The Easy Corn Salad I Make Every Summer

You don’t need much more than butter, salt, and pepper to help fresh seasonal corn shine; its sweet, nutty flavor speaks for itself. That said, summer wouldn’t be complete without batches and batches of esquites, a Mexican street corn salad loaded with Cotija cheese, fresh cilantro, and mayonnaise. It’s creamy, savory, and tangy, and though I make it almost weekly every single summer, I have yet to tire of it.

The recipe for this salad comes from former Serious Eats editor Kenji, who explains that this classic Mexican dish is  an “off-the-cob” version of the popular street food elotes, charred corn that’s dressed with a mixture of Cotija cheese, mayonnaise, and sour cream. Like its on-the-cob cousin, the salad is seasoned with garlic, cilantro, and chile powder, with plenty of fresh lime juice to cut through the richness of the dairy. Where the two recipes differ is that the salad requires no grill. Instead, our esquites recipe calls for searing the corn kernels in a pan on the stovetop, which enhances the corn’s natural sweetness. Once the kernels are charred, you’ll toss them together with the other salad ingredients in a large bowl. It’s as simple as it gets.

Although the dish is especially delicious with fresh corn, I’ve made it with frozen kernels in the wintertime. Just give the corn a few more minutes to sear, as the additional moisture from the ice crystals may make it harder to get a good char on the corn. You don’t even need to defrost the corn before cooking—I cook it straight from frozen on high heat until it’s nicely browned. 

The charred kernels are sweet and flavorful, and the jalapeño’s heat and the fresh lime juice brings acidity and brightness to the Cotija cheese and mayonnaise. You could serve it alongside grilled meat or fish, but it’s just as delicious eaten on its own as a snack or appetizer. It’s my favorite thing to make in July and August, or any time of year when I want something delightfully summery.