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scooping esquites with a tortilla chip
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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.
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Servings 5 Servings
Calories 285kcal
Author Mason Woodruff

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.

Video

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

Serving: 1serving (1/2 cup or about 3.5 oz) | Calories: 285kcal | Carbohydrates: 25g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 17g