This bright and zesty Mexican corn salad is basically deconstructed Mexican street corn off the cob.

It combines a flavorful combination of corn, cotija cheese, and a lime/mayonnaise dressing. You can serve it hot or cold.

Make this salad to compliment your next Mexican meal.

There is this amazing Mexican food truck located at our local flea market.

Crowds of people will gather around it for lunch everyday. I was so excited when I discovered it.

They make authentic Mexican food from scratch. Everything is fresh and delicious.

On their menu is Mexican Elote.

What is Mexican Elote?

Mexican Elote is Mexican street corn. The cooked corn is slathered in mayonnaise and seasoned with lime juice and chili powder. Then it is covered in cotija cheese and cilantro.

When I tried it for the first time, I ordered it the traditional way (on the cob). I was in HEAVEN!!

The salty, creamy flavors mixed with the citrus lime and vibrant cilantro were INCREDIBLE!

Eating it off the cob was a little tricky. The corn would get stuck in my teeth and it was quite messy.

I ordered it cut of the cob next. It was just as good.

I loved it so much, I had to recreate this Mexican Street Corn off the cob in my home. I am totally addicted!

Watch video on how to make street corn salad

Ingredients

You will need the following ingredients to make this street corn salad.

Fresh corn (Check out this tip for the easiest trick to cut corn off the cob.)
Butter
Lime
Jalapeno Pepper (Remove seeds for a milder heat.)
Mayonnaise- Use real mayonnaise, not low fat, fat free mayonnaise or "salad dressing."
Chili Powder
Paparika
Cotija Cheese-In some grocery stores, this cheese is actually located by the lunch meat and not the cheese section. I do not know why. But if you cannot find it in the cheese section, try checking out the lunch meat section.

How to make Mexican corn salad

Making Mexican Corn Salad is super easy. Follow these easy steps to make Mexican Corn Salad.

First cut corn off the cob. Set corn aside.
Remove seeds from one jalapeno. Dice jalapeno.
Melt butter in a pan.
Cook jalapeno in butter until the jalapeno is softened.
Add corn to pan. Cook on medium heat 3 to 5 minutes.
In a mixing bowl, mix mayonnaise, lime juice, cotija cheese, chili powder, paprika, salt, and pepper.
Mix dressing with cooked corn.
Top with fresh cilantro and cotija cheese. Serve immediately warm or refrigerate and serve cold.

Do you have to use fresh corn?

This Mexican street corn salad recipe is AWESOME with fresh summer corn.

However, if fresh corn is not in season, or if you don't want to mess with cutting fresh corn, you can substitute fresh with frozen corn.

If you use frozen corn, thaw it first, then follow the same directions in the recipe.

Cutting corn off the cob hack

Cutting the corn off the cob can be a hassle if you don't know what you are doing. Read this post for simple steps to make cutting your corn off the cob a breeze!

My husband hates eating corn off the cob. He loves it when I cut the corn off for him. (He is a little spoiled!)

This is why when I created this Mexican street corn, I deconstructed it off the cob.

What is a good substitute for Cotija Cheese?

To keep this Mexican corn salad authentic, I use cotija cheese.

Cotija cheese is a salty, sharp, dry, crumbly Mexican cheese similar in taste to feta or parmesan.

A good substitute for Cotija cheese is parmesan or feta.

However, I love the Cotija cheese the best in the salad.

Mexican Corn Salad-Mexican Street Corn Off the Cob

Here are some more Mexican inspired dishes to try:

Please leave me a comment below if you make this corn salad and tell me what you thought about it. I would love to hear back, and so would my readers.

Also post your picture of your street corn on Instagram or Facebook, and tag @aforkstale with #aforkstale hashtags! I will share with my followers! xoxo!