Grilled Mexican Street Corn Salad Recipe — Smoky Corn & Cotija Bowl

Mexican street corn salad: Elote transformed into a bright, summery salad of charred sweet corn tossed in a creamy, Mexican-inspired dressing with mayonnaise, ground chipotle, lime juice, and cilantro.

Lately I’ve been on a salad kick—tossed, chopped, marinated—I can’t resist a big bowl every day. One of my favourite projects is turning classic vegetable sides into standout salads. At the top of that list is a salad inspired by one of Mexico’s most beloved street foods: elote, or Mexican street corn.

Elote is irresistible: charred corn brushed with mayonnaise, dusted with chipotle or chili powder, rolled in crumbled Cotija, sprinkled with chopped cilantro and finished with a squeeze of lime. I love it so much I tend to lick my fingers clean—no pretensions about etiquette here.

I wanted to make those flavours portable for potlucks, so I packed the essence of elote into a marinated salad that’s easy to transport. The result keeps all the familiar flavours in a bowl that travels well and feeds a crowd.

Mexican Street Corn Salad

This Mexican Street Corn Salad adapts elote from the cob to a bowl with great success. The mayonnaise and cheese that would normally coat the cob help bind the salad, while lime juice brightens and distributes the ground chipotle (my preference) or chili powder evenly.

I like to add finely diced red bell pepper for color and crunch—about half a pepper stirred in. If you don’t enjoy bell pepper, swap it for a seeded hot pepper or omit it entirely. The salad pairs beautifully with grilled fish, pork, chicken or beef, and also makes a satisfying standalone lunch. Leftovers are often my secret reward the next day.

How to Grill Corn:

Grilling the corn is the only part that requires a little planning, but it’s simple. If you’re grilling corn for this salad or for salsas, strip the husks completely and soak the ears in cold water for a while. Soaking helps prevent the kernels from drying out on the grill.

Preheat the grill to high. Drain the corn and place the cobs directly on the hot grates with tongs. Roast over high heat, turning often, until the kernels are bright yellow with some charred, blackened spots—about ten minutes depending on the heat.

Transfer the grilled corn to a bowl and let it cool until you can handle it. When cool enough, stand each cob upright on a cutting board and slice the kernels off with a sharp knife. Use the back of the knife to scrape any remaining pulp or juices into the bowl—don’t waste that flavour. Discard the cobs.

Once you’ve cut the kernels from the cobs, combine them with the remaining salad ingredients and let the flavours meld for a short time or serve immediately.

Grilled Mexican Street Corn Salad

Rebecca Lindamood

Traditional elote gets a fresh summer makeover: grill-roasted, slightly charred corn tossed in a creamy dressing of mayonnaise, ground chipotle, lime and cilantro. Serve alongside grilled proteins or enjoy on its own.

Ingredients

• 6 to 8 ears grilled sweet corn cooled to a comfortable temperature
• 1/4 of a sweet onion peeled and finely diced
• 1/4 of a sweet red bell pepper optional: omit or replace with a seeded hot pepper, finely diced
• 1/2 cup crumbled Cotija or feta cheese or freshly grated Parmesan
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 1/3 cup fresh cilantro leaves or parsley, coarsely chopped
• the juice of 1 lime plus extra wedges for serving
• 1/2 teaspoon to 1 tablespoon ground chipotle or chili powder to taste; start low and adjust
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

• Stand a cooled, grilled corn cob upright on a cutting board and carefully slice the kernels off with a sharp knife. Use the dull back of the knife to scrape any remaining pulp or juices from the cob. Discard the cobs.
• In a large bowl, stir together the corn kernels, scraped pulp, diced onion, diced pepper (if using), cheese, mayonnaise, chopped cilantro or parsley, lime juice, 1/2 teaspoon chipotle or chili powder, cumin, salt and pepper until well combined. Taste and adjust seasoning with more chipotle, salt or pepper as desired. Serve immediately or refrigerate for an hour to let the flavours meld. Best the day it’s made but keeps reasonably well for leftovers the next day.

Notes

Freshly grilled corn is ideal, but leftover grilled corn works very well. I often grill extra just to make this salad or a corn salsa the next day.

One tablespoon of ground chipotle or chili powder is traditional and provides a pronounced heat. If you prefer milder spice, start with a smaller amount and adjust to taste.

Nutritional information is an estimate. Calculate nutrition using your actual ingredients and your preferred nutrition tool.