I have a hard time passing up fresh summer corn, and this Street Corn Taco Salad might be one of my favorite ways to use it. It starts with crisp romaine lettuce and seasoned ground beef, but the grilled corn is really the star of the show. After coming off the grill, the corn gets a sprinkle of taco seasoning and a brush of creamy street corn dressing, before being sliced from the cob. Add avocado, tomatoes, cotija cheese, and crispy tortilla strips, and you’ve got a salad that’s anything, but boring.
What I love most about this recipe is that it feels like a complete meal. It has all the flavors of taco night mixed with the smoky, creamy goodness of Mexican street corn. It’s hearty enough for dinner, easy enough for a weeknight, and perfect for making the most of sweet summer corn while it’s in season.
Why You Will Love This Street Corn Taco Salad Recipe
- Loaded with flavor: Seasoned beef, grilled corn, creamy dressing, and crispy tortilla strips make every bite of this street corn taco salad, delicious.
- Perfect for summer: Fresh sweet corn and crisp romaine lettuce are ideal for warm-weather meals.
- Great for meal prep: Keep the components separate and assemble throughout the week.
- Restaurant-quality at home: This salad feels like something you’d order at your favorite Mexican restaurant.
- Easy to customize: Add beans, chicken, jalapeños, or extra vegetables to make it your own.
Ingredient Substitutions
- Ground beef: Easily substitute with ground turkey, ground chicken, shredded chicken, or steak.
- Romaine lettuce: Iceberg lettuce, green leaf lettuce, or mixed greens are great alternatives.
- Cotija cheese: Queso fresco, feta cheese, or grated Parmesan can be used.
- Fresh corn: Frozen fire-roasted corn or canned corn can be used in a pinch.
- Sour cream: Substitute with plain Greek yogurt.
- Flour tortillas: Store-bought tortilla strips will work.
- Sweet heat jalapeños: Substitute with pickled jalapeños, fresh jalapeños, or omit entirely.
- Avocado: Easily substitute with homemade guacamole.
How to Prepare Street Corn Taco Salad
- Combine all of the ingredients for the taco seasoning in a small bowl.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, sour cream, lime juice, garlic powder, chili powder, cumin, salt, and cotija cheese until smooth.
- Transfer about one-third of the dressing to a small bowl and reserve for brushing onto the corn.
- Heat enough oil in a skillet over medium heat to fry the tortilla strips. Add the tortilla strips and cook until golden brown and crispy, stirring frequently. Remove to a paper towel-lined plate and sprinkle lightly with taco seasoning while still warm. Toss.
- Preheat a grill to medium-high heat. Lightly brush the corn with olive oil and grill, turning occasionally, until lightly charred on all sides.
- Once charred, remove and sprinkle the corn with a little taco seasoning, then brush with the reserved dressing. Let cool slightly before slicing the kernels from the cob.
- Heat a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef. Season with a pinch of salt and a tablespoon of the taco seasoning. Break apart as it’s browning. Drain excess grease if needed.
- Arrange the chopped romaine lettuce on a large platter or in a large salad bowl.
- Top with the seasoned ground beef, grilled corn, tomatoes, red onion, avocado slices, cotija cheese, tortilla strips, and jalapeños if using.
- Drizzle generously with the remaining dressing and serve immediately.
How to Serve and Store
- Serve this street corn taco salad as a main dish for lunch or dinner.
- Store the salad components separately for best results.
- Refrigerate the dressing for up to 4 days.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. Prepare the dressing, beef, tortilla strips, and corn ahead of time. Assemble just before serving.
Yes. Fire-roasted frozen corn works best and adds a similar smoky flavor.
Cotija is a salty Mexican cheese often used on tacos and street corn.
As written, it’s mild. Add extra taco seasoning, jalapeños, or hot sauce if you’d like more heat.
Yes. Toss them with a little oil and cook at 375°F (190°C) for 4 to 6 minutes, shaking halfway through.
More Taco-Inspired Recipes to Love
If you’re looking for a salad that eats like a meal, this Street Corn Taco Salad is hard to beat. Between the seasoned beef, grilled corn, creamy street corn dressing, avocado, cotija cheese, and crispy tortilla strips, every bite is packed with flavor and texture. It’s a great way to take advantage of fresh summer corn, and makes for an impressive lunch or easy weeknight dinner.
Street Corn Taco Salad
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
Description
Street Corn Taco Salad is loaded with seasoned beef, grilled corn, cotija cheese, avocado, crispy tortilla strips, and a creamy street corn dressing.
Ingredients
For the Salad:
- 2 heads romaine lettuce, chopped
- 4–6 ears fresh corn, husks removed
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 1/2 tablespoons taco seasoning (see recipe below)
- Pinch salt
- 1 cup diced tomatoes
- 1/4 cup thinly sliced red onion
- 1 avocado, sliced
- 1/2 cup crumbled cotija cheese
- 2 large flour tortillas, cut into strips
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- oil for frying tortilla strips
- Sweet heat jalapeños, optional
For the Street Corn Dressing:
- 3/4 cup mayonnaise
- 6 tablespoons sour cream (just under 1/2 cup)
- Juice of 1 lime
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
- 1/2 teaspoon cumin
- Pinch salt
- 3 tablespoons crumbled cotija cheese
For the Taco Seasoning:
- 2 tablespoons chili powder
- 1 tablespoon paprika
- 1 tablespoon cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
Instructions
- In a small bowl, combine all of the ingredients for the taco seasoning (You will only need about 1½ to 2 tablespoons of the taco seasoning for this recipe. Store the remaining seasoning in an airtight container).
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, sour cream, lime juice, garlic powder, chili powder, cumin, salt, and cotija cheese until smooth.
- Transfer about one-third of the dressing to a small bowl and reserve for brushing onto the corn.
- Heat enough oil in a skillet over medium heat to fry the tortilla strips. Add the tortilla strips and cook until golden brown and crispy, stirring frequently. Remove to a paper towel-lined plate and sprinkle lightly with taco seasoning while still warm. Toss.
- Preheat a grill to medium-high heat. Lightly brush the corn with olive oil and grill, turning occasionally, until lightly charred on all sides.
- Once charred, remove and sprinkle the corn with a little taco seasoning, then brush with the reserved dressing. Let cool slightly before slicing the kernels from the cob.
- Heat a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef. Season with a pinch of salt and a tablespoon of the taco seasoning. Break apart as it’s browning. Drain excess grease if needed.
- Arrange the chopped romaine lettuce on a large platter or in a large salad bowl.
- Top with the seasoned ground beef, grilled corn, tomatoes, red onion, avocado slices, cotija cheese, tortilla strips, and jalapeños if using.
- Drizzle generously with the remaining dressing and serve immediately.
- ENJOY!
Notes
- Reserve one-third of the dressing for brushing onto the grilled corn.
- Watch the tortilla strips carefully while frying as they can brown quickly.
- Grilling the corn adds the best flavor, but frozen fire-roasted corn can be substituted.
- Assemble just before serving for the freshest texture.
- Extra taco seasoning can be stored in an airtight container for future recipes.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Salad, Lunch, Dinner, Meal Prep
- Method: Easy
- Cuisine: American/Mexican
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WELCOME! My name is Melissa Latin aka. Charlotte Fashion Plate. Happy to meet you! I am more than just recipes. I love fashion and style too! Most importantly, I love my Family (my Hubby and my Fur Babies). My Husband (aka my “Kitchen Bitch”) means the world to me. He’s pretty damn cool too. Not only is he one of the nicest guys you will ever meet, he also has had a lengthy career in professional hockey. Not only winning two Stanley Cups with the Pittsburgh Penguins in the early ’90’s, but most recently winning the Calder Cup with the Charlotte Checkers, amongst many other accolades. If you live in Charlotte and play hockey, or have a family member who plays, be sure to contact him!
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