Description
A vibrant and flavorful Mexican Street Corn Salad (Esquites) featuring charred sweet corn, creamy mayonnaise dressing, smoked paprika, and a blend of fresh herbs and cheeses. Perfect as a tasty side dish or a festive addition to any gathering.
Ingredients
Scale
Dressing
- 1/4 cup freshly squeezed lime juice
- 2 tablespoons real mayonnaise
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Salad
- 3 cups sweet corn kernels (cut off the cobs)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 cup parmesan cheese (finely grated)
- 1 cup freshly chopped cilantro
- 1/2 cup red bell pepper (chopped)
- 1/2 cup green onions (thinly sliced)
- 1/4 cup red onion (chopped)
- 1 jalapeño pepper (seeded and chopped)
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 cup Cojita cheese (crumbled)
Instructions
- Prepare the dressing: In a small bowl, combine lime juice, mayonnaise, ground cumin, smoked paprika, kosher salt, and black pepper. Whisk vigorously until the mayonnaise is mostly dissolved and the ingredients are well incorporated. Set aside or refrigerate until needed.
- Cook the corn: Heat olive oil in a large skillet over high heat. Once the oil is hot, add the sweet corn kernels and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until some kernels are nicely charred.
- Combine salad ingredients: Turn off the heat and add parmesan cheese, freshly chopped cilantro, chopped red bell pepper, sliced green onions, chopped red onion, seeded and chopped jalapeño, and garlic powder to the skillet. Stir everything well to combine.
- Toss with dressing and serve: Pour the prepared dressing over the corn mixture and toss well to coat. Sprinkle crumbled Cojita cheese on top. Serve the salad at room temperature or chilled.
Notes
- This salad can be made ahead and chilled for convenience.
- For a spicier version, leave some jalapeño seeds or add more jalapeño.
- Substitute Cojita cheese with feta cheese if unavailable.
- Serve as a side dish for grilled meats or as a flavorful addition to Mexican-themed meals.
- Use fresh or frozen corn kernels depending on the season.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 95 kcal
- Sugar: 4 g
- Sodium: 274 mg
- Fat: 2 g
- Saturated Fat: 0.4 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 2 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 11 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 2 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
