Mexican Street Corn Salad

This vegan Mexican street corn salad is the perfect summer side dish and it's ready in less than 30 minutes! It's the perfect way to use fresh corn, and it's also fantastic as a topping for tacos.

We made this delicious corn salad for a family birthday a few weeks ago and have been perfecting the recipe ever since. It's refreshing, packed with flavor, and such a great way to use summer produce!

We love serving this salad as a side dish with a grilled protein (like these tofu kebabs). It's also delicious on its own as a light lunch or dinner.

You can also serve this refreshing corn salad as a topping for tacos, salads, burrito bowls, or eat it as a salsa served with corn tortilla chips.

Ingredients

• Corn: fresh corn is the main ingredient in this salad. Check out this tutorial to learn how to easily slice corn off the cob without the mess!
  • You can also use frozen corn, but it will release more moisture, so the salad may get watery as it sits. Fresh is definitely best.
  • For extra flavor, you could also grill the corn before adding to this salad.
• Jalapeño: lots of fresh jalapeño is the key to this recipe. We use 2-3 diced jalapeños, so if you're sensitive to spice, feel free to halve that amount.
• Red bell pepper: optional, but we love the sweetness it adds.
• Cilantro: fresh cilantro is the best herb for this Mexican-inspired salad, but if you really can't stand it, flat-leaf parsley will do as a sub.
• Lime juice & zest: freshly squeezed is always best!
• Red onion: To remove the raw bite from the red onion, rinse the diced onion in a fine mesh strainer under very hot water for 30-45 seconds. Then, rinse under cold water for 30 seconds.
• Chili powder
• Salt
• Vegan sour cream: mix with vegan mayo for a creamy, tangy dressing.
• Vegan mayo: for extra flavor, you could use chipotle vegan mayo instead of regular.
• Vegan feta-style cheese: cotija cheese is traditional, but this is the best vegan substitute we've found.

Instructions

Start by heating oil in a large nonstick pan over medium heat. Add the jalapeño and sauté for a few minutes, until it starts to soften.

Add in the fresh corn, lime juice, lime zest, chili powder, and salt and stir well. Cook for about 5 minutes, stirring a few times.

Add in the bell pepper and cook for an additional 5 minutes, until pepper is slightly softened but not completely tender. You still want a bit of bite as this salad is best served cold.

Stir in cilantro and remove from heat. Once slightly cooled, transfer to a large serving bowl and add in the red onion. Stir together the sour cream and mayo in a small bowl, then fold into corn salad until well coated. Add in cheese and stir.

This corn salad is best served chilled and topped with extra fresh cilantro.

Substitutions

• Sensitive to spice? Reduce the amount of jalapeño by half. You can also reduce the amount of chili powder.
• Not a fan of cilantro? Substitute with flat-leaf parsley.
• For extra creaminess, add in a diced, ripe avocado.
• Not vegan? Substitute feta-style cheese with traditional Mexican cotija cheese.
• For more plant-based protein, add in a can of rinsed black beans.
• Don't like vegan sour cream? Substitute with full fat, plain greek yogurt (vegan or regular).

Storage

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. Stir well before eating. It may release some moisture as it sits, so serve with a slotted spoon to prevent sogginess.

More Mexican-inspired vegan recipes to try:

• Mushroom Al Pastor Tacos
• Sheet Pan Fajitas
• Vegan Taco Salad
• Vegan Tamales via Sweet Simple Vegan
• Vegan Chile con Queso
• Burrito Bowls with Spicy Black Beans

If you make this vegan Mexican street corn salad, we’d love for you to leave a comment and rating below! We also love to see your creations on Instagram – tag us at @crowded_kitchen so we can see what you’ve been cooking.

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📖 Recipe