Description
A vibrant, refreshing salad inspired by the popular Mexican street food, Elote, featuring charred corn, creamy dressing, and fresh herbs.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
- 4 cups corn
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt, plus more to taste
- 2.5 oz cotija cheese, crumbled
- 1/2 cup scallions, thinly sliced
- 1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
- 1 large jalapeño, seeded and finely minced
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 3 tbsp mayonnaise
- 1.5 tbsp fresh lime juice
- 1/2 tsp chili powder
- 1/4 tsp smoked paprika
- 1/8 tsp ground cumin
Instructions
- Prepare all your ingredients so you can work quickly once cooking begins.
- Heat the vegetable oil in a large skillet over high heat until it shimmers, then add the corn and kosher salt.
- Let the corn sit undisturbed for 2 minutes to develop a golden char.
- Stir and continue cooking for another 2 minutes, then stir occasionally for about 6 more minutes until the corn is deeply charred and tender.
- Transfer the charred corn to a large serving bowl.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, fresh lime juice, chili powder, smoked paprika, and ground cumin to create the creamy dressing.
- Pour the spiced dressing over the charred corn, then add the crumbled cotija cheese, sliced scallions, chopped cilantro, minced jalapeño, and minced garlic.
- Gently fold everything together until the corn is evenly coated.
- Taste the salad and adjust the seasoning with additional kosher salt and chili powder as needed.
Notes
For a vegan version, substitute mayonnaise with a vegan alternative and omit or use vegan cheese. Serve chilled or at room temperature for the best flavor.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Side Dish
- Method: Sautéing
- Cuisine: Mexican
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 250
- Sugar: 5g
- Sodium: 300mg
- Fat: 10g
- Saturated Fat: 3g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 35g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 8g
- Cholesterol: 10mg