Grilled Mexican Street Corn
by Sommer Collier — last updated on May 12, 2025 
This fresh and nutritious Grilled Mexican Street Corn recipe is packed with smoky corn, creamy dressing, and tangy lime juice.
A Taste of Mexican Street Corn Salad in Every Bite
You might have seen (or eaten) Elotes, Mexican corn on the cob, sprinkled with crumbly cheese. Well, this Grilled Mexican Street Corn Salad, known as Esquites, is the off-the-cob version of that yummy street food.
This simple corn dish is fresh and silky like creamed corn, with a bit of latin flair! I love to mix it with mayonnaise, crema and cheese and serve it up at barbecues as a refreshing side dish.
Sommer’s Recipe Notes
Say hello to your new favorite salad! And if you like Elote, then you’re going to LOVE this Mexican Street Corn Salad. It’s got all the flavor, crunchiness and smokiness of street corn, in one scoopable bite!
Why You’ll Love This Elotes-Inspired Salad
- Fresh and Crunchy – This refreshing corn salad is packed with fresh and flavorful ingredients like red bell peppers, cilantro and scallion.
- Easy Cleanup – I love a corn on the cob, but it’s much easier to enjoy corn and less messy when it comes served in a bowl!
- Customizable – Make this Mexican Street Corn Salad your own with your favorite swaps and enjoy it all year long!
Grab a fork, your favorite Margarita and sunny spot and dig in!
Ingredients Notes and Tips
- Corn – I love to use fresh corn on the cob because you get that beautiful smoky char from the grill. Of course you can also use frozen corn if that’s easier.
- Fresh veggies – You’ll need fresh red bell peppers, cilantro and scallions to give that pop of color to this dish.
- Mayonnaise – Use a good quality mayo as a base for the salad dressing or Greek yogurt if you want to keep the sauce light.
- Cotija cheese – Crumbled cotija cheese gives extra punchiness to this dish.
- Garnishes – Top off this Mexican corn salad with a dash of chile powder, chopped onions, lime zest or salsa.
Recipe Variations & Dietary Swaps
- Feta – You can use feta cheese instead of cotija cheese for a similar texture and tangy flavor.
- Avocado – Add in some fresh avocado or top off with a scoop of guacamole for extra creaminess.
- Protein – Mix in some grilled chicken, shrimp, steak or black beans for a boost of protein.
- Roasted corn – If you don’t have a grill handy, you can roast corn in the oven or in a hot skillet.
- Crema – Swap the mayo for Mexican crema or sour cream.
- Dairy-Free – Replace the mayo and cheese with dairy-free alternatives like cashew cream.
- Low-Carb – Even though this recipe is pretty light on carbs, you can make it even more low-carb by replacing half of the corn with cauliflower rice or grilled veggies.
How To Make Mexican Street Corn Salad
This crunchy and refreshing Mexican Street Corn Salad is the perfect side for your next barbecue or summer picnic.
Find the full Mexican Street Corn Salad recipe with detailed instructions and storage tips in the printable form at the bottom of the post!
Storage Notes
- Storing Leftovers – Place leftovers in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 4 days.
Serving Suggestions
This Mexican Street Corn Salad is the ultimate side dish for any bbq, picnic or a regular old weekday meal.
It’s a meal on its own, especially if you top it off with grilled chicken, steak or shrimp. I enjoy pairing it with these rich and savory Baja Fish Tacos and Birria Tacos or alongside these crispy Mexican Potatoes.
You can also turn this salad into a scoopable snack and serve it with some crispy tortilla chips.
This zesty and flavorful street corn salad is an idea combo with a refreshing homemade Margarita!
Frequently Asked Questions
Yeah! You can prepare the components ahead of time, but I recommend mixing in the creamy dressing right before you’re ready to serve the salad.
These are both Mexican corn dishes, just in different forms. Elote is dressed corn on the cob, while esquites are made with shaved corn kernels in a bowl loaded with toppings. This salad recipe has all of the same wonderful flavors, but in a more shareable dish!
You can totally use canned corn, just make sure to drain it well before roasting.
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Grilled Mexican Street Corn Salad
Video
Ingredients
- 6-7 ears fresh corn, any color
- 1 cup diced red bell pepper
- 3/4 cup chopped scallions
- 1/2 cup chopped cilantro
- 1/2 cup crumbled cotija cheese (feta is a good substitute)
- 1/4 cup mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- Salt and pepper
Instructions
- Preheat the grill to high heat. Shuck the corn and remove any remaining silk strands. Once the grill is hot, grill the corn for about 2 minutes per side, 8 minutes total.
- Allow the corn to cool, then use a serrated knife to cut the corn off the cobs. (I set a small bowl up-side-down in a larger bowl. Then stand the corn on the small bowl, so the cut corn falls into the larger bowl.)
- To a salad bowl, add the diced bell pepper, scallions, and cilantro to the grilled corn. Toss to mix.
- In a smaller bowl whisk the mayonnaise, lime juice and paprika together. Toss the dressing into the salad.
- Finally toss in the cheese, reserving a little to sprinkle on top. Taste, then salt and pepper as needed. Sprinkle cheese over the top and serve.
This salad is amazing. It is light and refreshing .I only had a half of red pepper so I substituted the rest with green pepper. I used feta cheese since it was in hand. I had a guess over for dinner and it was a big hit.
Thank you for this wonderful recipe. I look forward to trying your other recipes.
LJean
I have made this twice, but I assure you that it will be a staple side dish for my family. The second time I made it I used Trader Joe’s Chile Lime Mayo and it was delicious, but did have to add more jalapeno as I like it spicy.
Holy AMAZING!!! Just made this for our 4th of July BBQ! It’s so good I don’t know if it’ll make it to the BBQ!! Awesome recipe!!!
Amazing! Everyone loved it
This looks so great & sounds yummy Sommer. Perfect side dish for cookout and summer picnic.
What a delicious idea for a corn salad! Can’t wait to try this one!
Thank you I will try it.