Mexican Street Corn Salad Is The Perfect Addition To Taco Night

In a world full of fantastic street food, Mexican street corn, or elote, is a standout. Perfectly roasted corn, smokey and ready to burst, coated in creamy sauce, lime, and pepper — it's a snack that's got a bit of everything. It's also a dish that's hard to come by outside of a Mexican restaurant or street fair. And while you can make it at home, it can be a bit of a hassle. That's why there's Mexican street corn salad: a dish that brings all the great parts of elote into an easy-to-prepare salad. What's more, it's a salad that's the ideal pairing for taco night.

Esquites — Mexican street corn salad – is bursting with ripe flavors and a soft bite of acidity. Its brightness and tang offer a counterpoint to the richness of your taco fillings, and it's super easy to prepare, making it a great go-to when it comes to dinnertime.

Esquites is simple to make and packs all of the flavor that traditional elote does. If you have a grill and want to char your corn before removing the kernels, it will add that extra spark of charred, smokey taste. If you're working within the confines of a kitchen, that's okay too — simply remove the corn kernels from the cob before cooking your corn. Then cook the kernels in a hot pan on the stove, letting them caramelize a bit for a charred flavor. When it's done, mix the corn with a dressing of mayonnaise, cayenne powder, salt, garlic, and lemon juice, and top with cotija cheese and fresh cilantro. Looking for even more heat? Add some diced jalapeño.

The salad hits on a classic flavor profile of spicy heat and a little tang from the citrus. Those all mirror the flavors found in tacos, while also offering something more with the charred corn. When you're making rich, flavorful carnitas or chicken tinga, Mexican street corn salad helps balance some of the heavier aspects of your taco dinner. On top of being complementary taste-wise, it's quick to put together and prepare while setting up the rest of your taco toppings.

Taco night often ends up messy, with fillings escaping their tortilla no matter how hard you try. Adding traditional elotes to the mix only makes for more mess, so serving this dish as a salad is one way to minimize that. And it's not an uncommon presentation for esquites traditionally, either. Pastry chef Juan Gutierrez shared memories of eating the dish in Colombia with The Infatuation, saying, "they're super simple but amazing. They serve it off the cob in a cup which makes it easier to eat, and it's so juicy and delicious!"

You can skip the cup, but plating Mexican corn salad alongside your tacos is a neater, easier way to enjoy the rich balance of fat, chili, and lime than eating it off the cob. Tacos and corn salad go so well together that you can even blur the lines further — top your taco with a scoop of fresh corn salad. Let it mingle with the meat, salsas, and vegetables until all the flavors are bouncing off one another for the perfect bite of summer.