Have you ever had elote (Mexican street corn)? We discovered it in on a trip to San Diego several years ago and now get it from a taco truck at our city famers market. Elote is fresh corn, usually served on a stick piping hot and coated in sour cream/mayo, cotija cheese and seasoned with lime, garlic and/or chili powder and salt. It’s delicious. And messy. (See picture below. If you can’t tell, Gwen is a fan.)

This salad is elote in a bowl. Just as tasty and a bit less mess. It’s great with freshly picked summer corn but adaptable to frozen. I use pre-roasted frozen corn (found at Trader Joe’s and Whole Foods) which makes it even easier and something we can enjoy year-round. It’s great for a picnic or bbq or pairs with just about any Mexican dish. We had it with beef taco salad– amazing on the side or thrown right on top!

Mexican Street Corn Salad

INGREDIENTS

4 cups corn (about 5 ears), cut from the cob (or frozen corn- Trader Joe’s and Whole Foods have roasted frozen corn and it’s delicious)
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1/2 red bell pepper, chopped
1/2 small red onion, finely chopped
1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
6 green onions, chopped
1 jalapeno pepper, diced (or pickled jalapeno, to taste)
4 Tbsp. lime juice (from about 2 limes)
1/2 tsp. ground cumin
1/2 tsp. smoked paprika
1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1/4 tsp. salt
2 Tbsp. sour cream (or Greek yogurt)
2 Tbsp. mayonnaise
1/2 cup Cotija cheese, crumbled

DIRECTIONS

1. Cut the corn off the cob. I used 5 ears to get about 4 cups. You can also use canned corn or frozen corn. If using frozen, no need to thaw it out.
2. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over high heat. Add the corn and stir it around. Cook for about 3 to 5 minutes or until the corn starts to char, which is why we’re using high heat. If using frozen corn, you will need a couple minutes extra to get the right charred bits. (If you’re using pre-roasted corn like I did, just warm it in the skillet, no need to char it further.)
3. Transfer the corn to a large bowl and let it cool for a couple minutes.
   To the same bowl, add the remaining ingredients. Stir everything together until well combined. Adjust lime juice and salt and pepper as necessary. Garnish with additional cheese and cilantro, if preferred, and serve.

Adapted from Jo Cooks