Mexican Corn Salad (or Esquites or Elotes)

No matter what you want to call it, we love the flavor of fresh corn seasoned to perfection with the flavors of chile, cheese, and lime.

We used to make Mexican Street Corn (Elotes) every year with fresh corn on the cob for any summer gathering we attended. However, this was a lot of work and as time went on, we realized that it was hard to make enough cobs to serve a large group. Then we realized that, if we cut the kernels off the cob and made Mexican Corn Salad (Esquites), there would be plenty of corn to serve everyone. Nowadays that’s the only way we do it.

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Make Ahead Items

We are huge proponents of making items ahead of time when possible. This gives us more time to be lazy around the campfire…or have something ready to eat as soon as we get back from a hike. Two of our favorites are the Pressed Picnic Sandwich and Rotini Pasta Salad. However, when corn is in season, we love to make Mexican Corn Salad. And when it is not in season? Well, we have made it using canned or frozen corn kernels and it isn’t bad at all!

What exactly are we talking about? Well, Mexican Corn Salad is the salad rendition of Esquites, a beloved Mexican Street Corn dish often served in cups by street vendors. And Esquites is the deconstructed version of Elotes, the renowned Mexican Street Corn where corn cobs are grilled over charcoal, coated in a creamy-spicy sauce, and sprinkled with crumbled cheese. And if you haven’t had either one, you are missing out!

What we love about Mexican Corn Salad:

• Fresh flavors
• Easy to serve
• Makes a bunch

The Ingredients for Mexican Corn Salad:

• Fresh corn
• Butter
• Garlic
• Mayonnaise
• Mexican Crema
• Lime juice
• Chili powder
• Ground cumin
• Cotija cheese
• Cilantro
• Lime wedges

The Process for Esquites (Mexican Corn Salad):

1. Melt butter in a large skillet over high heat. While doing so, cut your corn off the cob.
2. Add your garlic and stir for 15-30 seconds. Then add the corn to the skillet cooking for 10 minutes, stirring as infrequently as you can without letting it burn. (You are looking for the corn to be cooked with golden brown bits and if you stir too frequently you won’t get that nice charring.)
3. Mix the sour cream, Mexican crema, lime juice, chili powder, and ground cumin while the corn is cooking.
4. Transfer the corn to a large bowl and pour the dressing over the corn, then stir thoroughly to combine. The heat of the corn will melt the dressing allowing it to coat every kernel.
5. Top the corn salad with cotija and give it a final stir before serving warm or at room temperature with fresh lime wedges.

FAQ and How to Customize your Mexican Corn Salad:

Q: Do I have to use fresh corn?

A: Actually, you don’t. While we love to make it with fresh corn off the cob during the season, we often crave the fresh flavors year-round and have made it with both canned and frozen kernels. I will say that frozen is better than canned due to the liquid content but if all I have is canned, I drain thoroughly and make it anyway.

Q: My family doesn’t like cilantro. What can we use instead?

A: Some families just don’t enjoy the taste of cilantro. If your family is one of them, feel free to leave it off completely. Or if you want some sort of green in the dish, we recommend mild parsley. Some recipes recommend using dill or basil, but I don’t like either of those with this flavor profile.

Q: How do you cut the corn off the cob without making a mess?

A: Oh my! I have made so many messes in my day trying to get every kernel possible off a cob of corn. And then one day I was watching some random cooking show and they propped the cob on the center of a tube (Bundt) pan and sliced those kernels which landed inside the pan. It was a game changer! I don’t do it any other way now.

Q: We can’t find cotija or crema. What can we use instead?

A: We have found crumbled feta to be an extremely satisfactory substitution for the cotija cheese. As for the crema, we recommend crème fraiche thinned with a little lime juice or water. If you can’t find crème fraiche, you can use traditional sour cream or plain yogurt.

Suggested Main Dish:

This dish is perfect for serving with any sort of Mexican dish (Tacos? Chimichangas?) or barbecue you can imagine. We also think it is perfect for snacking on as is and might have even been known to make an entire meal out of it with no regret.

Suggested Dessert(s):

Do you have a favorite camping dessert? If so, we recommend that one! Seriously though, I would probably make some Campfire Cones or S’mores with some cinnamon ingredients because cinnamon with chocolate suggests a Mexican flavor profile.

General Tips for Cooking:

• Have a clean area to work in. This is one dish I prefer to make at home in advance rather than at the campsite.
• Use a high-quality skillet for cooking your corn. Butter helps keep it from sticking but allowing it to sit to develop that nice char can be hard on a cheap pan.
• Don’t worry too much about quantities. This recipe is very forgiving.

Equipment Needed:

• Skillet
• Knife
• Measuring cups and spoons
• Large bowl, preferably sealable, for combining and transporting

More Corn Recipes to Enjoy:

• Black Bean, Roasted Corn, Avocado, and Red Quinoa Salad
• Cilantro Grilled Corn
• Corn and Black Bean Salad
• Grilled Corn and Black Bean Salsa
• Quinoa Salad with Grilled Corn, Tomatoes, and Cilantro

This Mexican Corn Salad is the perfect accompaniment to so many dishes and always brings a taste of summer to the table.

Luckily it makes plenty so friends and family should all get their fair share of the dish. Which was not the case when we were making Elotes instead. In fact, there was that one barbecue where we ran out and caused a great deal of disappointment to those who stopped by after work. Don’t do that to your loved ones. Make our Esquites instead!