Mexican-Inspired Grilled Corn Salad with Cotija

Grilled Corn Salad is inspired from Mexican street corn (elote), and is made with chili-lime seasoning, cotija cheese, and lighter with no mayo.

Grilled Corn Salad with Cotija

If you need some easy side dishes to make this summer, you’ll love this Grilled Corn Salad with Cotija. It’s inspired by elote, Mexican corn on the cob covered in mayo and topped with chili powder, lime juice, and cheese. To make this Mexican street corn salad, I remove the corn from the cob and skip the mayonnaise. Then, I mix everything together to make a light side dish. This dish is great served alongside grilled salmon, shrimps, fish, rice, and other summer side dishes like grilled chicken, grilled chicken, shrimps, fish, and so on. If you prefer Mediterranean flavors, this Grilled Corn Salad and Feta with Mint or this Corn Salad and Avocado with Tomatoes might be for you.

Ingredients for grilled corn salad

This healthy Mexican corn salad includes all the ingredients of elote without the mayo

• Corn on the cob – grill peeled corn directly on the grill for a charred, smokey flavor that elevates this salad. It is fine to use frozen corn.
• Scallions – any onion works here but I love scallions in this salad. You can also use chives or red onion.
• Cotija cheese – cotija is typically used on elote, you can also use crumbled queso fresco or feta cheese if you prefer.
• Cilantro – for freshness, although if you detest the flavor you can use chives on their place.
• Chili-lime seasoning – like Tajin or Trader Joe’s Everything But The Elote Seasoning
• Lime wedgesServe the salad with the dressing.

Is it possible to grill corn ahead of time for corn salad?

Yes, you are able to prepare your corn ahead of the time. You can husk and grill the corn the day before making the salad.

How to Grill Corn Salad

1. For this salad, grill the corn by removing the husks. Then heat your grill to medium-high.
2. Grill the corn for about 10-12 minutes. Then turn the cobs around so that all sides touch.
3. Once they’re charred in spots, remove the corn from the grill to cool.

If you don’t have a grill, you can cook your corn in a skillet on the stove using the same method.

How to Make Corn Salad

1. After the corn is grilled and cooled down, take the kernels off the cob. The easiest way to remove the kernels is to place the cob in a large bowl and then use a sharp knife.
2. Add the cotija and scallions to the bowl with corn. Drizzle with olive oil.
3. Mix in the Tajin and cilantro. Season with salt and pepper.
4. Serve with lime wedges and more Tajin sprinkled on top. You can keep leftovers in the refrigerator for up to four days.

Variations:

• Cheese – Sub queso fresco or feta for cotija.
• No grill, no problem! You can use a grill pan if you don’t have a grill. If you’re making this salad when corn isn’t in season, you can use frozen corn.
• Onions –Red onion can be substituted for chives or scallions with scallions.
• Add onsTo spice things up, add chopped avocado, tomato, canned beans, or chopped jalapeno.

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