Street Corn Salad (Esquites)

Name: Street Corn Salad (Esquites)
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 30 min
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: Mexican
Ingredients: 6 ears fresh corn on the cob, husked; 2 tbsp unsalted butter; 1/4 cup mayonnaise; 2 tbsp sour cream; 2 tbsp fresh lime juice; 1/2 cup cotija cheese, crumbled (can substitute feta); 1 tsp chili powder; 2 garlic clove, minced; 1/2 red onion, finely diced; 1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and finely diced; 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped; 1/2 tsp salt; 1/4 tsp black pepper, freshly ground; 2 limes lime wedges, for serving

A vibrant, off-the-cob version of Mexican street corn (elote) featuring charred corn kernels tossed with creamy, tangy lime dressing, cotija cheese, and chili powder. This crowd-pleasing salad brings authentic Mexican flavors to your table.

30 minEasyServes 6220 cal/serving

MexicanSaladStovetopVegetarianLow CarbHalal-friendlyGluten-FreeNut-FreeLow-SodiumPork-FreeAlcohol-Free

Ingredients

6 ears fresh corn on the cob, husked
2 tbsp unsalted butter
1/4 cup mayonnaise
2 tbsp sour cream
2 tbsp fresh lime juice
1/2 cup cotija cheese, crumbled (can substitute feta)
1 tsp chili powder
2 garlic clove, minced
1/2 red onion, finely diced
1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and finely diced
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper, freshly ground
2 limes lime wedges, for serving

Instructions

1

Cut the kernels off 6 ears husked fresh corn on the cob cobs. You should have about 4-5 cups of kernels.
2

Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add 2 tbsp unsalted butter and let it melt.
3

Add the corn kernels to the hot skillet in a single layer (you may need to do this in batches). Allow the corn to char slightly, stirring occasionally, for about 3-4 minutes. The kernels should have some brown spots but still be crisp-tender.
4

Transfer the charred corn to a large bowl and let it cool for about a few minutes.
5

In a small bowl, whisk together 1/4 cup mayonnaise, 2 tbsp sour cream, 2 tbsp fresh lime juice, 2 minced garlic clove, 1 tsp chili powder, 1/2 tsp salt, and 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper.
6

Add 1/2 finely diced red onion, 1 seeded and finely diced jalapeño pepper, and half of the 1/2 cup crumbled (can substitute feta) cotija cheese to the bowl with the corn. Pour the dressing over the corn mixture and toss gently to combine.
7

Fold in most of the 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro, reserving some for garnish.
8

Transfer to a serving bowl and garnish with the remaining cotija cheese, reserved cilantro, an extra sprinkle of chili powder, and 2 limes for serving lime wedges on the side.
9

Serve immediately or refrigerate for up to a day. Bring to room temperature and stir well before serving if refrigerated.

Questions

Can I make Street Corn Salad (Esquites) dairy-free?

Yes. The dairy in this entry is 2 tbsp unsalted butter, 2 tbsp sour cream, 1/2 cup cotija cheese, crumbled (can substitute feta). Swap the butter for olive oil where it melts, or a plant-based block butter where it is creamed; the sour cream for thick coconut yogurt with a squeeze of lemon; the cheese for a plant-based melting cheese (expect a milder flavor). The richness shifts slightly, but the method does not change.

How long does Street Corn Salad (Esquites) keep?

Dressed, it is best the day it is made. Keep the components separate and refrigerated and they hold about two days; dress just before serving.

Can I halve or double Street Corn Salad (Esquites)?

Yes. As written it serves 6. Every ingredient in this entry carries precomputed half and double quantities, and the app's batch dial rewrites them inside each step. When doubling on the stovetop, use your widest pan or work in two batches so the food sears instead of steaming.

Cook this free in the app

Textual Chef is 4,504 plain-text recipes, free to read and free to cook from. No account, no paywall, no ads, no life stories. Open this one in the app and each quantity sits inside the step that uses it, so you read once and cook.

Every recipe is curated or public-domain sourced, written to one template and checked before it publishes. Nothing here is a scraped blog post.

Cook this free in the appNo download needed. It opens in your browser. The kitchen tools (planner, shopping list, pantry, import) are $5.33 a month billed annually; the first 30 days are free.