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    Home » Mexican Corn Salad

    Mexican Corn Salad

    Published: Jun 20, 2022 by Laura · This post may contain affiliate links.

    Jump to Recipe

    This Mexican corn salad recipe is a delicious and healthy side dish. Made with a handful of ingredients in 10 minutes, this corn salad can be made with fresh or frozen corn.

    Corn Salad in a serving bowl with a spoon.

    In the summer and fall we go to the farmer's market every single weekend in order to get the best corn from a local farm. Corn so delicious you can eat it straight off the ear - yum! One of my favorite ways to enjoy summer corn is in this Mexican corn salad recipe.

    In this corn salad, corn, tomatoes and onion are tossed in a creamy homemade dressing. It's a great side dish for taco nights (or any of our favorite Mexican recipes), or for a barbecue. It's also delicious as an appetizer eaten with chips!

    Corn Salad on a plate with a fork

    Corn Salad Recipe: Ingredients & Substitutions

    • Corn. I have used both fresh corn and frozen and thawed corn to make this recipe - both are great. You will need 2 cups of corn, which is a 12 oz bag of frozen corn or 3-4 ears of fresh corn on the cob. .
    • Tomatoes. Choose your favorite variety: baby tomatoes, heirloom, Roma, on the vine, etc.
    • Red Onion. yellow or white onion also can be used in this recipe.
    • Minced Garlic. use fresh or jarred minced garlic. Or you can substitute 1 tsp garlic powder for the minced garlic.
    • Cojita cheese. Feta is a great substitute if you can't find cojita cheese.
    • Olive Oil. avocado oil is an acceptable substitution for olive oil.
    • Mayonnaise. there really isn't a substitute for mayo in this recipe.
    • Sour Cream. full-fat greek yogurt can be used in place of sour cream.
    • Lime Juice. fresh or bottled both work well.
    • Honey. granulated sugar can be used in place of honey.
    ingredients in this Corn Salad recipe

    How to Make Corn Salad

    This corn salad recipe is very simple to make. The most time consuming pieces are letting the cooked corn cool down, and chopping the vegetables. We'll walk through the process step-by-step, and don't forget to watch the video.

    To use fresh corn

    Begin this recipe by cooking the fresh corn. To do this, add the ears of corn to a large pot and add water until they are covered by 1”.

    Then, bring the water (with the corn in it) to a boil.

    Once boiling, turn off the heat and cover the water/corn mixture. Let sit for 10 minutes.

    After 10 minutes, remove the corn from the water and let it dry and cool in a colander.

    two photos of corn on the cob before and after cooking to use in this corn salad recipe

    Cut corn off the cobb and use in this recipe. 

    For frozen corn:

    Let the corn thaw at room temperature or gently thaw it in the microwave.

    two photos showing how to cut corn to use in this Corn Salad Recipe

    Make the dressing

    Once the corn is prepared, whisk together the dressing ingredients in a small bowl, set aside.

    two photos making the dressing for this Corn Salad Recipe

    Assemble the corn salad

    Now, it's time to assemble the Mexican corn salad. In a large bowl, combine corn, cilantro, tomatoes, onion, garlic and cheese.

    Then, pour dressing over the corn mixture and stir until combined.

    two photos showing how to assemble this Corn Salad Recipe

    After the ingredients are combined, cover the bowl and chill the corn salad for at least 1 hour.

    Mexican Corn Salad in a mixing bowl.

    Serve

    If desired, add avocado right before serving.

    Serve the corn salad chilled with your favorite Mexican dishes. This also makes a great dip for chips!

    Some of our favorite Mexican recipes:

    • I make these easy ground beef tacos (with homemade taco seasoning) at least once a week.
    • Taco night isn't complete without the this easy homemade guacamole.
    • This blender salsa takes 5 minutes to prepare!
    • Cilantro lime rice is a delicious addition, especially if you want to make burritos!
    • Skip the can and make your own homemade refried black beans, they only take 10 minutes to prepare!
    • I always make this sweet potato and black bean taco filling to go with our ground beef tacos for extra veggies!
    Mexican Corn Salad in a serving bowl with a spoon

    Store

    Store leftover corn salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. I don't recommend freezing this recipe.

    Mexican Corn Salad in a serving bowl with a spoon

    Recipe FAQs

    Can you eat sweet corn raw?

    The corn we buy at the farmers market can be eaten raw. However, I prefer the taste and texture when it's cooked.

    Can I double this recipe?

    Yes, if you are feeding a large crowd you can definitely double this recipe.

    Mexican Corn Salad in a serving bowl with a spoon

    If you make and love our recipes, it would mean so much to me if you would leave a comment and rating! And don't forget to follow along with us on Instagram, Pinterest, Facebook, and Youtube - be sure to tag @joyfoodsunshine and use the hashtag #joyfoodsunshine so we can your creations!

    Corn Salad

    Corn Salad Recipe

    Laura
    This Mexican corn salad recipe is a delicious and healthy side dish. Made with a handful of ingredients in 10 minutes, this corn salad can be made with fresh or frozen corn.
    5 from 1 vote
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe Save Recipe Saved!
    Prep Time 20 mins
    Cook Time 10 mins
    Chilling 1 hr
    Total Time 1 hr 30 mins
    Course Appetizer, Salad, Side Dish
    Cuisine American, Mexican
    Servings 8 servings
    Calories 98 kcal

    Equipment

    • measuring spoons
    • measuring cups
    • glass batter bowl
    • spatula
    • whisk

    Ingredients
      

    • 2 cups fresh corn or frozen corn, thawed to room temperature, (12 oz bag frozen corn or 3-4 ears)
    • 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro finely chopped
    • 1 cup tomatoes diced
    • ½ cup red onion finely diced
    • 1 tablespoon minced garlic
    • ¼ cup cojita or feta cheese
    • Optional: avocado diced

    Dressing:

    • 1 tablespoon olive oil
    • 2 tablespoons Mayonnaise
    • 1 tablespoon Sour Cream or Greek yogurt
    • 1 tablespoon lime juice
    • ¼ teaspoon paprika
    • ¼ teaspoon cumin
    • ½ teaspoon honey
    • Optional to add for heat: ¼ tsp chili powder or cayenne pepper.

    Instructions
     

    If using fresh corn:

    • Add ears of corn to a large pot and add water until they are covered by 1”
    • Bring the water (with the corn in it) to a boil.
    • Turn off the heat and cover the water/corn mixture. Let sit for 10 minutes.
    • Remove corn from the water and let it dry and cool in a colander.
    • Cut corn off the cobb and transfer to a large bowl.

    If using frozen corn:

    • Let the corn thaw at room temperature or gently thaw it in the microwave.

    Make the dressing

    • Whisk together the dressing ingredients in a small bowl, set aside.

    Assemble the corn salad:

    • In a large bowl, combine corn, cilantro, tomatoes, onion, garlic and cheese.
    • Pour dressing over the corn mixture and stir until combined.
    • Cover and chill for 1 hour.
    • Transfer the corn salad to a serving dish. Top it with cheese, chopped cilantro and avocado right before serving.
    • Serve chilled with your favorite Mexican dishes or as a dip with chips.

    Video

    Notes

    Ingredient Substitutions

    • Corn. I have used both fresh corn and frozen and thawed corn to make this recipe - both are great. You will need 2 cups of corn, which is a 12 oz bag of frozen corn or 3-4 ears of fresh corn on the cob. .
    • Tomatoes. Choose your favorite variety: baby tomatoes, heirloom, Roma, on the vine, etc.
    • Red Onion. yellow or white onion also can be used in this recipe.
    • Minced Garlic. use fresh or jarred minced garlic. Or you can substitute 1 tsp garlic powder for the minced garlic.
    • Cojita cheese. Feta is a great substitute if you can't find cojita cheese.
    • Olive Oil. avocado oil is an acceptable substitution for olive oil.
    • Sour Cream. full-fat greek yogurt can be used in place of sour cream.
    • Lime Juice. fresh or bottled both work well.
    • Honey. granulated sugar can be used in place of honey.

    Store

    Store leftover corn salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. I don't recommend freezing this recipe.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 0.5cupCalories: 98kcalCarbohydrates: 10gProtein: 2gFat: 6gSaturated Fat: 2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 7mgSodium: 83mgPotassium: 175mgFiber: 1gSugar: 4gVitamin A: 294IUVitamin C: 7mgCalcium: 34mgIron: 1mg
    Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

    This post contains affiliate links, which means that if you purchase a product through a link you clicked on here, I receive a portion of the sale. Thank you for supporting JoyFoodSunshine! 

    Photos in this post were taken by Jamie from Dishing Out Health.

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    About Laura

    I’m Laura, a former chemistry teacher turned homeschooling mom of six beautiful babies! I create simple and delicious recipes that are tested and perfected to make cooking and baking joyful and fun!

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