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This delicious Mexican Street Corn Salad, also known as elote salad, combines blackened corn, Cotija cheese, cilantro, and green onions tossed in a smoky, spicy, lime-mayonnaise-based dressing. It’s quick and easy, making it ideal for busy weeknights.

An overhhead view of a white bowl full of Mexican street corn salad.

Ingredient Notes and Substitutions

See the recipe card below for the complete list of ingredients.

Corn: I love using fresh corn for this recipe, but frozen corn works too. Just add it to the skillet frozen. It may need a couple more minutes to cook off any excess moisture and blacken.
Mayonnaise: I love Duke’s mayo, but you can use your favorite brand.
Lime juice: This is traditional, but you can substitute lemon juice for a similar zesty, bright flavor.
Adobo sauce: You can find it in the Hispanic food section of most grocery stores. If you have trouble finding it, use a little of the sauce from a can of chipotle peppers. Store the remaining Chipotle peppers in adobo sauce in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a month, or freeze them for up to 3 months. You can substitute Tabasco-style chipotle hot sauce.
Cotija cheese: A crumbly Mexican cheese. You can find it at most local grocery stores.
Cilantro: For the best flavor and texture, use fresh cilantro.

A white serving bowl and a wooden spoon full of Mexican street corn salad.

How To Make Mexican Street Corn Salad

This is a summary; for the complete list of ingredients and instructions, see the recipe card below.

Blacken the corn in a little vegetable oil over medium heat. Place the blackened corn in a serving bowl.
Whisk the mayonnaise, garlic, lime juice, adobo sauce, and smoked paprika.
Add the dressing, cotija cheese, cilantro, and green onions to the bowl with the corn. Toss to coat and combine. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper, if desired.

Some of the steps for making Mexican street corn salad. Blacken the corn in a little vegetable oil over medium heat. Place the blackened corn in a serving bowl. Whisk the mayonnaise, garlic, lime juice, adobo sauce, and smoked paprika. Add the dressing, cotija cheese, cilantro, and green onions to the bowl with the corn. Toss to coat and combine.

Recipe Pointers

Make the dressing up to 2 days in advance and store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
Or make the salad up to a day in advance; hold off on adding the cheese, cilantro, and green onions until serving. Store the salad covered tightly with plastic wrap or in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
Store chipotle peppers in adobo sauce in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 months. For longer storage, flash-freeze them on a parchment-lined baking sheet, with a little adobo sauce on top. Once fully frozen, move them to freezer zipper bags and freeze for up to 6 months. I use them in my crock pot chicken tacos and Texas chili.

A bowl and a wooden spoon full of elote salad with a salt and pepper shaker in the background.

Serving Suggestions

Mexican Street Corn Salad

This delicious Mexican Street Corn Salad, also known as elote salad, combines blackened corn, Cotija cheese, cilantro, and green onions tossed in a smoky, spicy, lime-mayonnaise-based dressing.

Print Pin Rate

Course: side

Cuisine: Mexican, Mexican/American

Prep Time: 15

Cook Time: 10

Total Time: 25

Servings: servings

Calories: 279kcal

Author: Beth Pierce

Ingredients

2 tablespoons vegetable oil
4-6 ears of corn, kernels removed about 3 cups
¼ cup mayonnaise
1 garlic clove pressed
1 lime juiced
1-2 teaspoons adobo sauce
¼ teaspoon smoked paprika
⅓ cup crumbled Cotija cheese
¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro
3 green onions thinly sliced
Salt to taste
Freshly ground black pepper if desired

Instructions

Heat the oil in a large cast-iron skillet over medium heat. Add the corn and toss it every few minutes until browned and charred. Place the blackened corn in a serving bowl.
Whisk the mayonnaise, garlic, lime juice, adobo sauce, and smoked paprika in a small bowl.
Add the dressing, cotija cheese, cilantro, and green onions to the bowl with the corn. Toss to coat and combine. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper, if desired.

Notes

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Nutrition

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Nutrition Disclaimer: All nutritional information shared on this site is an approximation. I am not a certified nutritionist and any nutritional information shared on this site should be used as a general guideline.