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Creamy Mexican Street Corn Salad

Creamy Mexican street corn salad with elote-style flavors—golden corn kernels coated in a cilantro-lime dressing with Cotija cheese and crispy bacon. A quick 15-minute chill helps the dressing cling and lets the tajín, garlic, and lime meld into every bite.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
rest time 15 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: Mexican
Calories: 420
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Corn kernels
  • 6 cup corn kernels (fresh, frozen, or canned)
Creamy cilantro-lime dressing
  • 0.5 cup Mexican crema or sour cream
  • 0.25 cup mayonnaise
  • 0.25 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
  • 3 tbsp lime juice
  • 2 clove garlic, minced
  • 1 tsp tajín seasoning
Street corn toppings
  • 0.5 cup crumbled Cotija cheese
  • 6 slice bacon, cooked and crumbled
  • 0.25 red onion, finely diced
  • 1 Salt and pepper to taste

Method
 

Make the cilantro-lime dressing
  1. Whisk together crema, mayonnaise, cilantro, lime juice, garlic, and tajín in a large bowl until smooth and evenly combined. Use a quick whisking motion so the garlic and tajín disperse throughout the creamy base.
Coat and season the corn
  1. Add corn kernels to the bowl and toss gently until each kernel is coated with the creamy cilantro-lime dressing. Season with salt and pepper to taste, mixing just enough to distribute.
Fold in the street corn toppings
  1. Fold in Cotija cheese, bacon, and red onion until evenly spread through the salad. Stop as soon as no large dry pockets of onion or cheese remain.
Chill and serve
  1. Refrigerate the salad for 15 minutes to allow the flavors to meld. Cover the bowl so the surface doesn’t dry out.
  2. Give the salad a quick stir before serving and adjust seasoning as needed. Add a final pinch of salt and a squeeze of lime only if the flavor tastes flat.

Notes

Pro tip: if you’re using frozen corn, thaw it and drain well so the salad stays thick and creamy instead of watery. Store covered in the refrigerator up to 3 days; for best texture, stir again before serving. Freezing isn’t recommended because the corn and cheese can turn watery after thawing. For a dairy-light option, swap Mexican crema/sour cream and Cotija with a plain Greek-yogurt-based crema and a salty crumbly alternative.