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Classic Mexican Street Corn Salad with a Zesty Kick and Crunch

A creamy, smoky, tangy corn salad inspired by authentic Mexican street corn, loaded with fresh herbs, cotija cheese, and crunchy toppings.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Course: Salads
Cuisine: Mexican
Calories: 245
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Salad
  • 6 ears fresh corn husks removed
  • 1/2 cup mayonnaise
  • 1/4 cup sour cream
  • 1 cup cotija cheese crumbled
  • 1 small red onion finely diced
  • 2 jalapeños finely chopped
  • 1/2 cup cilantro chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic minced
  • 2 limes juiced
  • 1 tsp chili powder
  • 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
  • 1/2 tsp cumin
  • 1/2 tsp kosher salt
  • 1/4 tsp black pepper
Crunchy Topping
  • 1 cup tortilla strips crushed
  • 2 tbsp cotija cheese for garnish
  • 2 tbsp cilantro for garnish

Equipment

  • grill pan
  • mixing spoon
  • Mixing bowl

Method
 

  1. Grill the corn until charred on all sides, then cool and cut kernels from the cob.
  2. Whisk together mayonnaise, sour cream, lime juice, garlic, chili powder, paprika, cumin, salt, and pepper.
  3. Combine corn, onion, jalapeños, cilantro, and cotija cheese with the dressing.
  4. Allow the salad to rest for 15 minutes.
  5. Top with tortilla strips, extra cotija, cilantro, and chili powder before serving.

Notes

For maximum flavor, heavily char the corn and use freshly squeezed lime juice.