Mexican Street Corn Salad with Avocado Recipe

Mexican Street Corn Salad with Avocado has all of the flavors of traditional grilled Mexican street corn with mayo and cotija cheese, but is a lot easier to eat. This simple recipe for Mexican street corn salad is perfect for any occasion! 

Mexican Street Corn Salad with Avocado has all the flavors of traditional street corn, with less work and you can make it ahead! Perfect for Mexican-themed dinners or served as a delicious side dish at a barbecue, summer party, or brunch.

This is a great salad to serve with tortilla chips or alongside a taco bar or with my Sheet Pan Shrimp Fajitas and Easy Cream Cheese Bean Dip.  For another quick side dish, don’t miss this Pesto Pasta Salad recipe or these flavorful and easy Instant Pot Peruvian Beans!

You’ll Love Mexican Street Corn Salad with Avocado

If you’ve ever had Mexican Street Corn you’d know how that creamy corn with a salty sweet bite is a flavor that can’t be beat. Here, I take those flavors and put them into an easy to make (and eat) dish!

This recipe has so many delicious flavors. First, you have the sweetness of the grilled corn, the creaminess of the mayo and avocado, then the crunch from the onion. It really is the best Mexican street corn salad recipe out there.

Plus, once you have the ingredient prepped, this recipe comes together super quick. It’s just a matter of tossing it all together in a bowl.

Traditional Mexican corn salad can be served with or without fresh avocados. I like to include them because the make the salad extra creamy and delicious. 

Whip up a batch of Mexican Street Corn Salad with avocado and taste how delicious corn can really be!

Ingredients and Substitutions

• Corn: fresh sweet corn is best when it comes to making this salad, especially in the summer months when corn is super cheap. You can use frozen corn that has been thawed instead, but stay away from canned corn, it will be too soft.
• Cotija cheese: this is a soft, mild flavored Mexican cheese that you can usually find in the dairy section at the grocery store. You can substitute a mild feta or queso fresco instead.
• Cilantro: fresh cilantro adds a delicious depth of flavor to this salad. If you’re not a cilantro fan, you can omit it altogether or add any other fresh herbs you like. 
• Avocado: if you are making this salad ahead of time, don’t add the chunks of ripe avocados until right before serving.

• ​Olive oil: you will need a bit to fry the corn in. 
• ​Garlic: use a clove a minced garlic to add extra flavor to the creamy sauce. 
• Mayo: traditionally, mayonnaise is brushed on Mexican street corn. Mexican crema, sour cream, or greek yogurt can be substituted in a pinch. 
• Lime: fresh lime juice is perfect in this Mexican street corn salad recipe. 
• Cayenne: I like to add a pinch of cayenne pepper to give this recipe a bit of spice. You can use more or less as desired. 
• Variations: other ingredients such as black beans, diced jalapeño pepper, red bell pepper, cherry tomatoes, green onions, or lemon juice can be added to the recipe.

How to Make Mexican Street Corn Salad with Avocado

This recipe for Mexican street corn salad with avocado comes together quick and is great to make ahead of time. 

Step 1: char the corn

First, you need to grill the corn to help bring out all of the flavors and sweetness of the corn. I usually cut the kernels directly off the cob, but in a pinch you could use thawed frozen corn.

If you have access to a grill, you can grill the corn directly to get that delicious charred effect. If not, sautéing the corn on a large skillet over medium-high heat with oil will work as well. For this recipe, you can use a cast iron pan or a nonstick skillet.

After you cook the until charred, set it aside to cool. Remove from cob if necessary. 

Step 2: make the creamy dressing

In a large bowl, mix together the mayo, lime, seasonings, cilantro, and red onion. Taste for seasoning and add in more salt, spices, or lime juice if needed. 

Step 3: Add in the corn

Add the cooled roasted corn to the salad dressing in the large bowl. Toss to combine. 

Step 4: top with avocado and cheese

When ready to serve, top the salad with the crumbled cotija cheese and diced avocado. Toss together and serve immediately. 

Give your guests a tasty surprise next football game or barbecue and serve up this delicious Mexican Street Corn Salad with Avocado… you’re going to love it!

Recipe Tips

• Grill the ears of corn for extra flavor. Simply brush the ears with oil and place on grill until they are charred. Remove and slice off kernels using a sharp knife.
• Sautéing the corn is a great way to get that grilled flavor. Just be sure to cook over high heat to get a bit of char on the corn kernels. 
• You can use frozen corn here, just defrost and pat dry before adding to the skillet.
• You can prep this entire salad ahead of time, just don’t add the avocado or cheese until right before serving.
• Serve this Mexican Street Corn Salad with Avocado as a side dish or with tortilla chips on the side. 

Frequently Asked Questions

More Mexican Favorites

Be sure to check out these other Mexican favorites that pair perfectly with street corn salad: