Mexican-inspired Grilled Corn Salad made with grilled summer corn, Tajin (chili-lime seasoning) and cotija cheese, only made lighter with no mayo.
Pair this fresh corn salad with Leftover Salsa Verde Chicken Tostadas for a complete Tex-Mex meal.
Grilled Corn Salad
If you need some easy side dishes to make this summer, you’ll love this Mexican Grilled Corn Salad with Cotija. It’s inspired by Mexican Grilled Street Corn (Elotes) covered in mayo and topped with chili powder, lime juice, and cheese. For this Mexican street corn salad, I cut the corn off the cob, skip the mayonnaise, and mix everything together for a light summer side dish. This dish is great with air fryer salmon, grilled chicken, shrimp, fish, rice, etc., making it the perfect side for any summer BBQ. If you prefer Mediterranean flavors, you might like this Grilled Corn Salad with Feta and Mint or try this Corn Salad with Avocado and Tomatoes.
Why This Works
This Grilled Corn Salad is everything you want in a summer side: smoky from the grill, creamy from the cotija, and bright with fresh lime juice and herbs.
- Light: I skipped the mayo here, but it’s still flavorful. Grilling the corn brings out its natural sweetness, while the chili-lime dressing adds just enough zing.
- Easy to eat! It’s inspired by the flavors of Mexican street corn, but served off the cob—easier to prep, easier to eat, and just as crowd-pleasing.
- Make Ahead: You can husk, grill, and remove the kernels from the cob the day before making the salad. Perfect for BBQs, potlucks, or any night you’re craving bold flavor without turning on the oven.
Ingredients You’ll Need
This healthy Mexican corn salad uses all the ingredients of elote but without the mayo.
- Corn on the cob – grill peeled corn directly on the grill for a charred, smokey flavor that elevates this salad. If you want to use frozen, that will be fine.
- Scallions – any onion works here but I love scallions in this salad. You can also use red onion, or chives.
- Cotija cheese – cotija is typically used on elote, you can also use crumbled queso fresco or feta cheese if you prefer.
- Cilantro – for freshness, although if you detest the flavor you can use chives on their place.
- Chili-lime seasoning – like Tajin or Trader Joe’s Everything But The Elote Seasoning
- Lime wedges, for serving which get squeezed over the salad for tang and acid.
How to Grill Corn for Salad
- To grill the corn for this salad, start by removing the husks and heating your grill to medium-high.
- Then grill the corn for 10 to 12 minutes, turning the cobs so that all sides touch the grill.
- Once they’re charred in spots, remove the corn from the grill to cool.
If you don’t have a grill, you can cook your corn in a skillet on the stove using the same method.
Helpful Tip for Cutting Corn Off Cobb
For less mess, I suggest placing the corn cobb on a clean dish towel holding it upright. Then use a knife to cut the kernels off. The towel will catch all the kernels, then pour them all into a bowl.
How to Make Corn Salad
- After the corn has been grilled and has cooled, remove the kernels from the cob. The easiest way is to stand the cob up in a large bowl and use a sharp knife to slice the kernels off.
- Add the scallions and cotija to the bowl with the corn and drizzle with olive oil.
- Stir in the Tajin, cilantro, salt and pepper.
- Serve topped with with more Tajin sprinkled on top and lime wedges, if desired. Leftovers will last in the fridge for up to four days.
Variations:
- Cheese – Sub queso fresco or feta for cotija.
- No grill, no problem! You can use a grill pan if you don’t have a grill. If you’re making this salad when corn isn’t in season, you can use frozen corn.
- Onions – Swap scallions or chives for red onion.
- Add-ons – Add diced avocado, tomato, canned black beans or chopped jalapeno, for spice.
More Summer Corn Salad Recipes You’ll Love:
- Warm Mexican Corn Salad
- Summer Tomatoes, Corn, Crab, and Avocado Salad
- Corn Tomato Avocado Salad
- Chilled Lobster Salad with Summer Corn and Tomatoes
- Corn, Tomato, and Avocado Salad with Buttermilk Dressing
Grilled Corn Salad with Cotija
Ingredients
- 6 large ears of corn, or 7 medium, 6 cups
- 1/4 cup chopped scallions
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1/2 cup queso Cotija, crumbled
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
- 1 teaspoon Tajin, Chili Lime Seasoning or Trader Joes Everything But the Elote seasoning, plus more for topping
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- lime wedges, optional for serving
Instructions
- Set the grill to medium-high. Husk the corn.
- Grill 10 to 12 minutes, turning often, until charred in spots. Transfer to a cutting board and set aside to cool.
- Cut the kernels off the cobb. Put the corn, scallions and cotija cheese in a medium salad bowl. Drizzle with the olive oil and toss.
- Add the tajin (chili lime seasoning), cilantro and toss again. Taste for salt and pepper and adjust as needed.
- Serve topped with more chili lime seasoning and fresh lime wedges if desired.
Last Step:
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Nutrition
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Do you serve this hot or cold, or does it matter?
Doesnt matter, room temp
Delicious! Made it tonight!
We thought we’d have five for dinner, but ended up with two of us, so we just grilled the corn spritzed with a little olive oil, and then rubbed lime on the cob, sprinkled on the tajin, cilantro, and cheese, and enjoyed it without having to scrape off the kernels. Exact same flavors and less mess for the two of us. So good! I think we’ll always eat our corn this way (or at least with lime juice and tajin!)
This was delicious and so easy to make.
Delicious! Thank you for the recipe!
This sounds delicious, and I’ll be trying it soon. Thank you for a no-mayo recipe.
Make this delicious corn salad a lot! Everyone enjoys it.
I have made this several times and is always a big hit!
Has anyone tried freezing leftovers?
Been making this for a few years now! The best!!
I thought this wouldn’t be as good as the mayonnaise-y versions out there, but this was SO MUCH better!!! The flavors are so bright. We finished it cold and that might have been even better than hot! A new favorite!
My grandma always propped her corn in the center section of an angel food cake pan so all the kernals fell into the pan. A bundt would also work.
I made this as the recipe is written EXCEPT I added some cucumber diced very small. It was lovely- added a little crunch and bulked it up a bit.
Very easy and a family favorite!
Really, really good recipe, I take this salad to gatherings all summer long, it is always a big hit
Is this served hot or cold? Making for a party.
Made this last night and everyone loved it! Thanks!
Made for an outdoor concert – big hit
Awesome!
So simple and yet so flavorful! I’m so glad I chose this as a side dish to my Smothered Honey Lime Chicken Burritos! Thank you!
A tasty side dish that’s easy to make. I used frozen corn and grilled it on the stovetop with a little olive oil, salt, and pepper for about 10-12 minutes. Then I followed the remainder of the recipe.
This was very tasty-my ears were fairly small so I used 8 this made enough for 6 servings
Birds-eye has a frozen blackened corn, which I used to save time. It cut the prep time and mess way down.
I’m taking this to a pool party today with some Scoops chips.
A nice (and easy side) for a taco dinner. We took advantage of the amazing fresh corn still available in Northern Michigan!
Mexican street corn salad is delicious! I recommend grilling the corn. I always grill extra corn to use later.
We loved this. We made a couple subs as directed based on what we had: used feta and fresh parsley instead of cojita and cilantro. It was great!!! Leftovers are even better.
TASTY!! I didn’t have cilantro (which my hubby hates anyway) so I subbed in dried parsley. No cotija nor lime in the fridge, so I used feta & juice from grilled lemon. Added some black pepper, left out the salt…but the TJ’s chile lime seasoning & feta provide a lot of sodium. While my husband preferred it this way, I prefer a little dollop of mayo in mine. But it’s DELICIOUS both ways!
So you made a completely different salad?
Made it as a side dish yummy!
This was super easy and so delicious!!
Second time making this, and it is sooo delicious!
Thanks Darcy!
One of my favorite recipes. If you are short on time or don’t have fresh corn on hand…. Trader Joe’s makes a frozen grilled/charred corn. ♥️
I have used it very successfully in this dish!
This recipe is one of my favorites and I make it all the time. So freaking delicious! It makes my mouth water just thinking of it. I usually make this with canned corn that I char on the stove. Don’t like messing with fresh corn😂 You knocked this one out of the park Gina! Thank you! Keep those recipes coming!
My whole family LOVES this recipe – including my very picky grandchildren…if I can’t get fresh sweet corn, I “cheat” and use frozen corn giblets! This recipe is a keeper!
This is the best recipe. I have made it for several years. The only difference is I mix sour cream/yogurt and cheese together and cover the bottom of a shallow bowl. I then pour the corn mixture over it……DELICIOUS!
Delicious corn side dish! I substituted fat free feta, so I could eat more of it. Even my picky parents couldn’t stop talking about it, and asked for the recipe. Thanks Gina!
I love this corn salad SO MUCH I can hardly wait to make it again this summer. I just noticed corn is on sale this week so let the good times roll! Thank you Gina!
This recipe was a staple all summer last year. So excited to be making it again!! Followed recipe exactly.
So glad you enjoy it!
My family loves this street corn salad! I can’t always find Cotija cheese, but feta works as a good substitute. Grilling the corn is a must!
This is definitely a keeper! So delicious! I microwaved the corns on the cob until almost complete cooked, before putting them on the gas grill. Just grilled long enough to get the tasty grill marks. I didn’t have tajin, so I used lime and NM chile powder (ground Hatch Chiles). I used feta cheese because that’s what I had on hand. It was a hit for dinner! Made it with the Chicken Tacos Salsa Verde. Yum!
This is one of my favorite summer recipes! I often serve it as the main side dish for dinners and always bring it for potluck meals. It’s big hit and so easy to make. It keeps well for several days, so I make it in advance and squirt some lime juice and give it a stir before serving straight from the refrigerator. I also sometimes use feta if I don’t have any cotija cheese available.
Delicious! Served with your Slow Cooker Pulled Pork and your Coleslaw Recipe. Due to dietary restrictions I made a couple of changes: no cheese and no scallions (subbed the green part of green onions). Everyone loved it. Thanks for the healthier and delicious recipes!
This is a slam dunk dish!! I use frozen corn that I thaw and roast in my air fryer. We like to add cooked shrimp seasoned with extra Tajin for a great Luncheon or light dinner dish! One of many recipes with love from your collection!
Thanks for such a GREAT recipe! Always a big hit!
I make this ALL THE TIME. It is SO good. I just had leftovers for lunch and ate it with a spoon straight from the bowl I stored it in!
Love! I’ve made it with chopped tomatoes, orange bell pepper, avocado and cucumber. I’ve also subbed red onion for scallions and mini mozzarella balls for the cotijo. Not authentic but cheesier and delicious.
I used the queso fresco because cotijo is so salty. I substituted fresh parsley instead of cilantro (not a fan). This is a fantastic recipe!!! Love, love, love it!
Love this recipe..make it all the time!
My family LOVES this! We make it a lot because it’s so easy and delicious.
Super easy to make and great flavors! So good I’m making it for the third time!
Glad you enjoy it!
Cut it off the cob and cooked it on skillet to blacken parts of the corn. It was very good great recipe
This was so good! I made this and used it all week. I used it on shrimp tacos, put it on chicken enchiladas, topped a chipotle chicken, rice bowl with it…and ate it alone. A great quick, easy, versatile recipe!
I’ve been wanting to try this recipe for some time now…tonight was the night! OMG! Why did I wait so long?!?! Soooo good. I added the juice of a lime like someone had suggested and it was to die for. My husband’s best compliment “You could feed this to the Pope” was given! Will make again and again! Thank you!
Fabulous! Big hit at summer bbq’s. Sooooo fresh without the heavy mayo base found in so many corn salad recipes. This recipe has been on rotation in our home all summer and we always get requests for the recipe.
Yummy. Made as written with the exception of taking other reviewers’ advice and adding juicy of one line and one roasted (grilled) jalapeño, skinned, ribs and seeds removed and finely chopped. I used a combo of Trader Joe’s Chili Lime seasoning and Everything But the Elote because I had both. Delicious! Even a friend who’s not much of a corn fan loved it! A keeper of a recipe.
I can’t stop making this salad! It’s SO good and easy. Followed recipe to a T and is perfect. Only note is I sometimes need to grill an extra cob or two to get enough corn.
Very good! I just added a little bit of light mayo to make it creamy. Was a huge hit with the family!
If we are unable to source cotija cheese, can you recommend a replacement?
I have used feta or a crumbled parm.
My family loves this street corn salad! I can’t always find Cotija cheese, but feta works as a good substitute. Grilling the corn is a must!
Patti, you can also use asadero cheese or queso fresco in place of cotija.
Yummy and really easy.
This corn salad is simple and delicious without the lime… but a squeeze of lime takes it over the top! I will be making this all summer. Fantastic!
Love this. Have made it several times for cookouts. Guests always request the recipe which I am happy to share.
Amazing tasting recipe!
Easy and fun summer side. I made it as directed with fresh corn on the cob and it is wonderful. Everybody enjoyed it. Next time I might add some black beans for flavor and color. We will have this often. Also, thanks for opening my eyes up to cotija cheese.
Fresh and delicious! Perfect for a barbecue!
Just made this, my husband said “you can make this again” which is his highest compliment. Great flavor grilling the corn, I was skeptical about grilling it dry (no oil on corn) but turned out great. The cotija cheese is so flavorful, & the cilantro really blends well with the other flavors, but I think basil would work for the folks that think cilantro tastes like soap 🙂
This corn salad is now a staple in my house. I pick three sides that will keep well for 3-5 days each week. I meal prep them and use them throughout the workweek as a side to lunch or dinner. This corn salad is A M A Z I N G! It’s so fresh, and kept great through the week. It was easy to put together and I made it exactly as written. The fam loves it as much as I do.
I was wondering do you reheat it or serve at room temp? Can i make it in advance for a gathering? Thanks
Tina – we serve this salad at room temp or cold (straight from the fridge) during the summer. I always make it in advance since we often make it for potlucks. I usually just give it a quick sprinkle of lime juice and stir before serving.
Absolutely delicious! The seasoning was spot on. Everyone complimented this dish at the cookout. Flavorful yet light, it was the perfect summer side. I made as is and just before serving added a squeeze of lime juice.
This was a delicious, easy side for a fun summer meal. We love Mexican street corn and this was a great spin off! My husband grilled the corn while I prepped the rest and then when the corn was done he grilled some chicken. We loved it! Definitely one to make for guest this summer.
So easy and delicious. We made with frozen corn and still good
I didn’t have any ears of corn so I tried canned. It was so good! I can’t wait to try it with fresh!!
Thank you Gina, for this amazing recipe. I have a full fat version of Elote Corn salad using sour cream, but I like your version so much more. I just started Weight Watchers, and your recipes with a WW points link are amazing. Thank you for being so thoughtful to provide the WW link. This recipe is a great side for all barbecues. Thank you !
How long will left overs keep in the fridge? This looks amazing to me but not sure everyone in my family will enjoy it as much as me.
Leftovers will last in the fridge for up to four days.
Made this over the weekend and used as part of latin inspired chicken bowl. Delicious and a family favorite.
Yummy recipe! Definitely add on jalapeño, maybe black beans next time, and extra Tajin! Perfect summer salad!!
Amazing!!!!! I am keeping this recipe on hand for summer bbqs. Soooo soooo yummy!
How do you make chili lime seasoning?
So good – we devoured this tonight and I passed the recipe on to two people!
loved this! added a grilled jalapeno because we like spicy!
Yum and thanks Gina.
Hi, Gina! Your new little blue WW points circle (maybe that’s not what that is?) says 5, but when I click on the WW Points button in the recipe, it’s only 2 points. I’ll definitely be saving this one to try this summer! Thanks for so many great recipes!
thanks for catching that!
My whole family loved this. I probably ended up doubling the Tajin and cilantro by the time I was done. The flavors were so good, I couldn’t help myself. Thanks, Gina, for another absolute hit!
Hi Dear I think its tasty Thanks for it but How can We sever grilld corn seeds by hand?
seafood.2000@yahoo.com
Delicious salad! We have also put this on tortilla chips with some tofu sofritas for street corn nachos.
Substitutions: feta for cojita, and lime crema (yogurt and lime juice) drizzle. We don’t have Tajin here, so I used ground chili flakes, ground cumin, and some paprika and it was awsome. Also added finely diced red onion for some. Overal, a very versatile recipe!
So darned good! Great with fish Taco as a side or right on.
I LOVE this dish and took it to a group dinner; it was a hit!!!
For your WW Points, please add to the recipes the size of the serving, i.e., 3/4 c or other.
3/4c, serving size is listed with nutritional info. 🙂
Is this severed hot or cold?
Absolutely love this salad! I used to get a mexican corn salad from a restaurant and the minute you showed a recipe I was so excited and decided to try making it myself. It came out so good! This salad and. your tomato, avocado, corn salad are two staples in my household. Thank. you Gina for being a part of my life and helping me eat healthier. I love that you have so. much flavor in your recipes!
This was so good! It has the perfect balance of sweet corn, crunch, and salt and it tasted just like summer should.
Absolutely love this recipe as written, but I have to use 8 ears of corn for HALF the recipe! Still is delicious! This is my 3rd batch in 2 weeks!!!
I’ve made this recipe twice over the last two weeks, so good! I didn’t have cotija so I subbed crumbled feta, delicious
So so so good! I added in fresh lime juice, and served with tortilla chips. It was a big hit.
I made tons of side dishes for a fajita bar, and this was by far the crowd favorite! I used drained canned corn charred in a cast iron skillet, Trader Joe’s chile lime seasoning, and feta cheese. Thank you so much for the amazing recipe!
Great!
Should this be served cold or warm? I’m making it today 🙂
Either would work!
This paired so well with the Peruvian chicken skewers with avocado aji sauce. I added a TBSP of light mayo for creaminess and lime juice + chili powder instead of chili lime seasoning. Phenomenal.
Made this for a family dinner and everyone lived it! I used frozen corn that I “grilled” in a cast iron frying pan w a little avocado oil and a sprinkle of tajin.
Great!
I have to say this corn salad recipe (Mexican Inspired) is absolutely fabulous!
The only comment I have is that the 7 ears of corn only made about 3 cups so I had to use 5/6 more ears to equal the recipe… But believe me it was so delicious!
This recipe was so simple and so delicious!! I used the Trader Joe’s Everything but the Elote seasoning, it was perfect. This will be a super easy summer go-to any time I am entertaining or need to bring a side dish. Thank you, Gina!!
You’re welcome!!
WOW! Just made this as a side and next time I am going to double it! Delicious. : )
Made this tonight. My husband and I both LOVED it!!!
Could I make this with frozen corn kernels? I feel like I will want to eat this year round!
You know Trader Joes has frozen grilled corn. Might be pricey to make 6 cups but thought you should know!
Is this recipe gluten free?
Yes