Whether you call this grilled corn salad, esquites, Mexican street corn salad, or street corn off the cob, this side dish is always a crowd pleaser. Today I’ll show you how to make it on a Traeger grill or indoors using a skillet.
This creamy corn salad also cranks up the heat a little with the addition of grilled jalapeño peppers and a couple secret ingredients in the crema. Let’s get after it!
Ingredients for Grilled Corn Salad
This corn salad is definitely inspired by the Mexican street food, esquites, that’s typically made with a creamy sauce of mayo and lime juice, chile powder, cilantro, crumbly cotija cheese, and obviously toasted corn.
But depending on where you get your Mexican street corn salad, the ingredients can vary. We recently fell in love with a street corn dish at chef Roy Choi’s Las Vegas restaurant, Best Friend, which had some of his famous Korean-Mexican flare. Their kalbi dish also inspired our Traeger grilled flanken short ribs.
My Secret Weapons
So, my take on esquites includes Japanese Kewpie mayo and chili garlic sauce. If you’re unfamiliar with Kewpie mayo, it’s a smoother, more umami mayo thanks to using only egg yolks and the addition of MSG. The chili garlic sauce adds a little kick of heat but mainly big garlic flavor.
These two additions make a really unique, tasty take on Mexican street corn, but you can definitely make this recipe with regular mayo and chile powder or other sauces. I’ve included a few ideas in the recipe card’s notes section below.
Traeger Grilled Corn vs Pan Roasted Corn
It’s hard to beat grilled corn on the cob, especially when it picks up some smoke on the Traeger. That said, the pan roasted corn isn’t as far off as you’d expect.
If you have a high-heat cook going on your Traeger like our Mexican grilled chicken breast, this corn would be great to throw on alongside your main dish.
But if you’re debating firing up the grill just for Mexican street corn salad, you can make a close second indoors. Especially with the addition of something like homemade salsa macha or a chipotle chile powder to add some smokiness.
How to Make Both Versions (Recipe Video)
What to Serve with Roasted Corn Salad
With its antojitos or street food roots, it’s great on its own or served with tortilla chips. We like to serve it as a side dish with Mexican and Tex-Mex main dishes. Here are some ideas:
- Traeger Smoked Mexican Pork Tenderloin
- My Favorite Traeger Beef Fajitas
- Traeger Reverse Seared Tri Tip
- Tacos de Bistec
- Ground Pork Tacos Al Pastor
- Chorizo Stuffed Shotgun Shells
- Oven Baked Beef Tacos
- Air Fryer Chicken Fajitas
- Traeger Pulled Beef Tacos
- Smoked Tex Mex Enchiladas
Let me know how you like to serve your summer corn salad in the comments below!
You’ll find the printable recipe card below. If you have a question I forgot to cover, you can leave it in the comments below as well. I hope you enjoy your pan roasted or Traeger esquites!
Creamy Grilled Corn Salad
Inspired by chef Roy Choi's street corn from his Las Vegas restaurant, Best Friend, my spin on classic Mexican esquites combines grilled or pan roasted corn and jalapeño peppers with Japanese Kewpie mayo and chili garlic sauce to make a tangy, spicy, and umami summer corn salad.
Ingredients
- 4 ears Fresh Corn, shucked
- 2 Jalapeño Peppers (optional)
- Avocado Oil Spray or 1-2 Tablespoons of Oil
For the Crema and Garnish
- 3 Tablespoons (45g) Kewpie Mayo (or your choice of mayo)
- 2 Tablespoons (30g) Lime Juice
- 1 Tablespoon Chili Garlic Sauce*
- 2 Scallions, finely sliced
- 2 handfuls (10g) Chopped Cilantro
- 2 oz Cotija Cheese**
Instructions
For Grilled Corn
- Preheat your Traeger grill to 450ºF with the lid closed for 15 minutes. Coat the corn and jalapeño peppers with avocado oil spray or brush with oil.
- Add the corn to the grill grates, ideally around the front or back edges near the hot spots. Place the peppers near the center of the grill.
- Grill for 20-25 minutes, turning occasionally, until evenly roasted. Transfer to a sheet pan to cool briefly before removing the kernels from the cobs and peeling the skin away from the peppers, removing most of the seeds, and dicing.
For Pan Roasted Corn
- Use a knife to remove the corn kernels and dice the jalapeño peppers (remove the seeds and membranes as well).
- Heat a large skillet over high heat before adding about 2 tablespoons of oil. Once hot, add the corn and peppers. Stir to coat and season with a pinch of salt and pepper. Leave the corn untouched until the bottom begins to char, about 2 minutes, before stirring to evenly char all sides, about 4-5 minutes total.
Final Assembly
- Whisk together the mayo, lime juice, and chili garlic sauce. Add the veggies and stir everything together before adding the cilantro, scallions, and cotija cheese. Salt or season to taste with Tajín or chili powder.
Notes
*You can use sriracha, gochujang, salsa macha, or any chili paste/oil/sauce as a substitute. Salsa macha is a great addition for the pan roasted version since it adds some smokiness via chipotle chiles.
**You can use feta cheese if you can't find cotija cheese.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 5 Serving Size: 1/2 cup (about 3.5 oz)Amount Per Serving: Calories: 285Total Fat: 17gCarbohydrates: 25gProtein: 6g