Tex-Mex Corn Salad brings bold Southwest flavors and just the right amount of heat. It’s an ideal side dish, a chunky dip for sturdy chips, or a vibrant topping for tacos, quesadillas, burgers, or hot dogs.
Why We Love Tex-Mex Corn Salad
- This salad combines crisp vegetables, sweet corn, fresh herbs, and a creamy, tangy dressing for excellent contrast in flavor and texture.
- It’s portable and perfect for potlucks, barbecues, picnics, and weeknight dinners.
- Make-ahead friendly: the salad comes together quickly, then benefits from chilling so flavors meld — prepare it the night before for best results.
- Highly customizable: add more vegetables, beans, or cheese, and adjust the heat to suit your tastes.
Ingredients You’ll Need to Make Summer Corn Salad
Vegetables: Red onion, cilantro (optional), red and green bell peppers, jalapeno, and scallions. Use fresh corn cut from the cob when in season, or thawed frozen corn works well year-round.
Dressing: A creamy dressing of sour cream, mayonnaise, and lime juice seasoned with sugar, salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, cumin, and smoked paprika gives the salad its Tex‑Mex character.
How to Make Corn Salad
Step 1: In a large bowl combine the corn, diced red and green bell peppers, chopped cilantro (if using), red onion, thinly sliced scallions, and diced jalapeno.
Step 2: In a medium bowl whisk together the sour cream, mayonnaise, lime juice, sugar, salt, black pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, cumin, and smoked paprika. Pour the dressing over the vegetables and toss until everything is evenly coated.
Step 3: Cover tightly and refrigerate for at least 2 hours so the flavors can meld. Give the salad a good stir before serving.
Tips & Tricks
- Chill the salad for at least two hours — this step softens the raw edge of the vegetables and blends the flavors.
- For added depth, grill the corn before cutting it from the cob. The smoky kernels add a delicious layer of flavor.
- Increase the heat by adding hot sauce, cayenne, chipotle powder, or leaving jalapeno seeds in place. Add a little at a time and taste as you go.
- To turn this into an elote-style salad, stir in crumbled cotija cheese, increase lime juice to 2–3 tablespoons, and add 1/2 teaspoon chili powder.
- Add-ins like black beans, diced tomatoes, cucumbers, or roasted poblanos work great — just dice them to a similar size so the salad stays balanced.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Freezing is not recommended. Stir well before serving as the dressing may settle.
Corn Salad Recipe FAQ
What is corn salad made of?
Corn salad typically combines corn with fresh vegetables such as bell peppers, onion, cilantro, and jalapeno, all tossed in a creamy lime-based dressing. Spices like cumin, chili powder, and smoked paprika add Tex‑Mex flair. It’s flexible — adjust vegetables, herbs, and heat to taste.
Can you eat raw corn in salads?
Yes. Fresh raw corn cut straight from the cob is sweet and crunchy and works well in salads. If using fresh ears, you can also boil or grill them briefly before cutting the kernels for extra flavor. Thawed frozen or canned corn can also be used without additional cooking.
Other Recipes You May Like
- Bacon Jalapeno Creamed Corn
- Chipotle Chicken Pasta Salad
- Grilled Corn on the Cob
- Dry Rub for Ribs
- Creamed Corn Casserole with Peppers
- Southern Fried Corn
- Fresh Vegetable Salad
- Chicken Corn Chowder
Tex-Mex Corn Salad
Equipment
- Mixing bowls
- Whisk
Ingredients
- 2 cups frozen corn, thawed (or 4 ears fresh, kernels removed)
- ½ cup red bell pepper, diced
- ½ cup green bell pepper, diced
- ⅓ cup cilantro, chopped (optional)
- 2 tablespoons red onion, peeled and diced
- 1 small jalapeno, seeded and diced
- 2 green onions, thinly sliced
- Lime wedges, for garnish (optional)
Dressing
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- ¼ cup sour cream
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
- 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- ¼ teaspoon smoked paprika
Instructions
- Place the corn, bell peppers, cilantro, red onion, jalapeno, and green onion into a large bowl and stir to combine.
- Whisk together the mayonnaise, sour cream, lime juice, sugar, salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, cumin, and smoked paprika in a medium bowl.
- Pour the dressing over the salad and stir to coat the vegetables evenly.
- Cover the bowl and refrigerate for at least 2 hours to chill and let the flavors meld.
- Stir well before serving. Stir again each time you serve to redistribute the dressing.
Notes
- Use 10 ounces frozen corn or 4 fresh ears to yield about 2 cups of corn. If using fresh, shuck and boil the ears 4–5 minutes or grill them, then cool and cut the kernels from the cob.
- Optional additions: roasted red peppers, black beans, cotija cheese, poblano peppers, cucumbers, or tomatoes. Dice extras to match the salad’s bite-sized pieces.
- To increase heat, add hot sauce, cayenne, or chipotle powder to the dressing, or leave the jalapeno seeds in.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Nutrition
All nutritional information is an estimate and will vary by brand, measurements, and portion size.
If you made this, leave a comment and star rating to let others know how it turned out.