This Mexican corn salad is everything you want on the table at a cookout: bright lime dressing, salty cotija cheese, crisp vegetables, and sweet fresh corn in every bite. There’s no mayo, so it holds up for hours and travels well without any worry. The whole salad comes together in about 20 minutes, and most of the dressing ingredients are already in your pantry.
A Quick Look At The Recipe
- Recipe Name: Mexican Corn Salad
- Main Ingredients: Salad, ears of corn, bell pepper, cherry tomatoes, English cucumber, red onions, cilantro, cotija cheese
- Why You'll Love It: Mexican Corn Salad uses fresh, parboiled corn, fresh veggies, salty Cotija cheese, cilantro, and is tossed in a bright, tangy dressing. This is a great salad for summer potlucks and BBQs, and is delicious next to anything coming off the grill.
Why Blanched Corn Beats Raw Every Time
Most corn salads you’ll find are either drowning in mayo or just plain boring. This one is different on both counts.
The dressing is a lime and apple cider vinegar vinaigrette with a little honey, which gives it a sweet-tangy balance, and it coats the corn in a way that plain raw corn just won’t absorb. I tried it both ways, and blanching the corn for just three minutes helps more than you might think.
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I had this at a friend’s house one summer and have been making it on repeat ever since, especially when fresh corn can be found at the farmers market. Fresh summer salads go with almost anything.
Cotija, Cumin, and Cilantro Change Everything
Cumin, cilantro, and cotija are doing most of the flavor work here. The cumin goes into the dressing and gives it that warm, earthy undertone without being able to put your finger on exactly why it tastes different from a regular vinaigrette. The cilantro brightens everything, and the cotija adds a salty, crumbly bite that ties it all together. Leave any one of them out and it’s still a good salad, but it won’t have that depth of flavor.
Why Cotija and Not Feta
I tested this with feta first, which seemed like a natural fit, but it dissolved into the dressing and disappeared completely by the time the salad was ready to serve. Cotija holds its shape, stays crumbly, and gives you that salty bite in every forkful. Depending on where you live, it can be hard to find. Where I am, it’s with the specialty cheeses.
A Dressing That’s More Than Just Lime
A lot of fresh corn salads use straight lime juice, which can taste flat or too sharp depending on your limes. This dressing uses lime juice and apple cider vinegar together with a little honey, which rounds out the acidity and gives it a sweet-tangy balance that works with every ingredient in the bowl. Shake it in a jar, taste it, and adjust the salt before you pour it over the salad.
Tips for the Perfect Fresh Corn Salad
- Don’t skip the ice bath after blanching. It stops the cooking immediately and keeps the corn crisp, which is what makes this salad hold up so well for two days in the fridge.
- Add the dressing right before serving if you’re taking it to a cookout. If you’re making it ahead to keep at home, you can dress it a few hours early.
- Fresh corn off the cob is worth it here, but in the off season frozen corn thawed and patted dry will work fine.
- If you love no-mayo summer salads, no-mayo cucumber salad, and Peach Coleslaw, are great options to round out a cookout spread.
Since this is a summer salad, I like to serve it next to anything coming off the grill, like Juicy Grilled Ranch Chicken Kabobs, burgers, tacos, or pulled pork. You can serve it at room temperature or chilled from the fridge.
Fresh Ingredients, Big Flavor
Exact amounts are in the recipe card at the bottom.
- Cotija cheese: Look for it with the specialty cheeses at most grocery stores. It crumbles and holds its shape in the dressing, which is why it works so much better than feta here.
- English cucumber: The thin skin means you don’t need to peel it, and it stays crispier than a regular cucumber.
- Apple cider vinegar: This is what gives the dressing its sweet-tangy balance alongside the lime juice. Don’t swap it for white vinegar, which would make it sharp without the depth.
- Fresh corn: Four ears is the right amount for this salad, but you can adjust based on what’s on hand. Fresh is what makes it, but if corn is out of season, frozen corn thawed and patted dry will work.
How to Make Fresh Corn Salad with Cotija and Lime
Step One: Blanch the corn
Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add a generous handful of salt. A good rule of thumb is about 2 tablespoons, the water should taste lightly salty. Add the corn and cook for three minutes, then transfer it immediately to a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking.
Step Two: Cut the corn
To cut the kernels off cleanly, stand the cob upright and slice downward.
Step Three: Add the Vegetables
Kick up the heat: If you prefer a spicier salad, you can finely chop up a jalapeño and add it to the salad.
Step Four: Shake the Dressing
Step Five: Dress the Salad
Let it rest: Twenty or 30 minutes in the refrigerator deepens the flavor.
This fresh corn salad is the kind of recipe that fits just about any summer table, from a backyard cookout to a casual weeknight dinner, and it only gets better the longer those flavors have to come together.
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Fresh Corn Salad with Cotija and Lime
Ingredients
Salad
- 4 ears of corn
- 1 bell pepper diced
- 2 cups cherry tomatoes halved
- 1 cup English cucumber cut into quarters
- 1 cup red onions diced
- ⅓ cup cilantro chopped
- 1 cup cotija cheese crumbled
Dressing
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- ¼ cup lime juice about 3 limes
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 1 ½ tablespoons honey
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley
- ¼ teaspoon cumin
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon paprika
Instructions
- Bring water to a boil, add a handful of salt and corn. Cook for 3 minutes and remove to a bowl filled with ice water. Once cooled, cut the corn off of the cob and add it to a large bowl.
- Add diced peppers, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, red onions, and cheese to the bowl with the corn and gently mix with your hands.
Dressing:
- Combine all of the ingredients into a glass jar with a lid and shake until it is well combined. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed. When ready to serve, pour the dressing over the salad and gently mix. Let it sit for about 30 minutes for the dressing to absorb into the corn.
Barbara’s Tips + Notes
- If using garden cucumbers, you might want to peel them first.
- This gets better as it sits in the fridge but the veggies will lose their crispness after about 3 days.
- Salt the blanching water generously, it seasons the corn from the start.
- Transfer corn to ice water immediately after blanching to keep it crisp.
- Shake the dressing in a jar and taste before pouring. adjust salt and lime to your preference.
Nutrition
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