Mexican Street Corn Salad Recipe

Vegan Mexican street corn salad is a creamy, slightly spicy grilled corn salad loaded with vegetables. Every bite is filled with grilled sweet, marinated corn and crunchy vegetables. Make this vegan Mexican street corn salad recipe for your next barbeque or picnic.

During the summer, corn on the cob is at its finest. And corn is so inexpensive; it is a crime not to make salads with corn. But, when corn is on sale for 5 for $1.00, I get corn salad creative. Even though I often make Mexican Street Corn, I had too many guests to grill individual corn on the cob for everyone, so I made Mexican corn salad. Creamy and slightly spicy, this vegan Mexican street corn salad recipe is a fabulous way to delicious grilled corn to a crowd. 

Jump to:

• Grilled Corn Marinade
• How to Grill Corn
• Salad Ingredients
• Salad Ingredients Substitutions
• How to Make Vegan Mexican Street Corn Salad
• Recipe FAQ
• Tips
• Great Vegan Salads to Try This Summer!
• 📖 Recipe
• 💬 Reviews

Summertime is the perfect time to eat corn and enjoy the outdoors. I love eating fresh corn right off the cobs. However, since corn is so fresh, instead of canned or frozen corn, I often grill ears of corn to add grilled corn to salads, bowls, and other recipes.

Grilled Corn Marinade

To grill the corn for the Mexican corn salad, I first marinate the corn. Without a doubt, marinated corn on the cob with simple ingredients infuses the corn, and when cooked, the corn absorbs the flavors of the marinade. 

The first trick is to place the corn on the cob with lime juice, garlic, hot sauce, and cilantro in a plastic bag. Once I bring my corn home from the market, I immediately remove the husks and clean off the silk. Then, I place the ears of corn in a large Ziplock bag and add the following:

• Lime Juice: I prefer fresh lime juice, and for added lime flavor, add the zest from the lime too.
• Cilantro: Cilantro has fresh herbal and citrus flavors. However, for some people, cilantro tastes like soap. If you taste soap, you can skip it and see the options in the substitutions below.
• Hot Sauce: I used Cholula hot sauce.
• Garlic: Fresh garlic is always best for flavor.

Even though I suggest marinating the corn overnight, a few hours will likely work. 

How to Grill Corn

1. Once the corn is marinated, prepare the grill by preheating it to 500 degrees. Although most recipes for grilled corn suggest leaving on the husks, you have marinated the corn, which prevents it from drying out.
2. On the other hand, taking the husks off also gives the ears of corn beautiful charred grill marks. 
3. Place the corn on a hot grill because you don't want the grill to heat up while the corn is on the grill. If you don't have a temperature gauge, a quick tip is to wait about 10 minutes to preheat the grill. 
4. Then, cover the grill, occasionally turning the corn for about 15 minutes, rotating to ensure all sides of the corn are grilled. 

Salad Ingredients

• Grilled Corn on the Cob: I used grilled marinated corn and cut it from the cobs for the base of this Mexican street corn salad recipe.
• Red Onion: Red onion is strong yet sweet in this recipe.
• Red Bell Pepper: Red bel pepper provides additional sweetness and crunch.
• Jalapeno: The seeds and veins are removed from the jalapeno to make it more flavorful and less spicy. However, if you want to kick it up a notch, add a few of the seeds.
• Limes: Fresh lime juice gives the recipe a citrus freshness.
• Vegan Sour Cream: I make Vegan Sour Cream with a few simple ingredients. See the nut-free option below.
• Vegan Parmesan Cheese: I make Vegan Parmesan Cheese with cashews as well, but there is also a nut-free substitution below.
• Garlic: I prefer fresh garlic for the best flavor.
• Cilantro: I love cilantro in this salad for a fresh earthy flavor.

Salad Ingredients Substitutions

• Use canned or cooked frozen corn if corn on the cob isn't available or you need a quick short cut.
• Choose yellow or white onions instead of red onions.
• Baby bell peppers are an excellent substitute for red bell peppers, and they are very colorful as well.
• Serrano peppers are close to jalapeno peppers in taste.
• You can just opt for bottled lime juice in a pinch if you don't have fresh lime juice.
• Another option is purchasing your favorite vegan mayo and parmesan cheese brand.
• Swap out the cashews for sunflower seeds, hemp seeds, silken tofu, or white beans when making the vegan sour cream for a nut-free option.
• For a nut-free option for vegan parmesan, add nutritional yeast instead.
• Minced garlic: Use ½ teaspoon of jarred minced garlic in place of each clove.
• Garlic flakes: Also called dehydrated (or dried) minced garlic, use ½ teaspoon of garlic flakes in place of each clove.
• Granulated garlic: Use ¼ teaspoon of granulated garlic in place of each clove.
• For those who taste soap when eating cilantro, skip this ingredient, or use basil or parsley.

How to Make Vegan Mexican Street Corn Salad

1. First, grill the corn. Once the corn is cool enough to touch, cut the corn off the husks and place them into a bowl.
2. Then, transfer to a large bowl. Wait, however, for the corn to cool completely before adding the other ingredients. 
3. Add all the ingredients into the salad bowl since this is a spin on Mexican Street Corn. Next, mix in the plant-based sour cream and vegan parmesan cheese.

Cover and then allow the flavors to enhance in the refrigerator for a few hours before stirring again before serving. 

Recipe FAQ

Tips

• When cutting jalapenos, always wear gloves to avoid burning your skin or eyes. 
• Use a bundt pan, place the corn on the cob in the center, and cut it down. The corn falls into the pan without making a mess. 
• Silicone grill mats help to guard fresh vegetables against grilling directly on the grates. 
• Marinate corn overnight for deeper flavor.
• Choose organic corn on the cob when possible.
• Skip the jalapenos for a more mild corn salad.
• Substitute silken tofu or white beans when making the vegan sour cream for less fat or a nut-free vegan sour cream.
• If you prefer a salad without a creamy sauce, try charred corn salad!

If you love Mexican street corn, you will love this vegan Mexican Street Corn Salad recipe.

Great Vegan Salads to Try This Summer!

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