Mexican Street Corn Potato Salad
If classic potato salad and Mexican street corn had a love child, this would be Mexican Street Corn Potato Salad it! It’s a total fun twist on your usual side dish—creamy, tangy, a just a little spicy, and packed with tender potatoes, sweet corn, salty Cotija cheese and fresh & spicy jalapeños. Plus a little hint of Dijon mustard & sweet relish keeps things interesting!
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Basically, it’s an elote potato salad that ditches the boring and brings all the flavor with a creamy lime dressing that ties it all together. Serve this potato salad recipe at your next backyard barbecue, and watch it disappear faster than hot cakes off the pan!
Looking for more summer bbq recipe inspiration? Check out this 3-Layer Mexican dip or this Jamaican Jerk Rub – perfect for any meat you’ll throw on the grill this summer!
Key Ingredients
Potatoes. Opt for waxy potatoes like Yukon gold or red potatoes. These hold up well once boiled and are hold their shape during mixing. Potatoes like russets are break apart easily when cooked and could make the potato salad mushy.
Sweet corn. Fresh corn is used for best results. If you opt for canned or frozen corn, brown them briefly on high heat to avoid overcooking and them becoming too soft.
Mayonnaise. Adds richness to this potato salad and is a creamy element present in both Mexican street corn salad & classic potato salad. Feel free to substitute for you favorite vegan mayonnaise if needed.
Cotija cheese. A crumbly cheese – similar to queso fresco but a bit saltier.
Fresh jalapeños. Diced and incorporated for an element of freshness and subtle heat. Pickled jalapeños will be less spicy and crisp.
Sweet Relish. Offers an added source of relief from the savory richness with a little sweetness
Lime juice. Common in many Mexican and Latin-American dishes – adds a subtle tart zip to this potato salad without being too overpowering. No sour cream or greek yogurt needed.
Other herbs & spices. Cilantro, Dijon mustard, chili powder, cayenne pepper.
Tips for the Best Mexican Street Corn Potato Salad
Choose waxy or all-purpose potatoes. These hold their shape well after boiling versus starchy potatoes that can get mushy especially during mixing. In addition, waxy potatoes are more forgiving when it comes to overcooking. I opted for Yukon golds, an all-purpose potato. Other options include waxy potatoes like red potatoes or fingerlings.
Don’t peel the potatoes before boiling! Boiling the potatoes with the skin on helps them retain more flavor and nutrients. Unpeeled potatoes also prevent the potatoes from absorbing too much water during boiling so that they’re not mushy or overly soft after cooking. You can peel after boiling or opt to keep the skin on if you prefer.
Use a spatula for mixing. It may not seem like a big deal but a thin but flexible utensil like a spatula will help keep the cubes of potato whole during mixing. On the other hand using a chunky or firm utensil like a wooden or metal spoon can break the potato cubes into smaller pieces or mash them during mixing resulting in a potato salad that is more like mashed potatoes.
How to Make the Mexican Street Corn Potato Salad
Step 1. Add the unpeeled potatoes to a large pot and add enough water to cover the potatoes. Boil until a fork pokes through easily.
Waiting to peel the potatoes until after they boil ensures that they retain more flavor and nutrients. This also prevents them from becoming too mushy since the the skin prevents the potatoes from absorbing too much water during boiling.
Step 2. While the potatoes are boiling prepare the corn. De-kernel the corn and add corn kernels to a skillet along with the butter (or oil if preferred) over medium-high heat. Cook the corn until tender and lightly browned then add a ¼ teaspoon of salt. Set aside.
If using canned corn make sure to drain well. Moisture is the enemy of caramelization and will prevent you getting a deep corn flavor. Frozen corn can also be used.
If using canned or frozen, brown on high heat. The goal here will only be to get some caramelization on the kernels. Since the corn is already cooked high heat will allow you to do this quickly without overcooking to avoid mushy corn.
Step 3. Once the potatoes are ready peel them (if desired) and cut into ½ inch cubes. Add to a large bowl – this can be your serving dish or a large mixing bowl if you prefer a cleaner presentation.
You can submerge the potatoes in cold water to help prevent overcooking and so that they are easier to handle when peeling.
Step 4. Add the seared corn, diced jalapeños, cotija cheese & cilantro to the cubed potatoes. Gently toss to incorporate.
It’s important to mix before adding the sauce as smaller & lighter ingredients like the cilantro, jalapeño peppers and corn may clump together with the sauce. Mixing ensures that you get all the ingredients in their correct proportions in a single bite.
Step 5. In a smaller separate bowl add the mayonnaise, sweet relish, Dijon mustard, lime juice, chili powder, cayenne pepper & the remainder of the salt. Mix until smooth.
The sauce is prepared separately for the same reason as mixing the potatoes with the corn and jalapeños – to evenly distribute all the flavors for a balanced bite.
Step 6. Add the prepared sauce to the potato and corn mixture and mix just until everything is evenly incorporated. Transfer to a serving bowl if desired and garnish with extra cilantro and crumbled cotija cheese.
You may serve immediately at room temperature or cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.
Store any leftovers in an airtight container and eat within 4 days for optimal taste & texture.
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Equipment
- serving bowl
Ingredients
- 2 lbs Yukon gold potatoes red potatoes and fingerlings can also be substituted
- 4 medium ears corn, de-kerneled about 3½ cups or 16 oz or 455g
- 1 cup mayonnaise 7¾ oz or 215g
- ⅓ cup cotija cheese 3½ oz or 100g
- 2 medium fresh green jalapeños, diced ¼ cup or 1 oz or 33g
- ¼ cup cilantro leaves, chopped about 10 stems, leaves only
- 1 TBSP sweet relish
- 1 TBSP Dijon mustard
- ½ medium lime juice only
- 1 tsp chili powder
- ½ tsp cayenne pepper
- ¾ tsp salt ¼ tsp for corn and ½ tsp for potato salad sauce
- unsalted butter or oil for cooking corn
Instructions
- Add the whole unpeeled potatoes to a large pot and add enough water to cover the potatoes. Boil until a fork pokes through easily.
- While the potatoes are boiling prepare the corn. De-kernel the corn and add corn kernels to a skillet along with the butter (or oil if preferred) over medium-high heat. Cook the corn until tender and lightly browned then add a ¼ teaspoon of salt. Set aside.
- Once the potatoes are ready, peel them (if desired) and cut into ½ inch cubes. Add to a large bowl – this can be your serving dish or a large mixing bowl to transfer later if you prefer a cleaner presentation.
- Add the seared corn, diced jalapeños, cotija cheese & cilantro to the cubed potatoes. Gently toss to incorporate.
- In a smaller separate bowl add the mayonnaise, sweet relish, Dijon mustard, lime juice, chili powder, cayenne pepper & the remainder of the salt. Mix until smooth.
- Add the prepared sauce to the potato and corn mixture and mix just until everything is evenly incorporated. Transfer to a serving bowl if desired and garnish with extra cilantro and crumbled cotija cheese.
- You may serve immediately at room temperature or cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.
- Store any leftovers in an airtight container and eat within 4 days for optimal taste & texture.
Notes
- Wait until after the potatoes boil to peel them. This ensures that they retain more flavor and nutrients. The skin also prevents too much water being absorbed which would make the potatoes mushy.
- If using canned corn make sure to drain well. Moisture is the enemy of caramelization and will prevent you getting a deep corn flavor. Frozen corn can also be used.
If using canned or frozen, brown on high heat. The goal here will only be to get some caramelization on the kernels. Since the corn is already cooked high heat will allow you to do this quickly without overcooking to avoid mushy corn.
