This Mexican street corn salad is made with canned fire-roasted corn tossed in a creamy chili-lime dressing with cotija cheese. Ready in 10 minutes, no grill needed!

Mexican street corn salad in a white bowl with a wooden serving spoon.

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Mexican Street Corn Salad Recipe

Mexican street corn salad, also known as esquites, is a fresh and easy side dish perfect for Cinco de Mayo, BBQs, and potlucks. The secret is canned fire-roasted corn, which already has that smoky char built in. You get all the flavor of classic Mexican street corn without firing up the grill.

It’s similar to my fresh corn tomato salad but with bold Mexican-inspired flavors. Serve it alongside elote dip with chips or add pasta and turn it into a street corn pasta salad!

What is esquites? Esquites is the salad version of elote, the classic Mexican street corn sold from carts and stands. Elote is served on the cob slathered in mayo, cheese, and chili powder. Esquites takes all those same flavors and serves them off the cob in a bowl, making it much easier to eat and perfect for feeding a crowd.

Ingredient Notes

Canned fire-roasted corn, red onion, bell pepper, lime, cilantro, mayo, sour cream, seasonings and cotija cheese on counter.

Find the full printable recipe with specific measurements below.

  • Corn kernels: The smokiness and char of canned fire roasted corn kernels is what makes the popular street food a little extra special. Grilled corn can also be used.
  • Bell pepper & red onion: Finely chopped, these add a pop of color, added crunch, and sweet and savory flavors.
  • Cilantro: A fresh herb that is a staple ingredient in Mexican cuisine.
  • Cotija cheese: A mild, creamy, crumbly cheese, a bit like feta or queso fresco.
  • Sour cream & mayonnaise: Both provide the creaminess for the dressing in this street corn salad recipe. Swap the sour cream for a similar tangy Greek yogurt.
  • Lime: Both the zest and fresh lime juice adds a citrusy, zesty, and bright flavor!
  • Seasoning: Chili powder, salt, and pepper. Add paprika or smoked paprika for additional flavor.
  • Jalapeños: Optional for some flavorful heat. You could also add hot sauce.

How to Make Mexican Street Corn Salad

In a large bowl, toss the corn, bell pepper, onion, cilantro, and cotija cheese together.

Fire-roasted corn, bell pepper, red onion, cilantro and cotija cheese in a bowl.

In a small bowl, whisk together the sour cream, mayonnaise, zest and lime juice, ground cumin, and chili powder until smooth. Season with salt and pepper.

Creamy chili lime dressing ingredients for mexican street corn salad in a bowl.

Drizzle dressing over salad and gently stir until everything is coated. Top with additional cheese, cilantro, salt, and pepper. For heat, add some sliced or diced jalapeno and an extra squeeze of lime. Enjoy!

Mexican street corn salad esquites in a white bowl with serving spoon.

Recipe Tips and Variations

  • Type of corn: This recipe uses canned fire-roasted corn, which is what you see in the photos. Two 15 oz cans equals about 4 cups. Frozen corn works great too, just char it in a skillet with a little olive oil over high heat for 5-7 minutes. Fresh corn off the grill is also delicious in summer.
  • Add-ins: Black beans add a nice protein boost, diced avocado makes it extra creamy, and green onions are a great swap if you want something milder than red onion.
  • Warm or cold: It’s honestly better after it sits in the fridge for a couple hours and the flavors come together. That said, it works warm too, kind of like my Mexican street corn soup.

Serving Ideas

This salad is one of those things that works everywhere. Scoop it with homemade tortilla chips as a dip, pile it on carnitas tacos alongside pico de gallo and guacamole, or serve it as a side with pretty much anything off the grill. It also makes a great topping for black bean taquitos with a side of cilantro lime rice.

Close up of Mexican corn salad with fire-roasted corn and cotija cheese in a white serving bowl.

Want more easy Mexican salad recipes? Try cowboy caviar dip, Mexican salad, black bean salsa or taco salad!

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Mexican street corn salad in a white bowl with a wooden serving spoon.

Mexican Street Corn Salad

5 from 17 votes
Recipe by: Jamielyn Nye
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 10 minutes
Servings: 8
This Mexican street corn salad is made with canned fire-roasted corn tossed in a creamy chili-lime dressing with cotija cheese. Ready in 10 minutes, no grill needed!
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Ingredients 

  • 4 cups fire-roasted corn , two 15 ounce cans drained
  • 1 red bell pepper , finely chopped
  • ½ small red onion , finely chopped
  • ½ cup chopped cilantro , plus more if needed
  • ½ cup crumbled cotija cheese , or crumbled feta cheese, plus more if needed
  • 2 Tablespoons sour cream , or Greek yogurt
  • 2 Tablespoons mayonnaise
  • 1-2 limes , zested and juiced
  • 1 teaspoon chili powder
  • ¼ teaspoon ground cumin , more to taste
  • 1 teaspoon Kosher salt (or 1/2 tsp fine salt), more to taste
  • Ground black pepper , to taste
  • jalapeno pepper , finely diced (optional for heat)

Instructions

  • In a large bowl, toss together 4 cups corn, 1 red bell pepper, 1/2 small chipped red onion, 1/2 cup chopped cilantro, and 1/2 cup cotija cheese.
  • In a small bowl, whisk together 2 Tablespoons sour cream, 2 Tablespoons mayonnaise, zest from 1 lime, lime juice, 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin, and 1 teaspoon chili powder until smooth. Season with 1 teaspoon salt and pepper.
  • Drizzle dressing over corn mixture and gently stir until well coated. Add additional cheese, cilantro, salt, or pepper, if desired. You can also add in some jalapeno if you'd like to take up the heat. Add an extra squeeze of lime if needed.

Last step: Please leave a comment and rating after you make the recipe.

Notes

Grilled corn: If you have fresh corn on the cob, grill it first and cut the kernels off. You’ll get a similar smoky flavor. About 5 ears gives you the 4 cups you need.
Frozen corn also works. Cook corn in a skillet with a little olive oil over high heat for 3-5 minutes for fresh corn or 5-7 minutes for frozen corn until it starts to char.
Storage: Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator up to 4 days. 

Nutrition

Calories: 139kcal, Carbohydrates: 19g, Protein: 4g, Fat: 6g, Saturated Fat: 2g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g, Monounsaturated Fat: 1g, Trans Fat: 0.01g, Cholesterol: 12mg, Sodium: 427mg, Potassium: 238mg, Fiber: 3g, Sugar: 5g, Vitamin A: 875IU, Vitamin C: 27mg, Calcium: 59mg, Iron: 1mg

Nutrition provided is an estimate. It will vary based on specific ingredients used.