Easy Mexican Corn Salad
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This quick and easy Mexican Corn Salad will be a favorite summer side dish all season. It’s healthy and a simplified, deconstructed version of your favorite elotes. It’s robust with the warm and spicy flavors of cumin and red pepper. Serve it warm or cold; it’s simply delicious.
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As summer approaches, everyone should have a quick and easy Corn Salad up their sleeve. From picnics to cookouts, potlucks to summer celebrations like Memorial Day, 4th of July, and Labor Day.
After all, summer can’t be summer without corn, whether it’s corn on the cob, cornbread, or this corn salad.
A New Take on Mexican Street Corn
Mexican street corn, or elotes, is a favorite street food. And it is incredible! If you’re not familiar with it, it’s grilled corn on the cob topped with spicy sour cream and mayo sauce and rolled in cotija cheese. This salad is an easier twist that delivers the same flavors.
Ingredients for Mexican Corn Salad
You will find ingredient measurements in the recipe card at the bottom of this post, but here is a quick list of what you will need:
- Corn: You can use fresh corn, frozen corn, or drained canned corn
- Fresh tomatoes: I love Roma tomatoes in this salad, but cherry tomatoes will also work
- Red Onion, chopped
- Bell Pepper: Use your favorite color
- Garlic, minced
- Black Beans: Drained and rinsed
- Chili powder
- Fresh cilantro, chopped
- Crumbled feta or cotija cheese
- salt and pepper to taste
How to Make Mexican Corn Salad
- Heat a drizzle of oil in a large saute pan. Add the corn and garlic to the hot oil. Saute for about 10 minutes or until the corn begins to char in places. Add the chili powder, salt, and pepper to taste; continue to cook for another minute or until the corn is fragrant. Be sure to stir frequently so it doesn’t burn.
- In a large bowl, combine the corn and garlic with the black beans, bell pepper, red onion, and tomatoes. Stir in the fresh cilantro and drizzle the dressing over the salad. Sprinkle with feta. Serve warm or cold.
How is Mexican Corn Salad Served?
I’m tempted to say… anyway you like. Truly, it’s just as delicious warm as it is cold. It’s easiest to bring cold when packing for picnics, potlucks, and BBQs.
Mexican Corn Salad Dressing
While it is super easy to whisk together a homemade dressing, I happen to have fallen in love with Litehouse Sweet Onion Dressing. Adding a few additions to this dressing makes it perfect for this Mexican Corn Salad.
If you can’t find this dressing, substitute 1/2 cup of Greek yogurt with 1 teaspoon of sugar or honey.
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Easy Mexican Corn Salad for Summer Gatherings
Ingredients
- 4-5 ears of corn shucked and kernels removed (or two 12 ounce bags of frozen corn)
- 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 clove garlic clove minced
- 1 cup canned black beans drained and rinsed
- Medium green bell pepper chopped
- 1/2 cup chopped red onion
- 2 tomatoes seeded and diced
- 1/2 cup fresh cilantro chopped
- 1/2 cup crumbled feta or cotija cheese
- salt and pepper to taste
Dressing
- 1/2 cup Litehouse Sweet Onion Dressing
- Juice of 1 lime
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
- Pinch of cayenne
Instructions
- Combine the dressing, cumin, and cayenne. Then add the lime juice until you reach desired consistency.
- Heat a drizzle of oil into a large saute pan. To the hot oil add the corn and garlic. Saute about 10 minutes or until the corn begins to char in places. Add the chili powder and salt and pepper to taste; continue to cook for another minute, or until the corn is fragrant. Be sure to stir frequently so it doesn’t burn.
- In a large bowl, combine the corn and garlic with the black beans, bell pepper, red onion, and tomatoes. Stir in the fresh cilantro and drizzle the dressing over the salad. Sprinkle with feta. Serve warm or cold.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
I couldn’t find the Lighthouse sweet onion dressing. I bought Marzetti’s sweet onion, will that work? I want to make this tomorrow for Labor Day. Thank you
Hi Tammy, I’ve not used Marzzetti’s sweet onion dressing, but I compared the ingredient list and they are almost exactly the same. The only difference that I could see was Lighthouse contains mustard seeds and Marzetti’s contains poppy seeds, both last on the ingredient list. It should work equally well! Hope you enjoy it!
Wow! I can’t wait to try this too. This seem like the most delicious food. And it looks healthy too.
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