Trader Joe’s Elote Corn Salad
This Elote corn salad is made with Trader Joe’s ingredients and is shockingly flavorful, yet super simple! It’s a great summer side dish for BBQ’s and picnics, and also pairs well with Tex-Mex dishes like tacos and enchiladas. Heck, we even use it as a dip for tortilla chips! It’s so versatile!
If you love this Elote corn salad, don’t miss this easy Elote pasta salad!
Trader Joe’s Cookbook
50+ Trader Joe’s Recipes
Ditch dinnertime stress! Trader Joe’s Everyday brings you 50+ simple, flavor-packed recipes that come together in 30 minutes or less using Trader Joe’s ingredients. Available in hard copy and digital formats.
What makes this corn salad so special?
This easy corn salad delivers all the flavors of classic Mexican street corn with almost no prep work thanks to a few convenient Trader Joe’s shortcuts. Unlike many “elote” salads, this one goes easy on the mayo making it more of a fresh summer salad than a heavy side dish. It’s the kind of salad that disappears quickly at cookouts, potlucks, and on taco night!
RECIPE INGREDIENTS
You’ll need the following ingredients to make this delicious elote corn salad with avocado:
INGREDIENT NOTES AND SUBSTITUTIONS
Frozen corn: I love the flavor and the pretty charred bits on Trader Joe’s frozen roasted corn, but if you can’t find it, regular frozen sweet corn or canned corn works perfectly, too.
Elote Seasoning: If you can’t find the Everything But The Elote seasoning, use a combination of garlic powder, smoked paprika, chili powder, and Parmesan cheese (or you can buy it on Amazon here!)
Cotija cheese: If you can’t find cotija (or don’t like it), you can use feta, queso fresco, or even Parmesan cheese.
Mayonnaise: This recipe only calls for a tablespoon of mayo for just a touch of creaminess, so make sure to use good-quality mayo!
CASEY’S NOTES
- Extra flavor: For even more flavor, char the corn in a skillet for a few minutes before mixing the salad together OR use grilled corn on the cob!
- Add avocado last: To ensure the avocado is as fresh as possible, gently toss it in right before serving.
- Make it pretty: If you are serving this salad at a party, garnish it with extra cotija cheese, cilantro, and a sprinkle of chili powder right before serving for the best presentation.
Casey’s Top Tip: Make sure your thawed (or canned) corn is free of any excess water. This water will dilute the “dressing” and it won’t be quite as yummy!
How to Serve
- Summer side dish: Serve chilled as a side dish with grilled chicken, steak, shrimp, or burgers.
- Taco Tuesday: Add this elote corn salad to your taco night alongside tacos, burritos, quesadillas, or enchiladas.
- Dip: Serve with tortilla chips or — better yet — the Trader Joe’s elote corn dipper chips!
- Topping or filling: This corn salad is perfect in burrito bowls (think Chipotle’s corn salad!), as a taco topping, or burrito filling.
Did you try this recipe?
Let us know your thoughts on this elote corn salad by leaving a star rating below or sharing it on Instagram!
Thank you! ~ Casey
RELATED…
If you love this easy summer salad and love “everything elote,” you can’t miss this elote enchilada skillet, and this elote pasta salad!
Trader Joe’s Elote Corn Salad
Ingredients
- 1 16 oz. package frozen roasted corn (thawed) can sub regular frozen sweet corn or canned corn, well-drained
- 1/2 cup red onion, finely diced
- 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
- 1/4 cup lime juice about two limes
- 3 tbsp. Trader Joe's Everything But the Elote seasoning See note below
- 1 tbsp. mayonnaise
- 1/2 cup Cotija cheese, crumbled
- 1-2 large ripe avocados, diced
- sea salt or kosher salt, to taste
Instructions
- Combine: Add corn to a large bowl. Make sure the corn is dry and there is no excess water from defrosting. To the corn, add red onion, cilantro, lime juice, Elote seasoning, mayo, and cheese. Toss until everything is well-combined. Taste and season with salt or more Elote seasoning, if needed.
- Finish: Gently fold in avocado and toss. You can chill the salad for a few hours or serve right away. Note: If you are making this salad ahead of time, wait and add the avocado until you are ready to serve.
