Mexican Street Corn Slaw

This Mexican Street Corn Slaw recipe is about to be your new favorite side dish! This smoky, creamy slaw complete with sweet charred corn and salty feta cheese will have you hooked from the first bite.

If anyone ever tells you that coleslaw is boring, you prove them wrong with this recipe. I’ve always been a huge fan of Mexican street corn salad! With coleslaw being such a beautifully simple base, it only made sense to combine these two. I am so glad that I did! You will be too when you give it a try.

What Is Mexican Street Corn?

Also known as “esquites”, this popular street food is commonly served hot topped with mayo, chili powder or hot sauce, and lime juice. It’s also common to see variations of this amazing street food to eat right off the cob!

If you know this recipe well, you might notice I used feta cheese instead of the traditionally called-for cotija cheese. This is simply because feta is much easier to find in my part of the world and is a perfectly suitable substitute. Feel free to use cotija in your version!

Ingredients

Coleslaw and Mexican street corn salad are a match made in heaven! Both made with a creamy dressing, the sweet corn and extra oomph from cumin and smoked paprika completely change the coleslaw game! Keep scrolling for the full recipe and ingredient amounts.

For the dressing:

• Mayonnaise – Feel free to use any type you like. I prefer to use a mild flavored mayo so it doesn’t overpower the salad.
• Sour cream – I love this ingredient because it gives you a creamy dressing without mayo being the predominant flavor.
• Lime juice – Always go for fresh limes if you can! They make all the difference. You can add more or less if you wish.
• Cumin, chili powder and smoked paprika – These powerhouse spices is what will give your slaw so much great flavor. Make sure you have smoked paprika rather than regular or sweet.
• Salt & pepper – Season the dressing to taste.

For the slaw:

• Olive oil – You might think this ingredient should belong with the dressing. We actually use the olive oil to saute the corn and jalapeños to give your salad extra flavor!
• Corn – I used fresh corn sliced off the cob. You can use frozen or canned corn instead.
• Jalapenos – While there’s just one pepper in this recipe, you can use as many as you like or none at all.
• Cabbage – I used red cabbage but you can use green or a mixture of the two. Don’t use a softer variety such as Napa as those types get too soft with the dressing.
• Bell pepper – Use any type of bell pepper that you like best.
• Fresh cilantro – I know some of you don’t like cilantro and that’s okay! You can use some parsley for extra greenery or leave it out completely.
• Green onions – You can also use other mild flavored onions such as white or yellow.
• Feta cheese – A Mexican street corn salad traditionally calls for cotija cheese. If that’s hard for you to find like it was for me, feta will work in its place.

How Do I Shred Cabbage?

You can shred your cabbage with with either a knife or using a mandoline. Start by slicing the cabbage in half from the top. Cut along the core with 2 slices creating a V and remove it. Repeat this for the other half of the cabbage. Now you’re ready to shred to your desired thickness and method!

What Else Can I Mix Into My Slaw?

Feel free to get creative with your slaw! Try some of these ideas:

• Pepitas, sunflower seeds, or poppy seeds
• Dried fruit
• Avocado
• Cucumber
• Chickpeas
• Bacon

How to Make Mexican Street Corn Slaw Recipe

1. Prep the corn and dressing: Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the corn and jalapeños and cook until they begin to char, 5-7 minutes. Mix the dressing ingredients together in a small bowl.
2. Finish the slaw: Add all the slaw ingredients to a large bowl with the corn, jalapeno, and dressing. Toss well and serve.

This beautiful salad sure does look and taste like a lot more effort was put in. No one has to know you simply threw it together! It’ll be our secret.

What to Serve With It

Try this recipe alongside these BBQ favorites!

• Perfect Pulled Pork
• Beer Can Chicken
• Instant Pot BBQ Pork Ribs
• Oven Baked Beef Brisket
• Pork Carnitas
• Red Chimichurri Chicken Wings

You can serve this delicious slaw with pretty much anything. Id’ be lying if I said I haven’t just eaten it on its own as a meal! It’s just that good.

Leftovers

Store leftover Mexican street corn slaw in an airtight container and it will last in the fridge for 3-5 days. Because cabbage is so sturdy, this is a salad that can still be enjoyed as leftovers without getting soggy.

Did You Love This Recipe? Try These!

• Mexican Street Corn Salad
• Deviled Egg Macaroni Salad
• Avocado Shrimp Salsa
• Cowboy Pasta Salad
• Greek Salad
• Mediterranean Orzo Salad
• Easy Potato Salad
• Air Fryer Corn On The Cob