Ultimate Mexican Street Corn Rice Salad with Avocado: Your Go-To Summer Recipe

Discover how to prepare the most irresistible Mexican street corn rice salad, a delightful deconstructed version of classic elotes! This vibrant salad, brimming with smoky roasted corn, fresh scallions, creamy cotija cheese, and rich diced avocados, is perfectly coated in a zesty lemon-lime vinaigrette. It’s the ultimate crowd-pleaser for any summer gathering!

Prepare to meet your new obsession: the Mexican Street Corn Rice Salad. If you’re anything like me, finding a new salad that truly excites your taste buds is a cause for celebration. This isn’t just any salad; it’s a brilliant reimagining of traditional Mexican street corn, or *elotes*, transformed into a convenient, fork-friendly dish. Every bite bursts with flavor, making it so incredibly delicious that you might find yourself craving it for every meal, for weeks on end.

As spring unfolds and transitions into glorious summer, especially in places like Texas, the weather becomes nothing short of magical. Picture breezy afternoons, the air feeling just right, perhaps a light rain shower to cool things down, followed by an evening sky so clear that the stars truly sparkle. With the sun setting later, outdoor dining becomes an effortless reality, inviting spontaneous backyard get-togethers and leisurely suppers under the open sky.

It was in anticipation of these beautiful days that we recently dedicated a whole weekend to plotting out a landscaping plan for our backyard. Despite living here for over two years, our outdoor space remained largely untouched. We invited a few landscaping experts to help us envision its potential. This led to browsing patio furniture sales, a rabbit hole I happily fell into, quickly forgetting about shrubs and sod as I imagined all the outdoor dining accessories we could acquire! All I truly desire is a fantastic outdoor dining table – the perfect centerpiece for hosting memorable weekend shindigs that revolve around good food and even better company, right?

And you can bet your bottom dollar that this vibrant Street Corn Rice Salad will be a staple on the menu of every backyard barbecue party we host this season. Not only is it absolutely bursting with an incredible array of fresh, wholesome ingredients, but it also happens to be wonderfully lighter in calories compared to its traditional counterpart. What truly sets it apart is its versatility; it pairs exquisitely with practically any grilled protein, from succulent chicken to perfectly seared beef. Imagine stuffing it into warm tortillas alongside my best steak fajitas, serving it as a refreshing side with ancho chili street tacos, or even complementing the rich flavors of blackened salmon tacos. Seriously, this salad is so adaptable, it elevates nearly any meal!

What is Elotes? The Inspiration Behind This Salad

For those unfamiliar, *elotes* is a cherished Mexican street food: corn on the cob grilled or boiled, then slathered with mayonnaise or crema, sprinkled with cotija cheese, chili powder, and a squeeze of lime juice. It’s an explosion of tangy, spicy, salty, and creamy flavors that truly celebrates the humble corn. Living in Texas, we are incredibly fortunate to find authentic *elotes* on seemingly every street corner, a testament to its widespread popularity and irresistible appeal.

My Street Corn Rice Salad captures the essence of this beloved dish, deconstructing it into an even more enjoyable form. It takes all those fantastic *elotes* flavors and toppings – the smoky corn, tangy cheese, and zesty seasonings – and combines them with fluffy cooked rice, creamy diced avocados, and crisp scallions. It’s essentially everything Mexican street corn offers, plus the satisfying heartiness of rice and additional fresh elements, making it a complete meal or a standout side.

The bonus? It’s a whole lot easier to eat! No more awkward moments trying to navigate corn on the cob at a party or worrying about kernels stuck in your teeth. This salad delivers all the deliciousness in a neatly presented, fork-friendly package.

Customizing Your Street Corn Experience

There are countless ways to enjoy and customize street corn, and the same goes for this salad. Some prefer their *elotes* richly coated in sour cream, butter, or mayonnaise, creating an extra creamy indulgence. Others opt for a lighter touch, accentuating the corn’s natural sweetness with just a hint of lemon or lime and a generous dusting of various seasonings. I recall waiting over thirty minutes in line at the rodeo for hot grilled corn; they typically had a separate topping station, knowing that customizing each cob individually would take an eternity! My personal favorite *elotes* always features a touch of butter, a modest dollop of mayo, abundant chili seasonings, and a kick of lemon pepper – essentially, a little bit of every delicious topping available!

However, let’s be honest, eating corn on the cob in public can be a bit, well, *awkward*. And dealing with all those delicious bits stuck in your teeth is certainly not ideal when you’re aiming to look your best at a lively gathering. This is precisely where my Street Corn Rice Salad shines! It captures all the beloved, vibrant flavors of authentic street corn but presents them in a perfectly neat, conveniently scoopable, and undeniably fork-friendly format. You get all the zest, spice, and creaminess without any of the mess.

Roasting Your Corn: Fresh vs. Frozen Options

The beauty of this recipe is that you don’t even have to grill your own corn unless you’re feeling particularly ambitious – and if you are, more power to you! I confess, I’m probably one of the few people who absolutely adores the intoxicating aroma of roasted corn. It’s so much more than just a scent; it’s smoky, comforting, and instantly transports me back to my childhood in Illinois, where the corn is simply unparalleled. If they ever made a roasted corn-scented candle, I’d be its most loyal customer, burning it constantly!

Thankfully, for those times when fresh corn isn’t in season or convenience is key, most well-stocked grocery stores now carry excellent quality pre-grilled or roasted sweet corn kernels in the freezer section. I’ve personally found fantastic options at both Trader Joe’s and Whole Foods, making this salad incredibly accessible year-round. Using frozen, pre-roasted corn means less prep time and ensures that smoky, charred flavor with minimal effort.

Crafting the Zesty Lemon-Lime Vinaigrette

The dressing for this Street Corn Rice Salad is surprisingly simple to whip up, requiring just a handful of straightforward ingredients, yet it delivers a burst of bright, tangy flavor that ties everything together. You’ll need fresh lemon juice, fresh lime juice for that signature citrus kick, a good quality olive oil, a fragrant garlic clove, a hint of spicy cayenne pepper, earthy ground cumin, and a generous amount of fresh chopped cilantro. Simply combine all these ingredients, along with a pinch of salt to taste, in a blender, and process until you achieve a wonderfully smooth and emulsified vinaigrette. It’s truly that easy, and the fresh, vibrant notes of this dressing are what elevate this salad from good to extraordinary.

The Perfect Use for Leftover Rice

This Mexican Street Corn Rice Salad truly shines as the perfect recipe to turn that leftover cooked rice languishing in your fridge into something utterly spectacular – far more exciting than just another batch of fried rice! It’s an ingenious way to revitalize staples and transform them into a fresh, new culinary experience. Not only is it a fantastic option for meal prepping, but it also caters wonderfully to a crowd, making it an ideal choice for larger gatherings or when you simply want to ensure there are plenty of delicious leftovers.

It’s robust enough to be a light main course, yet perfectly balanced to serve as a hearty side. The combination of textures – the slight chew of the rice, the tender corn, the creamy avocado, and the crisp scallions – along with the symphony of flavors, ensures that every spoonful is a delight. This salad is more than just a dish; it’s a fantastic solution for using up ingredients efficiently while delivering maximum taste and satisfaction. It feeds a crowd and tastes fantastic!

Yield: 8-10 servings

Street Corn Rice Salad with Avocados

Prep Time
10 minutes

Total Time
10 minutes

Learn how to make this flavorful Mexican street corn rice salad, packed with roasted corn, avocado, and cotija cheese, finished with a bright lemon-lime vinaigrette. It’s the perfect easy side dish for any summer gathering!

Street Corn Rice Salad with Avocados recipe card image

Ingredients

For the Zesty Lemon-Lime Dressing:

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice
1 clove garlic, peeled
1/4 teaspoon EACH: ground cumin and cayenne pepper (adjust to taste for desired heat)
Pinch of salt (to taste)

For the Flavorful Salad:

3 cups cooked rice, preferably chilled (see notes for best results)
2 cups roasted corn kernels (thawed if frozen; charred on a skillet for extra flavor if desired)
1 large ripe avocado, carefully diced
1 bunch scallions, thinly sliced (using both white and green parts for maximum flavor and color)
1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped (reserve 2 tablespoons for the dressing)
1-2 jalapeños, seeds and ribs removed, finely minced (omit for a milder salad or add more for extra heat)
1/2 cup crumbled cotija cheese (or grated Parmesan cheese as a substitute)

Instructions

Prepare the Dressing: In a blender or food processor, combine the olive oil, lemon juice, lime juice, garlic clove, ground cumin, cayenne pepper, a pinch of salt, and the reserved 2 tablespoons of chopped cilantro. Blend until the mixture is completely smooth and emulsified. Taste the dressing and adjust the salt, lemon/lime juice, or cayenne pepper as needed to achieve your desired balance of flavors.
Assemble the Salad: In a large mixing bowl, combine all the ingredients for the salad: the cooked rice, roasted corn kernels, diced avocado, thinly sliced scallions, remaining chopped cilantro, and minced jalapeños. Pour the prepared lemon-lime dressing over the salad ingredients. Gently toss everything together until the dressing is evenly distributed and all components are well combined.
Chill and Serve: For best flavor, cover the bowl and refrigerate the salad for at least 30 minutes to allow the flavors to meld. This salad can be made several hours before serving, making it an excellent option for entertaining. Serve chilled and enjoy the vibrant, refreshing taste!

Notes for Success

Perfect Rice Every Time: For the best texture in this salad, I strongly recommend using day-old or chilled cooked rice. Freshly cooked, warm rice can become mushy when mixed with dressing. For an unparalleled depth of flavor, consider cooking your rice in chicken stock (or vegetable stock for a vegetarian option) instead of plain water. This simple swap adds a whole new dimension to the salad!
Dressing Abundance: If you’re someone who loves a generously dressed salad, feel free to double the vinaigrette recipe. Any leftover dressing can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week and makes a fantastic addition to other salads or grilled vegetables.
Storage: This salad makes wonderful leftovers! Store any remaining portions in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. The flavors tend to deepen beautifully overnight.
Serving Suggestions: This incredibly versatile salad shines alongside a variety of main dishes. It’s a perfect companion for sizzling steak fajitas, a fresh and lighter alternative for fajita bowls (simply replace regular rice with this salad!), zesty chicken tacos, or even delicate blackened salmon tacos. Its bright and savory profile complements almost any grilled meat or Tex-Mex inspired dish.
Corn Options: While fresh roasted corn is amazing, frozen roasted corn kernels are a fantastic shortcut. You can also use canned corn (drained well) and lightly char it in a dry skillet for a smoky flavor.
Cheese Alternatives: If cotija cheese is hard to find, a good quality grated Parmesan cheese provides a similar salty, savory punch. Feta cheese can also work in a pinch for a tangy twist.
Spice Level: The amount of cayenne pepper and jalapeño is adjustable. For more heat, add extra cayenne or leave some seeds in the jalapeño. For less heat, omit the cayenne and use only a tiny bit of jalapeño or skip it entirely.

Have you made this recipe?

If you enjoyed this recipe, please consider leaving a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating and a comment below. You can also share a picture on Instagram with the hashtag #LITTLESPICEJAR, I’d love to see what you made!

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