This Mexican street corn salad (esquites) is crazy flavorful and delicious, made in easy grab-and-go cups that are perfect for parties or BBQs! With all the flavors of Mexican street corn, made with grilled corn, mayonnaise, cotija cheese, lime juice, and chili powder, plus delicious roasted hatch chiles.
This post was generously sponsored by Sprouts Farmers Market but all opinions are my own.
If you ask me, there’s no better way to eat corn than how they do it in Mexico: slathered with mayo and sprinkled with plenty crumbly cotija cheese and chili powder.
It might be not as easy to find here in the States – not as many elote or esquites carts roaming around like in our beloved Playa del Carmen, Mexico! But it’s so easy to DIY that you’ll never be missing those delicious flavors.
What are esquites?
Esquites are a Mexican snack, and also known as elote en vaso, and it means ‘toasted corn’. It’s street food that is served in cups and consists of a combination of corn, lime, chili and mayonnaise.
What’s the difference between elote and esquites?
Elote is Mexican grilled corn on the cob that is served on a stick. Esquites is the same corn, but it is served in cups and eaten with a spoon.
Why This Mexican Street Corn Salad (Esquites) Is So Good
- They have SO much flavor, thanks to the smoky roasted corn and hatch chiles, bright lime juice, creamy mayo, salty cotija, and rich chili powder.
- They’re served in little cups, making them perfect for parties or BBQs.
- Roasted hatch chiles give them a delicious extra flavor and spiciness, if you pick up spicy chiles! Grab mild hatch chiles for a milder Mexican street corn salad.
How to Make Mexican Street Corn Salad in Cups with Hatch Chiles (Esquites)
- Preheat your broiler or your grill for medium heat. Place corn and chiles perpendicular to grill or oven grates and grill or broil, turning to evenly cook and char in spots. This should take about 10 minutes. Remove and let cool slightly.
- Cut kernels from corn cobs and place in a medium bowl. Peel blackened skins from hatch chiles; remove stem and seeds. Chop then add to bowl with corn.
- In a small bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, lime juice, Cotija, cilantro, and salt. Scrape mixture into bowl with corn and chiles and stir well but gently.
- Divide evenly into jars or cups and top with more Cotija, cilantro, red onion, and a sprinkle or chili powder or Tajín.
Where can I get Hatch chiles?
If you live near a Sprouts Farmers Market, I recommend you head there immediately to grab your hatch chiles for this Mexican Street Corn Salad! They are in season right now and they are a really high quality! If you aren’t lucky enough to be near Sprouts, then be sure to check at your local farmers market.
Why are hatch chiles SO GOOD?
Hatch chiles have an amazing balance of heat and sweetness. They have a smokey flavor to them and come in several varieties ranging from very mild to extra hot. They are meaty and flavorful and have a more nuanced flavor compared to other chilis.
When is hatch chile season?
The hatch chili season typically runs from the start of August through to the end of September. Depending on the weather, the season could start slightly earlier and run slightly later. Grab some now to make this yummy Mexican street corn salad!
Top Tips to Make Mexican Street Corn Salad in Cups with Hatch Chiles (Esquites)
Broiling vs. Grilling the Corn and Chiles
- You can make the esquites ahead of time by stirring together the dressing ingredients and then store it covered in the fridge. Pour the dressing over warm or room temperature corn and add the hatch chiles before serving
- You can use froxen or canned corn if you prefer. You will need about 5 cups. Heat a large skillet with a little oil and brown the kernels to improve the flavor.
- You can use 2 cans of drained hatch chiles if you cannot find fresh.
Be sure to check out these other recipes full of authentic Mexican flavors!
- Mexican Beer Cocktails
- Easy Fish Tacos
- Fajita Salad with Steak
- 3 Ingredient Mexican Slow Cooker Chicken
Hey – you’ve made it this far, and now we’re best friends! If you make this Mexican Street Corn Salad recipe, I’d love for you to give it a star rating ★ below. Make sure you follow me on Instagram, Pinterest, and Facebook, too!
Mexican Street Corn Salad in Cups with Hatch Chiles (Esquites)
A super flavorful Mexican street corn salad made with roasted Hatch chiles, served in small cups for parties or BBQs. Made with roasted corn, Hatch chiles, mayonnaise, Cotija cheese, lime juice, cilantro, and chili powder.
Ingredients
- 8 ears of corn husked
- 2 Hatch chili peppers
- 6 tablespoons Sprouts Organic Mayonnaise
- 2-3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
- 1 cup crumbled Cotija plus more for serving. Can use Parmesan
- 3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro plus more for serving
- salt and black pepper
- chili powder for garnish
- minced red onion for garnish
- 9-10 4- ounce canning jars or other cups for serving
Instructions
- Preheat your broiler or your grill for medium heat. Place corn and chiles perpendicular to grill or oven grates and grill or broil, turning to evenly cook and char in spots. This should take about 10 minutes. Remove and let cool slightly.
- Cut kernels from corn cobs and place in a medium bowl. Peel blackened skins from hatch chiles; remove stem and seeds. Chop then add to bowl with corn.
- In a small bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, lime juice, Cotija, cilantro, and salt. Scrape mixture into bowl with corn and chiles and stir well but gently.
- Divide evenly into jars or cups and top with more Cotija, cilantro, red onion, and a sprinkle or chili powder or Tajín.
Recipe Notes
Sprouts Farmers Market is known for their love of Hatch chiles and is a great place to source these seasonal peppers.
Make ahead: stir together all ingredients but garnishes, corn, and Hatch chiles up to 2 days ahead. Fold into warm or room temperature corn and chiles the day of then serve.
In the Mexican street corn salad do you husk the corn before putting in the broiler? If you do do you lay them on tin foil or a pan? What is a good replacement for the hatch chilies in case I can’t find them. I live in a small town.
Thanks,
Joey Luck
Joey, yes, we husk the corn before broiling. We put them straight on the rack, but you could definitely put them on a pan or tin foil.
You could try to look for some poblano peppers to use in place of the hatch chiles. We also suggest searching the canned section for the chiles if you cannot find any in the fresh produce!