Prepare the Ingredients: Husk the corn, chop the peppers, avocado, cilantro and garlic and place them into a bowl with crumbled cheese. Squeeze the lime juice and set it aside.
Heat a gas grill at medium-high heat.
Brush the husked corn with olive oil and place them onto a hot grill and cover it.
Cook for 5 to 10 minutes until the underside of the corn cobs begin to get char and turn them over. Continue to cook until they become slightly charred on all sides.
Remove the corn from the grill set it aside until it is cool enough to handle (you can also place the corn in the refrigerator to speed up the cooling process).
Once the corn has cooled off; cut the kernels off of the cobs and place them into the bowl with the peppers, garlic, avocados, cheese and cilantro.
Add the lime juice and mix all of the ingredients together.
Grilled Corn Salad without a Grill
If you don’t have an outdoor grill, you can make this delicious corn salad with fresh or frozen corn on top of the stove. It may not have the same smoky flavor as grilled corn but it’s still good. Here’s how:
If you are using fresh corn, remove the corn husks and rinse the corn off and add them to a pot of boiling water. Cover and reduce the heat to low and let them cook for 5 to 8 minutes. Drain them and pat them dry.
Grab a cutting board and a sharp knife and cut the kernels off. If you are using frozen corn, open the bag, and add it straight to the pan.
Heat a cast-iron skillet with 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium to high heat. Once the pan is hot, add the corn kernels and cook them until they cook through and have a slight char on them.
Add the corn kernels to the mixing bowl with the other ingredients and mix everything together.
Notes
SubstitutionsFresh corn on the cob can be substituted with a 16-ounce package of frozen corn.Fresh Garlic can be replaced with 1/4 teaspoon of garlic powder.Cotija cheese can be replaced with feta cheese.Jalapeno Peppers can be swapped out with a few tablespoons of chopped poblano peppers or mild bell peppers.Cilantro can be left out or replaced with chopped oregano, basil or parsley.VariationsAdd more veggies, toss in any combination of a handful of chopped cherry tomatoes, black beans or sweet peppers such as green or red bell peppers.Change up the cheese. Try using shredded pepper jack, queso fresco, or parmesan cheese.Add Protein. Add ½ cup shredded or diced chicken to the salad.Add Mayo & Greek Yogurt. Add 1/4 cup of avocado mayonnaise with a few tablespoons for Greek yogurt or sour cream to the salad for a more authentic tasting Mexican street corn salad.