Refreshing Street Corn Cucumber Salad (Printable)
Juicy charred corn meets crisp cucumbers in a tangy, creamy dressing with cotija cheese and fresh cilantro.
# What You'll Need:
→ Vegetables
01 - 2 cups fresh or frozen corn kernels (about 3 ears fresh corn)
02 - 2 large cucumbers, diced
03 - 1/2 small red onion, finely chopped
04 - 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
05 - 1 jalapeño, seeded and finely diced
→ Dairy
06 - 1/3 cup crumbled cotija cheese (or feta as substitute)
→ Dressing
07 - 1/3 cup sour cream
08 - 3 tbsp mayonnaise
09 - 1 clove garlic, minced
10 - Juice of 1 lime
11 - 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
12 - 1/2 tsp chili powder
13 - 1/2 tsp salt
14 - 1/4 tsp black pepper
# Directions:
01 - Heat a grill pan or skillet over medium-high heat. Char the corn kernels for 4–5 minutes until lightly browned, stirring occasionally. Let cool.
02 - In a large bowl, combine the cooled corn, diced cucumbers, red onion, cilantro, and jalapeño.
03 - In a separate small bowl, whisk together sour cream, mayonnaise, garlic, lime juice, smoked paprika, chili powder, salt, and black pepper until smooth.
04 - Pour the dressing over the vegetable mixture and toss gently to coat.
05 - Fold in the crumbled cotija cheese.
06 - Taste and adjust seasoning if needed. Chill for 10–15 minutes before serving for best flavor.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The combination of cool crisp cucumbers and warm charred corn creates this incredible temperature contrast that wakes up your whole palate
- It comes together in under 30 minutes but tastes like something you spent all afternoon perfecting
02 -
- I once skipped the chilling step and served it immediately, and while it was still good, the flavors hadn't married yet and it tasted more like separate ingredients than a cohesive dish
- If you're making this ahead of time, wait to add the cheese until right before serving or it can get a bit soft and lose that nice crumbly texture
03 -
- Grilling your corn directly on the cob first, then cutting off the kernels, adds even more smoky flavor than kernels alone
- If you can't find cotija cheese, a aged sharp cheddar can work in a pinch, though the flavor profile will shift slightly