Refreshing Street Corn Cucumber Salad (Printable)
Vibrant corn and cucumber salad with Mexican-inspired creamy dressing. Ready in 25 minutes.
# What You Need:
→ Vegetables
01 - 2 cups fresh or frozen corn kernels (about 3 ears fresh corn)
02 - 2 large cucumbers, diced
03 - 1/2 small red onion, finely chopped
04 - 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
05 - 1 jalapeño, seeded and finely diced
→ Dairy
06 - 1/3 cup crumbled cotija cheese (or feta as substitute)
→ Dressing
07 - 1/3 cup sour cream
08 - 3 tbsp mayonnaise
09 - 1 clove garlic, minced
10 - Juice of 1 lime
11 - 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
12 - 1/2 tsp chili powder
13 - 1/2 tsp salt
14 - 1/4 tsp black pepper
# How To Make It:
01 - Heat a grill pan or skillet over medium-high heat. Char the corn kernels for 4-5 minutes until lightly browned, stirring occasionally. Let cool.
02 - In a large bowl, combine the cooled corn, diced cucumbers, red onion, cilantro, and jalapeño.
03 - In a separate small bowl, whisk together sour cream, mayonnaise, garlic, lime juice, smoked paprika, chili powder, salt, and black pepper until smooth.
04 - Pour the dressing over the vegetable mixture and toss gently to coat.
05 - Fold in the crumbled cotija cheese. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.
06 - Chill for 10-15 minutes before serving for best flavor development.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The way cool crisp cucumbers play against warm charred corn is one of those perfect contrasts that makes you wonder why you never thought of it before
- This salad keeps getting better as it sits, so you can make it in the afternoon and let the flavors do their beautiful work until dinner
02 -
- The vegetables will release some liquid as they sit, which is completely normal and actually helps create that perfect sauce consistency
- If you're making this ahead, hold off on adding the cheese until right before serving so it stays crumbly and fresh
03 -
- Grill your corn in batches rather than crowding the pan, so each kernel gets proper contact with the heat
- Room temperature vegetables absorb the dressing better than cold ones straight from the refrigerator