queso cheese!
What more can you ask for?! How about a Mexican Street Corn Salad! This salad is made with simple and flavourful ingredients - including corn, green and red onions, cilantro, Queso Fresco and a fiery, sweet, tangy and citrus forward crema. Who could resist?
If you’re looking for a perfect salad for your next summer bbq, social gathering, weekly lunch or dinner, then look no further! Serve it alongside my Tequila Lime Chicken, Cajun Chicken or Perfect Pulled Pork and you’ve got yourself a winning meal! Enjoy!
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes
Serves: 6
Ingredients:
Corn on the Cob
5 corn on the cob, whole (See Notes below)
1/2 Tbsp kosher salt
Crema
2 Tbsp mayonnaise
2 Tbsp sour cream
Zest and juice of 1 lime
1/2 tsp chilli powder
1/2 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp kosher salt
1/4 tsp ground pepper
1 tsp hot sauce (See Notes below)
Corn Salad
2 green onions, thinly sliced
1/4 cup red onion, finely chopped
1/3 cup fresh cilantro, finely chopped
1/3 cup Queso Fresco cheese (See Notes below)
Cilantro leaves and fresh lime slices, as garnish
Instructions:
Cooking the Corn: To a large stockpot, add 10 cups of water and bring it to a boil. Once boiling, add 1/2 Tbsp kosher salt and, using tongs, carefully submerge the corn. Cover and cook for approximately 5 minutes. You know that your corn is done when the kernels are soft and have turned a beautiful bright yellow hue. Remove the corn from water, set aside and let it fully cool.
Handling the Cooked Corn: Cut the kernels off of the cob and set aside.
Creating the Crema: To a large mixing bowl, add the mayonnaise, sour cream, zest and juice of a lime, chilli powder, cumin, salt, pepper and hot sauce and give it a good mix.
Assembling the Corn Salad: To the large mixing bowl of crema, add the green and red onions, cilantro and corn and mix until combined. Then, gently fold in the Queso Fresco.
Refrigerate the corn salad for at least 1 hour to allow the flavours to meld. Remove from the refrigerator and garnish with cilantro leaves and fresh lime slices. Serve and enjoy!
Notes:
Does Canned or Frozen Corn Work Here? Yes, using canned or frozen corn is really a game changer and time saver! You will need 4 1/2 cups of frozen or canned corn kernels. Simply follow the cooking instructions outlined on the packaging. For best results, drain and cool the corn prior to adding it to the salad.
Cutting the Corn on the Cob: Everyone has their own way of cutting corn kernels off of the cob. I like using the bundt pan method for this task. The bundt pan works double duty here! The centre of the bundt pan stabilizes or holds the corn on the cob in place while it’s being cut and the fluted shape of the pan catches all the kernels. Talk about a 2-for-1 deal! Check out my video for additional guidance.
Bring the Heat! If you can handle heat and prefer a spicer profile, you can always adjust the heat level in this dish by adding extra hot sauce.
What if I Can’t Find Queso Fresco Cheese? If you are searching for Queso Fresco at your local food market or grocer and you aren’t having any luck, don’t you worry! You can simply substitute it with Cotija or Feta cheese on a 1:1 basis.