One of our favorite street snacks here in Southern California is esquites, a Mexican street corn salad made with mayonnaise, lime juice, chili powder and crumbled Cotija cheese.
Two summers ago, my daughter Katie got her first job managing a local snack bar here in town. Most of the food was typical snack bar fare such as hot dogs, frozen pretzels, and nachos. She decided to kick things up a notch with homemade esquites, which are basically elotes served in a cup.
Although cotija cheese and fresh is the traditional topping for esquites, many Mexican snack stands top the dish with crushed Takis or Hot Cheetos, giving this Mexican Street Corn a delicious crunchy and spicy flavor.
This is basically an authentic elote recipe, but without the cob. Mexican street corn salad is much easier to eat (and less messy) by using just the kernels.
Mexican street corn ingredients
- Corn kernels
- Butter
- New Mexico chili powder
- Mayonnaise
- Fresh lime juice
- Grated Cotija, Queso Fresco cheese or feta cheese
- Cilantro leaves
Serve this in a styrofoam cup with a plastic spoon. To make this a spicy esquites recipe, be sure to add some Takis or Hot Cheetos to add that extra bit of crunch!
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You may also enjoy my recipes for Mexican street tacos and Chimichangas!
Chef Tips with Jason Hill | CookingSessions.com
Esquites (Mexican Street Corn Salad)
Ingredients
Method
- In a large saucepan, melt the butter. Add the corn and cook until heated through.
- Fold in the mayo and the juice of 1 lime.
- Stir in the chili powder and Tajin.
- Add to serving dish. Top with the cotija cheese, chopped cilantro and crushed hot cheetos.
- Serve with lime wedges on the side, and feel free to pass around extra chili powder to spice it up even more.
