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A fresh, shareable salad inspired by Mexican street corn with sweet corn charred and tossed in a zesty Greek yogurt dressing, cotija cheese, red onion, and fresh cilantro. A lighter, healthier alternative to traditional mayo-heavy elote salads, ready in about 25 to 35 minutes.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1/3 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
  • 4 ears fresh corn (or 16 oz frozen corn, thawed)
  • 1/4 cup cotija cheese, crumbled
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 jalapeño, seeded and chopped (adjust seeds for heat preference)
  • 1/2 cup red onion, chopped
  • Olive oil, for brushing corn
  • 2 tablespoons plain Greek yogurt
  • 1/2 teaspoon paprika
  • 2 tablespoons mayonnaise (or Kewpie mayo)
  • 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
  • 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

  1. Remove husks from fresh corn ears and heat grill to medium-high.
  2. Brush each ear of corn with olive oil.
  3. Grill corn, turning every 2 minutes, until charred all around (about 2 minutes per side).
  4. Remove corn from grill and let cool until comfortable to handle.
  5. Slice kernels off the cobs into a large mixing bowl.
  6. If using frozen corn, thaw under cold running water in a colander and drain well.
  7. Pat thawed corn dry and pan-sear in a hot skillet over medium-high heat until lightly charred (optional) or heat until warm.
  8. Add finely chopped red onion, minced garlic, diced jalapeño, and crumbled cotija cheese to the corn bowl and toss to combine.
  9. In a small bowl, whisk together Greek yogurt, mayonnaise, lime juice, chili powder, paprika, sea salt, black pepper, and chopped cilantro until smooth.
  10. Cool the corn kernels completely before adding the yogurt-based dressing to prevent splitting.
  11. Pour dressing over the corn mixture and gently toss to coat.
  12. Sprinkle extra chopped cilantro and more crumbled cotija on top before serving.

Notes

Avoid overcooking corn to maintain tender-crisp texture with some char., Ensure corn is cooled completely before adding dressing to prevent separation., Add cheese and cilantro just before serving for freshness and crunch., Store dressing separately if prepping ahead and combine before serving., Leftovers keep well in an airtight container in the refrigerator up to 3 days., To adjust heat, remove jalapeño seeds for milder flavor or substitute with bell peppers; add serrano peppers or hot sauce for more heat., For dairy-free version, use plant-based yogurt and mayonnaise alternatives., Cotija cheese can be substituted with crumbled feta or parmesan cheese., Cilantro may be substituted with fresh parsley if disliked.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://mamapantry.com/delicious-street-corn-salad-with-greek-yogurt/