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Delicious esquites recipe featuring creamy Mexican street corn salad with Cotija and lime.

Esquites

A quick and flavorful Mexican corn salad that captures the essence of street corn, served off the cob for a mess-free experience.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Appetizer, Side Dish
Cuisine: Mexican
Calories: 220
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For the corn salad
  • 4 cups fresh corn kernels (or frozen/canned corn) Fresh corn is preferred, but frozen or canned works in a pinch.
  • 2 tablespoons butter or oil For cooking the corn.
  • 1 cup cotija cheese (or feta) Add more for serving.
  • 1 tablespoon chili powder (or tajin) Adjust based on spice preference.
  • 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice Freshly squeezed for the best flavor.
  • 1 clove garlic (fresh or powder) Optional, adds flavor.
  • to taste salt and pepper Balance flavors as needed.
  • 1 tablespoon chopped cilantro (optional) For serving.

Method
 

Preparation
  1. Heat the pan over medium heat until hot.
  2. Add butter or oil and then add corn, allowing it to sit for a minute to brown before stirring.
  3. Cook the corn for about 8-10 minutes until slightly charred.
Dressing
  1. In a bowl, mix together chili powder, lime juice, garlic, salt, and pepper.
  2. Add cotija cheese to the dressing and combine.
Assembly
  1. Once the corn is cooked, toss it with the dressing mixture.
  2. Serve warm or at room temperature topped with additional cheese and chopped cilantro.

Notes

Best served fresh, but can be made ahead. Adjust lime and salt to taste before serving. Keeps well in the fridge for 2-3 days.