Refreshing Street Corn Creamy Cucumber (Printable)
Tangy charred corn meets crisp cucumbers in a creamy lime-cotija dressing.
# What You 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
→ 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
# How to Make It:
01 - Heat a grill pan or skillet over medium-high heat. Add corn kernels and cook for 4-5 minutes until lightly browned and charred, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and let cool completely.
02 - In a large mixing bowl, add cooled charred corn, diced cucumbers, chopped red onion, cilantro, and jalapeño. Toss gently to distribute evenly.
03 - In a separate small bowl, whisk together sour cream, mayonnaise, minced garlic, lime juice, smoked paprika, chili powder, salt, and black pepper until smooth and well combined.
04 - Pour the creamy dressing over the vegetable mixture. Use a large spoon or salad tongs to toss gently until all ingredients are evenly coated.
05 - Fold in the crumbled cotija cheese, being careful not to overmix. Taste and adjust seasoning with additional salt or lime juice if desired.
06 - Refrigerate the salad for 10-15 minutes before serving to allow flavors to meld. Serve chilled as a side dish or topping for tacos.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The combination of charred corn and cool cucumber creates this incredible temperature contrast that keeps every bite interesting
- You can make it ahead and it actually gets better as the flavors meld together in the fridge
02 -
- Over-mixing after adding the cheese will make it disappear into the dressing, so fold gently to keep those salty crumbles intact
- The salad can sit for up to 4 hours in the fridge, but after that the cucumbers start releasing too much water and everything gets soggy
03 -
- Pat your cucumbers dry after dicing if they seem especially watery—it keeps the whole salad from getting diluted
- Room temperature vegetables absorb the dressing better than cold ones straight from the fridge