This easy, grilled street corn salad is a definite crowd-pleaser! It’s perfect for holiday cookouts or just a casual summer dinner. 

Perfect for impressing your guests or elevating a casual summer night dinner for just the two of you, this salad combines the smoky sweetness of grilled corn with a zesty blend of spices and fresh ingredients. 

Ready to discover a recipe that will become your new go-to favorite? Let’s dive into the simplicity of this delightful dish that promises to be a popular choice at your next summer cookout.

What You Will Need to Make This Salad

Corn

Fresh corn on the cob is best for this salad, but if it’s the middle of winter and it sounds good, look for frozen ears of corn and they will work too! 

Olive Oil or Butter

A little melted butter or olive oil brushed over the corn before grilling. Butter is a classic with grilled corn and works best to brown the corn, but olive oil is better for health reasons and gives it a nice flavor too. Either will keep the corn from sticking to the grill. 

Limes

You’ll use both the zest and juice from 2 limes. The zest has lots of essential oils that really give a bright, fresh flavor and the juice is blended into the dressing giving it a bit of a zesty bite. 

Mayonnaise

Real mayonnaise works best for the dressing. Regular, light, or the extra omega-3 version is fine. 

Chili Powder

To give this a little kick, a bit of chili powder in the dressing adds some nice flavor. For more “smoke” flavor, a bit of smoked paprika is also a nice addition.

Cilantro

For anyone who gets a “soapy” flavor from cilantro, Don’t skip this recipe because of it – just leave it out. I think it adds a nice herby flavor, but it is totally optional! 

Cojita Cheese

Crumbled cojita cheese adds some body and richness to the corn and dressing. Can’t find it? Look for queso fresco or try crumbled feta or goat cheese instead. Shredded cheddar jack would also work in a pinch. 

Avocado

Avocado chunks add a nice creaminess to the salad. Mix them in or serve them on the side and let everyone add what they’d like.

Salt

There is something about corn that just needs a sprinkle of salt! Maybe it’s all those years of slathering butter and salt on the ears before diving in. I still love a bit of salt on my corn now but I use kosher salt to help cut down on sodium. Kosher salt has about 40% of the sodium found in table salt but you still get the flavor boost you’re looking for.

How to Make it

This summer street corn salad is easy to make. You can use a gas or charcoal grill – or just a grill pan to grill the corn. Then whip up the dressing, take the corn off the cob, and combine it all. It is easy to make ahead and finish just before serving.

Step 1: Grill the Corn

Preheat the grill and make sure it is good and hot. I like to get it to about 450°F.

You can use a gas or charcoal grill for this – or even a grill pan if it is the middle of winter!

Brush the corn with some melted butter and place it on the grill. Turn it every 5 minutes or once it starts to brown until it’s browned on all sides. Remove it and let it cool.

Note: I like to leave the stems on if I can. This makes it easier to hold when you start cutting the kernels off the cob!

Step 2: Make the Dressing

While the corn is cooling, mix the dressing. Blend the mayonnaise, lime zest, lime juice, and chili powder. Add a little salt and pepper if desired.

Step 3: Cut the Corn from the Cob

Once the corn is cooled, hold one of the ears by the stem end and place the tip on a cutting board. With a sharp knife, gently slice the kernels off the ear onto the cutting board. Move around the ear until all the kernels are off. Repeat with the remaining ears of corn. 

Step 4: Mix the Salad

Place the corn in a large bowl. Mix in the dressing and then add the cheese and avocado and stir to combine. Top with cilantro if desired.

Note: If you are making this ahead, hold off on adding the avocado and cilantro until right before serving!

Variations

If you don’t have fresh corn or don’t have time to grill fresh corn, use frozen and skip grilling it. Add some smoked paprika to get that “smokey” flavor.

You can serve the avocado on the side if you prefer. Mix in as much as you want.

If you can’t find Cojita cheese, try Queso Fresco, or goat cheese. Cheddar Jack will also work if you can’t find or don’t like the others.

Storage Tips

If you’ll be saving some of the street corn salad for another day, or anticipate having leftovers, serve the avocado on the side. The salad without the avocado mixed in will last for 3 – 4 days in the fridge.

This salad doesn’t freeze well. It’s best to eat it within a few days of making it.

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