Grilled Mexican Street Corn Salad

Grilled Mexican street corn salad is smoky, spicy and creamy.  It has all of the classic flavors of traditional Mexican street corn without the mess.

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Un-traditional Grilled Street Corn

Traditional Mexican Street corn is grilled corn on the cob that’s coated with cotija cheese, mayonnaise, sour cream then topped with jalapeno peppers, cilantro and more cheese. It’s super tasty, but just a little bit unhealthy.

I decided to make a better for you version without the mayonnaise and sour cream and replace them with a creamy avocado. While I was at it, I took the corn off the cob for a less messy version. The result, a tasty and easy to eat version of Mexican street corn.

I highly recommend that you grill the corn if you have a grill, it adds a slightly smoky flavor to the salad. If you don’t, you can cook the corn on top of the stove in a very hot cast iron pan which will char the corn (instructions are below for this method).

This Grilled Mexican Street Corn Salad recipe comes together quickly with only a few ingredients. It is a perfect side for grilled chicken, taco lettuce wraps or cilantro lime shrimp

Here is what You will Need

• Grilled & Charred Corn on the cob – it is the base of this recipe; it is sweet, smoky and slightly charred..
• Olive Oil – to keep the corn from sticking to the grill, and  to add moisture to the salad.
• Jalapeno Peppers –  to add a little bit of heat.
• Minced Garlic – to kick up the flavor.
• Fresh Lime Juice – brings all of the flavors together.
• Cotija Cheese – a Mexican cheese that tastes similar to feta cheese and adds a hint of salty flavor.
• Fresh Cilantro – accentuates the fresh ingredients.
• Ripe Avocado – the avocado chunks break down and add a nice creamy texture without mayonnaise and sour cream.

Here is How to Make It

1. Husk the corn, wash and dry it
2. Brush the corn with olive oil and place it on a hot grill
3. While the corn is cooking, chop the jalapeno peppers, mince the garlic, cilantro and avocado
4. Remove the cooked corn from the grill and allow  it to cool off
5. Cut the kernels off of the corn cob and place them into a bowl
6. Add the chopped peppers, minced garlic, lime juice, cilantro, cheese and mix well
7. Add the avocado and give it a quick stir and serve

Recipe Tips and Variations 

• Don’t husk the corn until you are ready to cook it! The husks protect the kernels from drying and will keep the corn fresh tasting. It only takes a few minutes to do it at home.
• Do not overcook the corn.–  The corn should have patches of charring along with  yellow patches for the best flavor.
• Use a cast-iron skillet if you don’t have a grill. Heat a cast-iron skillet over medium to high heat with 1 tablespoon oil. If you are using corn on the cob, use a sharp knife to cut the kernels off of the cob.  Add the kernels to the pan and cook the corn stirring occasionally until corn becomes charred – about 15 to 20 minutes.
• Replace corn on the cob with 3 cups frozen corn kernels that have been thawed, and cook them using the cast-iron method above.
• Grilled Mexican street corn salad is vegetarian. For a vegan version, omit the cheese.
• Cotija cheese can be substituted with feta or Parmesan cheese.

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• Potato Salad with Fresh Herbs
• Healthy Beef Tacos
• Vegetarian Nachos

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