Street Corn Creamy Cucumber Salad (Printable Version)

Sweet charred corn and crisp cucumbers tossed in creamy lime dressing with cotija cheese.

# What You'll Need:

→ Vegetables

01 - 2 cups fresh corn kernels (about 3 ears or thawed frozen corn)
02 - 1 large English cucumber, diced
03 - 1/2 small red onion, finely diced
04 - 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
05 - 1 jalapeño, seeded and finely chopped (optional)

→ Dressing

06 - 1/3 cup mayonnaise
07 - 1/4 cup sour cream
08 - 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
09 - 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
10 - 1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
11 - 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
12 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

→ Toppings

13 - 1/3 cup cotija cheese, crumbled (or feta as substitute)
14 - 1 teaspoon chili powder (for garnish)
15 - Lime wedges (for serving)

# How to Make It:

01 - Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add corn kernels and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5-7 minutes until lightly charred. Allow to cool slightly.
02 - In a large mixing bowl, combine the charred corn, diced cucumber, red onion, cilantro, and jalapeño (if using).
03 - In a separate small bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, sour cream, lime juice, chili powder, smoked paprika, salt, and black pepper until smooth.
04 - Pour the dressing over the salad ingredients and toss gently until evenly coated.
05 - Sprinkle crumbled cotija cheese and extra chili powder on top. Serve with lime wedges.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The combination of cool crisp cucumbers with warm charred corn creates this incredible temperature contrast that wakes up your whole palate
  • You get all those addictive street corn flavors but can eat it with a fork instead of worrying about messy hands and corn stuck in your teeth
  • The dressing comes together in seconds but tastes like something that simmered for hours
02 -
  • The salad tastes best after it sits for about fifteen minutes so the dressing can really soak into the corn and vegetables
  • Cotija cheese can be hard to find sometimes but feta works as a substitute even though the flavor is slightly different
  • If you are making this ahead of time wait to add the cheese and cilantro until right before serving or they will get sad and wilted
03 -
  • Use a sharp knife and stand the corn ear upright in a bowl to catch the kernels as you cut them off the cob
  • If your red onion tastes too harsh soak the diced pieces in ice water for ten minutes then drain before adding to the salad

Go Back