Cottage Cheese Mexican Corn Salad

Summer means a few very exciting things in the food world. In the Midwest especially, it’s sweet corn season, baby. If you’re a fan of Mexican street corn (elote), get ready to fall in love with this Cottage Cheese Mexican Street Corn Salad. This crowd-favorite side dish recreates the flavors of elote and combines it with a creamy cottage cheese sauce.

What Is Mexican Street Corn 🌟

Mexican street corn is a beloved street food that’s traditionally served on the cob, grilled up, and slathered with a blend of mayo, cotija cheese, chili powder, and lime juice. The combination of smoky, tangy, and spicy flavors makes it worth the trip to Mexico. By transforming this classic into a zingy little salad, we get all the same delicious elements, but in the form of a side dish that you can enjoy all summer long.

The Magic Is In The Sauce

You might be wondering, “Why cottage cheese?” Because this salad needs cottage cheese to create the addicting sauce, naturally:

1. Creamy Texture: Cottage cheese adds the right kind of creaminess without being as heavy as the usual mayo that is in most Mexican street corn recipes.
2. Tangy Flavor: It has that perfect hint of tang that balances the bold flavors in the salad.
3. Protein: While there isn’t a TON of protein in this dish, it does have quite a bit for a side dish, making it a lighter option for serving with dinner or as a standalone dip.

Charred Corn for Maximum Flavor 🔥

To achieve that perfect char and smoky flavor reminiscent of grilled corn, we’re toasting the corn in a skillet. If you’d rather grill it, that’s included in the notes below too. We don’t always have a lot of spare room on the grill, so this is a quick way to bring out the natural sweetness of the corn. Here’s a quick rundown of how we do it:

1. Heat the Skillet: Bring a cast iron or nonstick skillet to medium heat.
2. Season the Corn: In the heated skillet, add the sweet corn and seasonings. Stir occasionally until it’s hot and starting to brown.
3. Keep it Warm: Once the corn looks nice a toasty, pour it into a large bowl for the next step.

Bringing It All Together 🥗

Once your corn is roasted and your seasoning blend is ready, it’s time to assemble the salad. Here’s how it comes together:

1. Make Your Sauce: In a food processor or blender, combine all of the ingredients for your sauce.
2. Fresh Ingredients: This is where you add your cilantro, diced red onions, jalapeño for that freshness and crunch. Pour into the bowl with the still-warm corn and mix to combine.
3. Sauce It Up: Here’s where everything comes together. Pour the sauce into the corn mixture and toss until everything is well-coated.

Serving Suggestions 🍽️

This Cottage Cheese Mexican Street Corn Salad is the side dish that doesn’t miss. Here are a few of our favorite ways to enjoy it:

• As a Side Dish: This is a no-brainer. Put it on the table at your next cookout, alongside the pasta salad, burgers, grilled chicken, fruit, etc.
• Vegetarian Taco Filling: Spoon it into soft tortillas for a quick and delicious veg taco filling option.
• Party Dip: Serve it all on it’s own with tortilla chips as a crowd-pleasing appetizer.

The Cottage Cheese Twist 🧀

You already know the name of the game around here – every recipe is a cottage cheese recipe. Adding cottage cheese into this Mexican street corn salad just makes perfect sense. It adds that creamy texture and tangy flavor that the sauce needs.

Enjoy The Side Dish Fiesta ✨

This Cottage Cheese Mexican Street Corn Salad is a one-way ticket to side dish flavor town. It’s a perfect dish for summer barbecues, potlucks, or simply as a weeknight side dish at home. When the creamy cottage cheese, smoky roasted corn, seasonings, and fresh lime mix together, it’s a match made in heaven.

This is going to be everyone’s favorite dish on the 4th of July and every other party you have all summer long! 🌽🧀✨

Print