Happy September (what?!) and almost Labor Day weekend!
This simple Mexican Corn Salad comes together in under an hour for a delicious and easy side dish loaded with flavor. Made with fresh corn, crispy bacon, bell peppers, and green chiles, this corn salad will not last long on your table! Perfect for serving a crowd or whipping up for a weeknight side dish, this spicy corn salad is sure to be a hit.
I love trying out different side dishes with corn. From Cheesy Corn Casserole to Zucchini-Corn Fritters, I’m always trying new recipes because how delicious is super sweet corn?! This Mexican corn salad makes the perfect addition to the list of delicious and easy corn side dish recipes.
It’s a little creamy, has pops of flavor thanks to bacon, red pepper and green chiles, and was completely demolished in our house within 24 hours. If you’re doing anything that involves feeding yourself or feeding other people, this creamy Mexican corn salad needs to be on your menu!
What is Mexican Corn Salad?
This Mexican Corn Salad is more like a creamy corn dip with a kick than Mexican street corn. If you haven’t had Mexican street corn it’s a common street food called elote made from grilled corn on the cob topped with mayo, chili powder, a sprinkle of fresh lime and cojita cheese. This Mexican corn salad differs from Mexican street corn because it has:
A cream cheese sauce instead of mayonnaise.
Bell pepper and green chiles giving it a kick instead of chili powder.
No grilled corn or lime juice.
And last but not least it features salty bits of bacon.
How to Make Mexican Corn Salad
What goes in corn salad?
Bacon: Adds a deliciously salty, savory flavor to the dip.
Corn: Fresh corn, chopped off the cob is the base of this salad.
Bell Pepper: I use a mixture of red and yellow finely chopped bell pepper.
Cream Cheese: Makes this dip ultra-creamy and sticks the bacon, corn, and peppers together.
Half and half: Sweetens the dip a little while also thinning out the cream cheese to make it a smooth creamy mixture.
Green chiles: Gives the dip a little kick of heat.
Sugar, Pepper, Salt: Flavor, flavor, flavor!
Chop the Corn
Cutting corn off the cob can often be a messy experience. If you are looking for a simple and cleaner way to cup the corn off the cob try using a bundt cake pan!
Hold the top of the corn cob and place the bottom on the center of the bundt pan.
Using a knife, slice down the side of the corn cob allowing the pan to catch the kernels.
Rotate the cob and continue cutting from top to bottom until the kernels are all sliced off the corn cob.
Putting Mexican Corn Salad Together
Cook the bacon: In a Dutch oven or large pot, cook the bacon over medium heat until crisp, stirring occasionally.
Drain the bacon: Remove the bacon to a paper towel-lined plate and discard all but 1 tablespoon of the drippings.
Cook the vegetables: Add the corn and bell peppers to the bacon drippings; increase the heat to medium-high and cook, stirring frequently, until the vegetables are tender, 5 to 6 minutes.
Add remaining ingredients: Stir in the cream cheese, half and half, green chilies, salt, pepper, sugar, and bacon. Stir to combine and bring to a boil.
Simmer to thicken: Reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer until thickened, about 8-10 minutes. Serve warm.
Ingredient Substitutions
If you are having a difficult time getting a few of the ingredients here are some substitutions you can make to the recipe without losing the delicious flavor.
Corn: In place of fresh corn on the cob, you can use frozen corn or drained and rinsed canned corn. You will need about 5 cups of corn in the recipe.
Half and half: If you can’t find half and half simply replace it with heavy cream, or a 50/50 mix of heavy cream and whole milk.
Green chiles: Fresh hatch chiles can also be added into this Mexican corn dip in place of green chiles.
Additional Mix-ins to Try
You can easily mix up the vegetables and toppings for this corn salad! Try adding in:
Diced jalapeño
Chopped green onion
Diced onion
Black beans
Cotija Cheese
Storing and Reheating Mexican Corn Salad
Store: Keep this corn salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to up to 3 days.
Reheat: You can heat up leftovers on the stove or in the microwave. On the stove, heat in a saucepan over medium-low heat until warmed through, about 5 minutes. In the microwave, heat in 30-second intervals, stirring between rounds until warmed through.
Serve your Mexican Corn Salad With…
If you are looking to turn this salad into a meal, here are a few recipes I enjoy serving it with.
This Mexican Corn Salad needs to be added to your side dish rotation stat. It’s incredibly easy, packs a big flavor punch, and is great for serving a crowd.
If you make this recipe and love it, remember to stop back and give it a 5-star rating – it helps others find the recipe! ❤️️
In a Dutch oven or large pot, cook the bacon over medium heat until crisp, stirring occasionally. Remove the bacon to a paper towel-lined plate and discard all but 1 tablespoon of the drippings.
Add the corn, red pepper and yellow pepper to the bacon drippings; increase heat to medium-high and cook, stirring frequently, until the vegetables are tender, 5 to 6 minutes.
Stir in the remaining ingredients, including the cooked bacon, to combine and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer until thickened, about 8 to 10 minutes. Serve warm.
Recipe Notes:
Corn: Substitute 5 cups of frozen corn or drained and rinsed canned corn for the fresh corn kernels.
Green Chiles: For a milder dish, omit the green chiles. If you want a bigger kick, substitute fresh Hatch chiles.
Half and Half: Substitute half whole milk and half heavy cream.
Store: Keep this corn salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to up to 3 days.
Reheat: You can heat up leftovers on the stove or in the microwave. On the stove, heat in a saucepan over medium-low heat until warmed through, about 5 minutes. In the microwave, heat in 30-second intervals, stirring between rounds until warmed through.
I have been making this recipe for years. I always double the recipe and put some away for the future. Inevitably I have family that will ask me if I have some in my freezer and I end up giving it up and having to make more. It’s a winner!
Does the cream cheese taste like cream cheese? I’m not a fan of the taste of cream cheese – just wondering if it being heated changes the taste of it. Other than that the recipe looks AMAZING!
In dishes like this, I use evaporated milk (sometimes fat-free) for half & half. You can’t tell the difference. I used it in peach ice cream last week & it was great.
Happy September (what?!) and almost Labor Day weekend!
I have been making this recipe for years. I always double the recipe and put some away for the future. Inevitably I have family that will ask me if I have some in my freezer and I end up giving it up and having to make more. It’s a winner!
Hi Kelly, I’m so thrilled you’ve been enjoying this recipe!!
Does the cream cheese taste like cream cheese? I’m not a fan of the taste of cream cheese – just wondering if it being heated changes the taste of it. Other than that the recipe looks AMAZING!
Hi Renee, The dish doesn’t taste very cream cheese-y, it just adds creaminess to the finished dish.
I made this over the holiday weekend? It was a big hit with my family!!!
What do you do with the cooked bacon pieces? (Besides snack on them, LOL)
Add them back in during step #3… I’ll edit it that to make it more clear!
In dishes like this, I use evaporated milk (sometimes fat-free) for half & half. You can’t tell the difference. I used it in peach ice cream last week & it was great.
In Texas, we call this Elotes! There’s Elotes carts everywhere in Dallas right now. Yum!
These looks delicious! I’m a big corn fan so this one is a winner for me! Love the bacon in there too :)
Ahhhh! I’m so making this while the corn is still in season! Yum! I actually prefer my corn off the cob, anyway. Less messy. :)
This is so great – looks delicious!!
Rxx
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