Description
A vibrant and flavorful Mexican Street Corn Salad (Esquites) combining charred corn kernels with zesty lime dressing, creamy cheeses, and fresh herbs, perfect for parties or a bright side dish.
Ingredients
Scale
Dressing
- 1/4 cup freshly squeezed lime juice
- 2 tablespoons real mayonnaise
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Salad
- 3 cups sweet corn kernels (cut off the cobs)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 cup parmesan cheese (finely grated)
- 1 cup freshly chopped cilantro
- 1/2 cup red bell pepper (chopped)
- 1/2 cup green onions (thinly sliced)
- 1/4 cup red onion (chopped)
- 1 jalapeño pepper (seeded and chopped)
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 cup Cojita cheese (crumbled)
Instructions
- Prepare Dressing: In a small bowl, combine lime juice, mayonnaise, ground cumin, smoked paprika, kosher salt, and black pepper. Use a hand whisk to blend everything well until the mayonnaise is mostly dissolved. Set the dressing aside or chill if making ahead.
- Cook the Corn: Heat olive oil in a large skillet over high heat. When hot, add the corn kernels and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until some kernels develop a nice char. Then turn off the heat.
- Combine Salad Ingredients: Add parmesan cheese, chopped cilantro, red bell pepper, green onions, red onion, jalapeño, and garlic powder to the skillet with the corn. Stir to combine all ingredients thoroughly.
- Toss with Dressing and Serve: Pour the prepared dressing over the corn mixture and toss well to coat. Sprinkle crumbled Cojita cheese on top. Serve the salad at room temperature or chilled as desired.
Notes
- This salad is quick and easy to prepare, making it ideal for parties, potlucks, or casual lunches.
- For a vegetarian option, use mayonnaise made without eggs if preferred.
- Feta cheese can be used as a substitute for Cojita cheese.
- The salad can be served warm, room temperature, or chilled depending on preference.
- Adjust jalapeño amount to control spiciness.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 95 kcal
- Sugar: 4 g
- Sodium: 274 mg
- Fat: 2 g
- Saturated Fat: 0.4 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 2 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 11 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 2 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
