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Smoky, savory and creamy: this grilled corn salad is a crowd-pleasing easy summer side! A spin using the flavors Mexican street corn, it’s a salad that makes everyone rave.
Sure, you can make corn salad, but if you’ve got it a grill you must try this grilled corn salad! Grilling the corn before adding it to the salad infuses a smoky flavor into each bite.
For the dressing, I use flavors reminiscent of Mexican street corn: a creamy sauce flavored with mayo, lime, chili powder and cumin. Mix in a few colorful veggies and a bit of feta cheese, and you’ve got a sweet savory salad that’s bursting with summer flavor. Honestly, this is one is my very favorite summer sides for a cookout, BBQ, or potluck!
Ingredients for Grilled Corn Salad
This grilled corn salad is bursting with flavor from a small collection of ingredients. The flavors are based on Mexican street corn, making a fun, summery vibe. Here’s what you’ll need:
- Fresh corn ears: Make sure it’s fresh and in season! Frozen corn doesn’t work, since you’ll be grilling the corn.
- Red onion and cherry tomatoes: These veggies add crunch and freshness.
- Fresh cilantro: If cilantro tastes like soap to you (looking at you, Mom!), flat-leaf parsley plus an extra squeeze of lime works.
- Mayonnaise and sour cream: You can also use Mexican crema in place of the sour cream.
- Lime juice: Fresh citrus adds a little zing
- Chili powder, garlic powder, and cumin: My secret seasoning blend.
- Feta or Cotija cheese: Optional, but I recommend it for the best savory flavor.
How to Grill Corn for Corn Salad
The only “hard” part of this grilled corn salad, if there is one, is grilling the corn. Keep in mind it takes about 30 minutes total, including preheat time. You can use the preheat time to mix up the dressing and prep the other vegetables. Here are the secrets behind our perfect grilled corn method: it’s very easy once you know the basic grill temperature and timing.
- Preheat to medium high heat: that’s 375 to 450 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Shuck the corn and place it directly on the grates. You don’t need the husk: just set it right on the grill!
- Grill 12 to 15 minutes total, turning so that it gets evenly blackened on all sides.
Got a smoker? You can also make Smoked Corn on the Cob for this recipe.
Make It Ahead: My Timing Strategy
Because this grilled corn salad takes a bit of time to grill the corn, it’s easiest to make it when you already have the grill fired up to make other grilled vegetables or mains. The only trick is getting the timing to work so that it finishes in time with the other food. Here are some prep tips for whether you make it day of or in advance:
- Day of: Chop the veggies and make the dressing in advance. Grill the corn, then immediately when the grilling is done, cut the corn off the cob and mix it with the veggies and dressing.
- Next day: Throw on some corn at the end of making a grilled meal. Cut it off the cob and save it for the next day when you can make up the salad.
What to Serve With Grilled Corn Salad
Grilled corn salad is the perfect recipe for picnics, barbecues, patio parties, cookouts, and happy hours. Here are a few examples of ways to serve it for each:
- Plate of salads: Try alongside creamy potato salad, pasta salad or Greek pasta salad, Greek orzo salad, French lentil salad, cucumber salad, or watermelon salad.
- Happy hour dinner: Make a cheese plate and add marinaded olives and lentil salad with feta.
- With a main course: Serve with grilled salmon, grilled shrimp, veggie burger or portobello burger.
- Make a full meal: Try grilled pineapple or grilled apples for dessert. Accessorize with a summer drink like frozen margarita, Mojito, Mexican mule, or ranch water.
Storing Leftovers
Leftovers keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. The dressing thins slightly as the corn releases moisture, so give it a stir and taste for salt and lime before serving again.
Dietary Notes
This recipe is vegetarian and gluten-free. For vegan, use vegan mayo or cashew cream in place of the mayo and sour cream, and omit the optional feta cheese.
Frequently Asked Questions
No. Boiling first waterlogs the kernels and prevents the char you want here. Raw, shucked corn goes straight onto a medium-high grill and cooks through in 12 to 15 minutes.
For corn salad, grill it bare. Foil steams the kernels with no browning: it’s delicious but it defeats the purpose of a grilled corn salad.
Yes, and you should. Shuck it, rub it with a little oil, and set it right on the grates.
A creamy, acidic one. For my dressing, the mayonnaise and sour cream make it creamy and lime juice cuts through the richness.
Easy Grilled Corn Salad
Smoky, savory and creamy: this grilled corn salad is a crowd-pleasing easy summer side! A spin using the flavors Mexican street corn, it’s a salad that makes everyone rave.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 6 1x
- Category: Side Dish
- Method: Grilled
- Cuisine: Mexican American
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
- 6 ears corn (about 5 cups kernels)
- ½ cup diced red onion
- ½ cup cherry tomatoes
- ¼ cup roughly chopped fresh cilantro
- 2 tablespoons mayonnaise (or vegan mayo)
- 2 tablespoons sour cream (more mayo or cashew cream for vegan)
- 2 tablespoons lime juice
- ¼ teaspoon each chili powder, garlic powder, cumin
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- Feta cheese or Cotija cheese crumbles (optional)
Instructions
- Grill the corn: Heat a grill to medium high heat (375 to 450 degrees Fahrenheit). Shuck the corn. Use your hands to rub oil on each corn cob evenly. Place the corn directly on the grill grates and cook until it begins to blacken, then turn. Cook about 12 to 15 minutes total, until blackened on all sides. (Alternative method: Use a smoker to make Smoked Corn.)
- Cut the corn off the cob: Find a bundt pan, or large rimmed baking sheet or pan. Place the corn into the hole in the bundt pan or hold the corn vertically inside the baking sheet, then use a chef’s knife to slice down and remove the corn from the cob (the sides of the pan catch the kernels that fly when cutting; more details here.)
- Prep the vegetables: Mince the onion. Dice the cherry tomatoes. Finely chop the cilantro.
- Make the dressing: In a medium bowl, mix together the sour cream, mayonnaise, lime juice, chili powder, garlic powder, cumin, and kosher salt.
- Serve: Mix together the grilled corn, vegetables, and dressing. If desired, top with feta cheese crumbles (though they’re not needed for flavor!).
Is this served hot cold or either?
We usually serve room temp, but it’s good either way!