Elote Street Corn Salad (Quick + Easy)

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This elote street corn salad is the perfect addition to any dinner or game day celebration. Bright, creamy, and slightly spicy, it’s best paired with chips for the ultimate dip!

This elote corn salad is one of my favorites (and yes, I know that elote means corn in Spanish, so I’m basically saying corn street corn…but I think it sounds better this way).

I put my own spin on the recipe by adding sauteed onions; I like the extra depth of flavor it adds while not being too overpowering, and it blends beautifully with the other ingredients.

What You’ll Need

Of course, fresh ingredients are best, but this salad can be made year-round! Here’s what you’ll need:

  • Corn. Silver Queen corn is my favorite.
  • Yellow onion. If you don’t want to use yellow onion, you can substitute with red onion and leave it raw (if preferred).
  • Garlic.
  • Smoked paprika.
  • Cumin.
  • Chili powder (optional).
  • Lime juice. You can easily substitute it with lemon juice.
  • Mayonnaise.
  • Sour cream.
  • Feta or Cotija.
  • Fresh cilantro.
  • Jalapeño. Leave the seeds in for a spicier salad.
  • Salt and pepper.
  • Olive oil.

How to Serve Street Corn Salad?

  • Serving it warm. Simply serve the salad as soon as it’s ready, or if you made it the night before, reheat it for a creamier consistency.
  • Serving it cold. Letting the salad sit for an hour or two will let the flavors meld together, and storing it in the fridge make it more refreshing and light.
  • What to serve it with. Chips, tacos, burrito bowls, taco salad, as a side for BBQ—the options are endless.

Tips for the Best Elote Corn Salad

  • Cook the corn for long enough. This step should take 8-10 minutes, ensuring that the corn gets good color and therefore more flavor.
  • Customize it! Since this salad is so easy, it’s incredibly adaptable. You can add more spice to your preference, more sour cream and mayo for a creamier consistency, more lime juice for more brightness, or (my personal favorite) a few slices of crumbled bacon for deliciousness.

Be sure to save this recipe for the next football game—it’s the perfect side for a tailgate! Tag me if you decide to make it!

Elote Street Corn Salad

This elote street corn salad is the perfect addition to any dinner or game day celebration. Bright, creamy, and slightly spicy, it's best paired with chips to make the ultimate dip!
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Total Time: 30 minutes
Servings: 5 -6 servings
Author: Mae Martin

Ingredients

  • 4 cups uncooked corn kernels cut from the cob *(see note)
  • ¾ cup yellow onion diced
  • ½ to 1 red bell pepper diced (optional)
  • 1 large clove garlic minced
  • ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
  • ½ teaspoon cumin
  • ¼ teaspoon chili powder optional
  • 2 tablespoons good-quality mayonnaise
  • 2 tablespoons sour cream
  • 2 tablespoons lime juice from one lime
  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
  • ⅓ cup feta or Cotija cheese crumbled
  • 1 jalapeño diced
  • ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
  • ¼ teaspoon ground pepper
  • Olive oil for cooking

Instructions

  • Preheat a large skillet over medium high heat and pour in a tablespoon of olive oil. Once hot, add the corn kernels to the pan with a pinch of salt and pepper. Cook the corn for 8-10 minutes, scraping the bits at the bottom of the pan, until lightly charred. Pour the corn into a bowl and return the pan to the stove.
  • To the same pan, add 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Sauté the onion and bell pepper for a few minutes until soft and translucent, then add the minced garlic, paprika, cumin, and chili powder. Stir for a minute more, then add the onion and pepper to the reserved bowl of corn, scraping all of the spices into the bowl as well.
  • To the corn and onions, add the mayonnaise, sour cream, lime juice, cilantro, feta or Cotija, and diced jalapeño (keep the seeds for more spice) **see note.
  • Mix in the salt and pepper, adding more if needed, then eat the salad warm or refrigerate until ready to serve. It will keep for up to two days in the fridge.

Notes

*I prefer to use Silver Queen corn.
**At this point, you're free to customize the recipe however you'd like; add more jalapeño for a spicier salad, or (my personal favorite) crumble in some bacon for extra richness and crunch!