Mexican Street Corn Salad (also known as Esquites) highlights the tangy flavors of fresh charred juicy corn covered in a crema sauce of cilantro, Cotija cheese, and spices. A fresh spin makes this recipe perfect for potlucks or parties of any size.
3Ears of CornCan also use fire roasted corn kernels
1tablespoonButterfor grilling the corn
8ozRotini Pasta
½cupCotija CheeseSubstitute feta if you can't find cotija
¼cupChopped Cilantro Leaves
¼cupRed Oniondiced
Dressing
¼cupMayonaisse
⅓cupMexican CremaSubstitute sour cream if necessary.
Salt and Pepper
½teaspoonGarlic Powder
½teaspoonChili Powder*See Note
½teaspoonSmoked PaprikaPlus more for garnish, if desired
1teaspoonLime Juice
Instructions
Light a grill. Remove the husks and season the 3 Ears of Corn with Salt and Pepper. Place the corn on the hottest part of the grill and cook, turning as needed, until cooked through with nice grill char marks, 8 to 10 minutes. Butter the corn with 1 tablespoon Butter just before it comes off the grill.
Cook 8 oz Rotini Pasta according to package directions until al dente. Rinse under cool water and set aside to drain and cool.
Once corn has cooled to touch, remove the kernels. You can slice them off with a sharp knife or use a spoon to remove one whole column and then use your thumb to push out the corn kernels row by row (this is demonstrated in the post with photos.)
In a small bowl, stir together ¼ cup Mayonaisse, ⅓ cup Mexican Crema, ½ teaspoon Garlic Powder, ½ teaspoon Chili Powder, and ½ teaspoon Smoked Paprika.
In a large bowl, add the pasta, corn kernels, ¼ cup Chopped Cilantro Leaves, 1 teaspoon Lime Juice and dressing mixture, Toss everything until well coated. Sprinkle with ½ cup Cotija Cheese and stir slightly or leave on top.
If desired, you can sprinkle a little more paprika and cilantro over the cotija cheese. It gives more depth in the visual appearance.
Notes
Chile Powder and Chili powder are not the same thing. Chile powder is ground peppers, and can vary a lot in heat level. Chili powder is a mix of chiles, cumin, and other spices. For this recipe, I use chili powder because it is much easier to find, and I like the cumin. I can control the heat best as well.