Description
A creamy, tangy, and smoky Mexican street corn salad designed for meal prep. It requires no reheating, improves in flavor over four days, and offers a low-stress dinner solution using frozen corn and simple pantry ingredients.
Ingredients
Scale
- 4 cups (600g) frozen corn
- 1 teaspoon oil (for skillet)
- 1/2 cup (120g) full-fat mayonnaise
- 1/4 cup (60ml) sour cream
- 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- 1 cup (100g) crumbled Cotija or Feta cheese
- 1/2 cup (80g) finely diced red onion
- 1/4 cup (15g) fresh cilantro, chopped
Instructions
- Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat with a teaspoon of oil. Add frozen corn (no need to thaw) and spread it out. Let sit undisturbed for 2-3 minutes to char, then stir and cook for another 2 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool completely.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, sour cream, lime juice, chili powder, cumin, salt, and black pepper until smooth and creamy.
- Add the cooled corn to the dressing and toss gently with a spatula until every kernel is coated.
- Fold in the crumbled Cotija (or Feta) cheese and diced red onion, distributing them evenly without crushing the cheese.
- Divide the salad into four equal portions (approx. 1.5 cups or 350g each) into meal prep containers. Seal tightly and refrigerate.
Notes
Ensure corn is completely cooled before mixing to prevent the cheese from melting and the salad from becoming soggy. Do not freeze this salad as the dairy-based dressing will separate and become grainy. For best flavor, let the salad sit for 10 minutes after mixing to allow the acid to penetrate the corn and onion. If using Feta, pat it dry to avoid excess moisture.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 5 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Cuisine: Mexican
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1.5 cups (350g)
- Calories: 380
- Sugar: 8
- Sodium: 450
- Fat: 18
- Saturated Fat: 6
- Carbohydrates: 45
- Fiber: 6
- Protein: 8
Keywords: Elote salad, Mexican street corn, meal prep, corn salad, vegetarian meal prep, high protein salad, cold salad, freezer friendly