This Mexican street corn salad, also known as esquites, is made with all the fresh flavors of elote but served off the cob and tossed in a creamy dressing for a simple side dish!
½cupcrumbled cotija cheese, or crumbled feta cheese, plus more if needed
2Tablespoonssour cream, or Greek yogurt
2Tablespoonsmayonnaise
1-2limes, zested and juiced
1teaspoonchili powder
1teaspoonKosher salt, more to taste
Ground black pepper, to taste
jalapeno pepper, finely diced (optional for heat)
Instructions
In a large bowl, toss together corn, bell pepper, onion, cilantro, and cotija cheese.
In a small bowl, whisk together sour cream, mayonnaise, zest from 1 lime, lime juice, cumin, and chili powder until smooth. Season with 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.
Notes
Grilled corn: Grilling the corn first adds so much flavor. Here are 3 different ways to do grill corn.Stovetop corn: If you don't have time to grill the corn, you can cook it on the stovetop:
Fresh corn: Cook in 1 Tablespoon olive oil on high heat for 3 to 5 minutes, or until the corn starts to char.
Frozen corn: Cook in 1 Tablespoon olive oil on high heat for 5 to 7 minutes, or until the corn starts to char.
Storage: Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator up to 4 days.