Mexican Street Corn Salad with Smoky Cream Sauce
Mexican street corn meets salad in the best way possible.
A great addition to your July 4th spread, this dish is inspired by Mexican street corn. If you’ve never had Mexican street corn, it’s basically grilled corn smothered in a blend of mayonnaise and/or sour cream, chili powder, and cotija cheese, and served with fresh limes and a sprinkling of cilantro. This salad is lighter and fresher thanks to the absence of mayo and so easy – just toss everything into a bowl and serve.
A simple salad that will have everyone begging for seconds.
Prepare to swoon – each bite is a flavor explosion that’s sweet, smoky, tangy and slightly spicy. It’s the perfect side dish for all your summer grilling favorites, and you should also put it on every taco you make from this day forward.
Straight up summer.
Mexican Street Corn Salad with Smoky Cream Sauce
4 cups organic corn (about 6 ears), cut from the cob
2 tbsp olive oil
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1/2 small red onion, finely chopped
1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
1 jalapeno pepper, diced (remove the seeds for less heat)
1 avocado, chopped
1/2 cup cotija cheese or feta cheese, crumbled
Smoky Cream Sauce
1/2 cup Greek Yogurt
3-4 tbsp. fresh lime juice
1/2 tsp. chili powder
1/4 tsp. smoked paprika
1/4 tsp. cumin
Sea salt
For the smoky cream sauce: In a small bowl, whisk yogurt, lime juice, chili powder, smoked paprika and cumin. Add water if necessary to thin out. Season with salt to taste.
For the salad: Cut the corn off the cob. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant 1-2 minutes.
Add the corn and stir it. Cook for about 8-10 minutes or until the corn starts to char. 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. Season with salt and pepper as necessary.
To serve garnish with cream sauce and additional cheese, smoked paprika and cilantro, if desired.