Fresh sweet corn and savory spices make this Street Corn Salad super crave-worthy. Loaded with zesty, umami goodness, this dish ensures everyone will come back for seconds!
Street corn is kind of famous for being roasted or grilled and served hot from the fire on a wooden stick. This recipe takes the corn off the stick and off the cob but leaves every one of those amazing, spicy Southwest flavors.
Who can resist those sweet little kernels, lightly browned and bursting with juiciness? Street Corn Salad is easy, scrumptious, and boasts some excellent vegan nutrition.
Chili powder, smoked paprika, cilantro, garlic, jalapenos, and red onion create an unbeatable combination when it comes to Tex-Mex/ South-of-the-border deliciousness. Are you ready for a yum bomb to go off in your mouth? Let’s go!
Street Corn Salad Ingredient Spotlight
The ingredients for this recipe couldn’t be easier to locate. Unless your area is having some kind of weird shortages, your local grocery store should carry every one of them. There's a pretty good chance you have some of the spices right in your kitchen cupboard already.
Ingredient 1 - Corn
Whether you use frozen corn or fresh corn that’s shucked and scraped off the cob, it’s important to make sure you get corn you love. Because it’s the main ingredient, everything pretty much depends on how awesome the corn is, so make sure the kernels are firm and juicy.
Ingredient 2 - Chili Powder
Chili powder is a spice that brings authenticity and spicy tastiness to the mix. Chili powder can lose its intensity if it's in the cupboard too long. Be sure yours is fresh enough to fulfill its role as a showcase spice in this dish.
If chili powder is just not your jam, you can try a tiny pinch of cayenne pepper and a little cumin instead.
Ingredient 3 - Smoked Paprika
Here is a wonderful spice after everyone’s heart. So warm and smoky, it really elevates the flavor profile of any dish it’s included in. If, for some reason, you can’t find any, use regular paprika and a sprinkle of liquid smoke instead.
Ingredient 4 - Vegan Mayonnaise
One of the distinct things about street corn is that it’s slathered in mayonnaise. Yep. I know, it sounds kind of bizarre if you’ve never tried it before. Believe me; people gobble this stuff up!
To be true to the street corn tradition, vegan mayo is a vital ingredient in this vegan street corn salad recipe. If you want a lower fat ingredient, go ahead and sub in one of the plant-based plain yogurts.
You’ll love how fast and easy this yummy dish comes together!
Step-by-Step Instructions for Mexican Corn Salad
Step 1 - Heat the vegan butter in a large skillet over high heat. Once hot, add the corn to the skillet. Without stirring, allow the corn to brown for about 5 minutes. At the end of 5 minutes, give the corn a stir and add in the chili powder, paprika, and garlic salt. Cook for another 30 seconds until fragrant.
Step 2 - Transfer the corn to a large bowl. Add the lime juice, vegan mayonnaise, onion, green onion, and jalapenos to the corn and toss to combine. Add in the cilantro and feta if using and stir again. Taste for salt and add additional if necessary.
Step 3 - Serve immediately or refrigerate until ready to serve.
Packed with so much irresistible deliciousness, Mexican Corn Salad is sure to become a popular side dish with your bunch. It’s especially perfect with outdoor grilled meals and summer celebrations!
- Zesty, spicy, and juicy fresh
- Easy and quick to prepare
- Perfect to bring to gatherings with friends
Cindy's Insider Pro Tips
Freshen it up
If you want some extra smokiness place your shucked ears of corn on the outside grill and roast them there before scraping off the kernels for your salad. This will impart an additional element of great flavor.
Allow the hot roasted ears to cool a little before taking the kernels off of the cob. When buying ears of corn, look for golden tassels (not black) and nice, green outer shucks.
Make it Lower Fat
If you aren’t really into mayonnaise or want to dial down those fat grams, you can make your own dressing with plain, plant-based yogurt.
Mix ⅓ cup of coconut, almond, soy, oat, or other vegan yogurt with 2 teaspoons of lemon juice. It doesn’t taste just like mayo, but it’s good and will work well in this corn salad recipe.
Use Fresh Cilantro
Cilantro is best when it’s super fresh. The trouble is, it gets limp and sad looking not long after you bring the bunch home from the store.
To keep cilantro fresh longer, spread it gently out on some paper towels and let it air dry for about 15-20 minutes. Divide the bunch into 3-4 smaller bunches and wrap each in dry paper towels, then store in separate plastic zip bags in the fridge.
Street Corn Salad FAQs
It sure is! You can count on corn to deliver lots of gut-healthy fiber, folate, thiamin, phosphorus, vitamin C, and magnesium. How’s that for a rock star food right out of the plant kingdom?
You can eat and serve this corn salad warm or cold. So you decide which way you like it best. It’s going to be delicious either way!
It will keep in the refrigerator for 5-6 days in an air-tight container. So you can enjoy it the next day and even a few days after if it’s not all devoured by then. This recipe doesn’t survive freezing well, so I don’t recommend the freezer for storing leftover street corn salad.
Looking for more Southwest Inspired Vegan Recipes?
Black Bean Enchilada Casserole
Vegan Totchos
Vegan Sheet Pan Nachos
Vegan Homemade Taquitos
Vegan Taco Dip
Vegan Cheese Sauce
Now that you know how to easy it is to make this vegan street corn salad recipe, please give it a star rating below and comment letting me know how it turned out for you.
Vegan Street Corn Salad
Fresh sweet corn and savory spices make this Street Corn Salad super crave-worthy. Loaded with zesty, umami goodness, this dish ensures everyone will come back for seconds!
Ingredients
- 2 Tablespoons vegan butter
- 4 cups frozen corn or 5-6 ears of freshly shucked corn
- ½ teaspoon chili powder
- ¼ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ¼ teaspoon garlic salt
- 2 Tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice
- 3 Tablespoons vegan mayonnaise
- ¼ red onion diced
- 2 green onions thinly sliced
- 1 jalapeno thinly sliced
- ¼ cup chopped cilantro
- ⅓ cup crumbled vegan feta feta cheese optional
Instructions
- Heat the butter in a large skillet over high heat. Once hot, add the corn to the skillet. Without stirring, allow the corn to brown for about 5 minutes.
- At the end of the 5 minutes, give the corn a stir and add in the chili powder, paprika, and garlic salt. Cook another 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Transfer the corn to a large bowl.
- Add the lime juice, mayonnaise, onion, green onion, and jalapenos to the corn and toss to combine.
- Add in the cilantro and feta is using and stir again. Taste for salt and add additional if needed. Serve immediately or refrigerate until ready to serve.
Notes
either with fresh corn or thawed frozen corn. Nutritional Information listed below is for 4 servings. Please know that there is no shame in making this dish a 1-serving situation or a 20-serving situation. Nutritional information for the entire dish is as follows, and you are more than welcome to break it down as you see fit. Entire dish - kcal: 1299 F: 65 C: 174 P: 35
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