Pioneer Woman Mexican Street Corn Salad

The Pioneer Woman Mexican Street Corn Salad, also known as Esquites, is smoky, spicy, tangy, and exceptionally delicious. This version of Mexican corn on the cob will appeal to fans of the dish.

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Why You’ll Love This Salad:

Ready in 20 min: You can make this Pioneer Woman Mexican Street Corn Salad recipe in 20 minutes.
You can serve this warm or cold: I love the fact that you can serve it for a picnic or a barbecue whether it is summer or winter.
Sweet, savory, and tangy all at the same time: I enjoy this Pioneer Woman Mexican street corn salad recipe because it’s well-balanced and easy to prepare! It has a slight sweetness, a hint of savoriness, and a burst of tang and spice from the creamy corn salad dressing.

What Is Mexican Street Corn Salad?

Mexican Street Corn Salad usually consists of corn sautéed in butter with onions, red chili peppers, salt, and lime juice, then served in a cup and topped with various combinations of chili powder, hot sauce, salt, mayonnaise, etc.

Ingredients That You’ll Need:

In this pioneer woman salad, I have added a few extra veggies and lots of feta or cotija cheese adding feta cheese is pretty much always what I do because I cannot find cotija cheese. Here’s what you’ll need:

Corn: you will need about 5 ears of corn this pioneer woman salad is best when made with fresh corn cut from the cob, but you can also use canned or frozen corn.
Olive oil: a small amount of olive oil to cook the corn with.
Veggies: bell peppers, red onion, green onions, and jalapeno peppers.
Cilantro: this pioneer woman recipe calls for tons of fresh cilantro. If you do not like cilantro you can use parsley, but give it a shot, this salad benefits from the fresh cilantro flavor.
Cotija cheese: the Mexican version of feta cheese, a bit less salty. Since I love both kinds of cheese, I do not mind adding either.
Avocado: this will give our salad a nice creaminess.
Lime juice: if you are going to make Mexican food, use fresh lime juice rather than bottled stuff.
Spices: cumin, smoked paprika, black pepper, and salt. These spices give the dish that extra flavor kick.
Sour cream: to bring the dish together, we need a bit of acidity.
Mayonnaise: This is what is usually rolled into Mexican street corn to help the spices adhere. In this pioneer woman recipe, the mayo serves a similar purpose.

What is Cotija Cheese?

Cotija cheese originated in Mexico and is made from cow’s milk. The cheese is white, firm, dry, and slightly salty. As it ages, it becomes sharper and firmer (more similar to parmesan) while when it’s young, it’s moist and crumbly (more similar to feta). It can be found at most specialty grocery stores and Latino markets.

Alternatively, if you can’t locate cotija cheese, you can use either feta or parmesan! Both will work well.

How To Make Pioneer Woman Mexican Street Corn Salad?

Remove the corn from the cob. I got about 4 cups of corn from 5 ears. You may also use canned corn or frozen corn. No need to thaw frozen corn.
In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over high heat. Stir the corn around. Cook for 3 to 5 minutes or until the corn starts to char, that’s why we’re using high heat. If you are using frozen corn, you will need to cook it for a few minutes longer to get the right charred bits.
Transfer the corn to a large bowl and let it cool for a few minutes.
Add the remaining ingredients to the same bowl. Combine everything well. Adjust the lime juice, salt, and pepper to taste.
Garnish with additional cheese and cilantro, if desired.

What To Seve With Pioneer Woman Mexican Street Corn Salad?

In addition to serving this salad as a side dish, there are several ways that you can serve it!

Vegan Pulled “Pork” Nachos
Mexican Sheet Pan Veggie Dinner
Roasted Cauliflower Street Tacos
Beef And Broccoli
Pulled Mushroom Tacos
Huevos Rancheros
Pan Fried Fish
Mexican Paletas for dessert

How To Store Pioneer Woman Mexican Street Corn Salad?

In The Fridge: If properly stored, your Pioneer Woman Mexican Street Corn Salad can last up to 5-7 days in the fridge. Place your Mexican Street Corn Salad in an airtight container, then transfer it to the fridge as soon as possible.
In The Freezer: Your Pioneer Woman Mexican Street Corn Salad without the sauce can be frozen for up to two months, make sure to keep your salad in freezer bags or airtight containers.

Recipe Tips & Variations

I did use fresh corn, but traditionally mature corn is used, which is first boiled in salted water and then sautéed in butter.
You can add some different flavors to this dish by grilling your corn (still on the cob if on the BBQ, remove the kernels afterward).
This is something I usually make with feta cheese since I never seem to be able to find Cotija cheese, which is a Mexican cheese similar to feta.
With black beans: Drain and rinse a can of black beans before adding them to the salad.
With avocado: Cut one avocado into cubes and add it to the salad.
If using chipotle: combine one diced chipotle pepper with 1 TBSP adobo sauce from the can with the dressing mixture.
No mayo: Substitute Greek yogurt or extra sour cream for mayonnaise.

FAQ Section

Can you make this Street Corn Salad with frozen corn?

You can use frozen corn in this recipe no need to defrost it. In a large skillet over high heat, heat 1 tablespoon of oil and add 3 cups of frozen corn. Cook until it gets a nice char, about 5-7 minutes.

What’s the best way to get the corn kernels off the cob?

In a bundt pan, place the grilled corn, stalk side down, and cut around the cob. The kernels will fall right into the pan, making cleanup much easier – you won’t have to chase them all around.