Street Corn Fans, This One’s For You!
Everything you love about Mexican street corn, but turned into a big, crunchy green salad. ♡
We’re talking crisp romaine, sweet charred corn, black beans, salty cotija, roasted pepitas, cilantro, green onions, crunchy tortilla strips all tossed together with a creamy lime-chili dressing. It’s tangy, it’s smoky, it’s perfectly fresh and filling. And if you love elote as much as I do, it’s downright irresistible!
It’s the kind of salad that feels both fresh and satisfying, which is always the goal around here. Serve it up with grilled chicken, shrimp, steak, tacos, enchiladas, burgers, or whatever you’ve got going on. Or just grab a fork and dive in and call it lunch! Highly recommend making this salad while fresh corn is in season, but frozen or canned corn totally works too so that we can keep this recipe in the rotation year-round.
Let’s make some salad!
Recipe Tips
A few little things I’ve learned along the way that’ll help this salad turn out perfectly every time.
- Char the corn for the best flavor. Don’t rush this step! Let the corn sit in the hot skillet without stirring for a minute or two at a time so it actually gets those golden brown charred bits, which is where all the flavor comes from. Or if you happen to live near a Trader Joe’s, you can just buy their frozen charred corn as a shortcut!
- Canned corn works in a pinch. If you’re using canned or frozen corn, drain it really well and pat it dry before charring, otherwise it’ll just steam in the skillet instead of browning.
- Toss right before serving. If you’re not eating this right away, keep the dressing and tortilla strips separate until you’re ready to serve. Nobody wants soggy chips!
- Taste and season. You may want an extra squeeze of lime or pinch of salt, so give it a quick taste test before serving.
Variations To Try
This salad is super easy to customize, so have fun with it!
- Add diced avocado for extra creaminess right before serving.
- Make it a full meal by tossing in some grilled chicken or shrimp.
- Swap the romaine for shredded cabbage or a mix of greens if that’s what you have on hand.
- Use feta instead of cotija if that’s easier to find at your store.
- Spice it up with a diced jalapeño or a few dashes of hot sauce in the dressing.
- Add tomatoes for a juicy pop of sweetness. Cherry tomatoes or diced Roma tomatoes would both be great here.
- Swap the tortilla strips for crushed tortilla chips, tostada shells, or even a handful of Fritos.
What To Serve With This Salad
Street Corn Green Salad
Ingredients
For the salad:
- 2 hearts of romaine, chopped
- 2 cups charred corn (fresh, frozen, or canned — see tips below)
- 1 (15-ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
- ½ cup crumbled cotija cheese
- ½ cup roasted pepitas
- 1 cup tortilla strips (or lightly crushed tortilla chips)
- ½ cup chopped fresh cilantro
- 3 green onions, thinly sliced
For the dressing:
- ⅓ cup sour cream
- ¼ cup mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
- 1 teaspoon lime zest
- 1 teaspoon chili powder or Tajín
- 1 small clove garlic, finely grated (optional)
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
- ¼ teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
Instructions
- Char the corn. If using fresh or frozen corn, sauté it in a hot skillet with a drizzle of oil for 5–7 minutes until lightly charred. Let cool slightly.
- Make the dressing. In a small bowl, whisk together the sour cream, mayo, lime juice, lime zest, chili powder (or Tajín), garlic (if using), salt, and pepper until smooth.
- Assemble the salad. In a large bowl, combine the chopped romaine, charred corn, black beans, cotija, roasted pepitas, cilantro, and green onions.
- Toss. Drizzle the dressing over the salad and toss until evenly coated.
- Finish. Gently fold in the crushed tortilla chips just before serving so they stay crunchy. Sprinkle with extra cotija, cilantro, and a pinch of Tajín if desired, and enjoy!!
Did you make this?Let me know how it turned out in the comments below!
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