Charred Corn with Bacon, Chiles and Cheese (Mexican Street Corn Salad)
Try this Charred Corn with Bacon, Chiles and Cheese (aka Mexican Street Corn Salad) recipe
Try this Charred Corn with Bacon, Chiles and Cheese (aka Mexican Street Corn Salad) recipe
- pepper
- kosher salt
- 4 ears corn shucked
- 3 tablespoons vegetable oil divided
- juice from 1 1/2 limes
- 2 garlic cloves grated or finely minced
- 2 small shallots thinly sliced into rings
- 5 slices cooked bacon crumbled
- 1/2 ed chile (i.e. holland or fresno) thinly sliced into rings (you can also use a small jalapeã±o pepper if you prefer.)
- 1/3 cup cilantro leaves (i left them whole but feel free to chop them if you like!)
- 2 ounces cotija queso fresco or feta cheese, crumbled
- Carbohydrate 19.56466578125 g
- Cholesterol 11 mg
- Fat 13.0467321907867 g
- Fiber 2.76269536113739 g
- Protein 6.99199296875 g
- Saturated Fat 2.12431976586706 g
- Serving Size 1 1 serving (134g)
- Sodium 284.1034875 mg
- Sugar 16.8019704201126 g
- Trans Fat 0.684457578164997 g
- Calories 210 calories
Step-by-step
- Heat a grill or grill pan over medium heat and brush your shucked ears of corn with 2 tablespoons oil and a good sprinkling of salt.
- When the grill is hot, add the corn and cook for about 12-15 minutes, turning occasionally, until very tender and charred in spots. Remove corn from the grill and set aside to cool.
- While your corn is cooling, combine the remaining tablespoon oil, lime juice, garlic and shallots in a mixing bowl. Let stand for 5-10 minutes.
- Once cool, use a sharp knife to remove the corn kernels from the cobs.
- Add the corn kernels to the mixing bowl along with the crumbled bacon and cilantro, and gently toss to combine. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Transfer the corn salad to a serving bowl/platter and top with cheese. (You can also mix the cheese in if you like.) Serve at room temperature or chilled.
When fresh corn costs too much or remains out of season, frozen kernels provide an inexpensive alternative that still caramelizes under high heat. High-heat cooking drives off excess moisture, allowing starches to brown rapidly without steaming. Grilling whole ears over medium heat for 12 to 15 minutes develops the necessary smoky depth, but a cast-iron skillet achieves similar blistering if outdoor equipment is unavailable. Letting shallots steep in lime juice and oil for 5 to 10 minutes softens their sulfurous bite before the raw aromatics hit the bowl.
Smart Swaps and Dairy Alternatives
Cotija cheese provides a sharp, heavily salted punch, but standard feta functions as a direct one-to-one volume replacement without altering the dish's structural integrity. Queso fresco melts less and crumbles more evenly than aged cheeses, retaining distinct pockets of salinity against sweet kernels. Fresno chiles bring moderate heat, though jalapeños substitute cleanly when milder peppers cost less per pound.
- Leftover salad keeps in the refrigerator for up to 48 hours, though cilantro leaves darken quickly past that window.
- Stir chilled leftovers directly into warm scrambled eggs or fold them into quesadillas to repurpose the fat from the bacon.
