Tender potatoes, grilled sweet corn, poblanos, onion & cilantro all tossed in a smoky chili lime dressing & sprinkled with cotija cheese! This Mexican street corn potato salad is a fun spin on a classic & the perfect side dish for summer!
Mexican street corn meets classic potato salad! OMG I never thought I’d love a side dish more! This salad has all the best flavors of elote and potato salad combined into one! Smoky, salty, tangy, creamy and everything in between! It’s loaded with fresh ingredients like grilled sweet corn, baby potatoes, poblanos and cilantro all tossed in a super simple homemade chili lime dressing! You’ve never had a potato salad quite like this one – and after one bite, you’ll never want to go back!😉
Ingredients For Mexican Street Corn Potato Salad
- Baby potatoes: We love using baby red potatoes for this recipe! (They hold their shape better and won’t fall apart as much after being mixed with the dressing.)
- Corn: Use fresh corn cobs for the best results! (You can cook them using your favorite method – boiled, steamed, grilled, etc.)
- Poblano peppers: You’ll need 2 poblano peppers for this potato salad. (Some grocery stores call them pasilla peppers/chiles.)
- Green onion: We’re using the whole green onion (green & white parts) for this recipe!
- Cilantro: Use the leaves and stems for maximum flavor! (The stems are where all the flavor is at!)
- Cotija cheese: An essential ingredient for any Mexican street corn recipe!
- Sour cream: Used as the base of your dressing!
- Mayonnaise: We’re only using a ¼ cup in the dressing to give it a traditional Mexican street corn feel!
- Lime juice: Always use fresh lime juice for this recipe! (Most store bought juices have additives in them that can make the juice sweeter and alter it’s flavor.)
- Spices: Chili powder, salt and black pepper go into the dressing and a pinch of chipotle chili powder gets sprinkled over the top!
How To Make Mexican Street Corn Potato Salad
- Boil your potatoes. Place your potatoes in a large pot and add enough water to cover them. Then cover the pot and bring it to a boil. Boil your potatoes for 15-20 minutes or until they pierce easily with a knife. Then remove them from the pot and allow them to cool until they’re easier to handle. Cut them into bite-sized pieces and place them in a large bowl.
- Cook your corn & poblanos. Cook the corn using your favorite method. Then cut the kernels off each corn cob and add them to bowl with your potatoes. Next deseed your poblano peppers and cut them into bite-sized pieces. Sauté them until just tender (about 2 minutes) then add them to the bowl.
- Make your dressing. Whisk you sour cream, mayo, lime juice, chili powder, salt and pepper together. Then keep it stored in the fridge while you prepare the rest of your salad.
- Mix & chill. Add your chopped green onion, cilantro and crumbled cotija cheese to the bowl with your potatoes and pour your dressing over the top. Toss the salad until it’s coated to your liking then cover it and let it chill in the fridge for at least 20 minutes – 1 hour.
- Serve! Once the salad has chilled, sprinkled a pinch of ancho chipotle powder over the top and serve immediately. (Or serve the chipotle powder on the side.)
Make it a warm potato salad! We usually prefer eating this salad cold but it can also be served warm or at room temperature! (Since traditional Mexican street corn is served warm, serving your potato salad this way gives it a more “authentic” feel.) The choice is yours!
Variations
- Grill your corn for extra smoky flavor!
- Not a fan of cotija? Replace it with feta cheese or parmesan instead!
- Add bacon bits!
- If the dressing is too tangy – only use 2 tablespoons of lime juice.
This Mexican potato salad would be a great addition to any summer bbq, potluck or dinner party!
Storing
To store, place your leftover potato salad in an airtight container and keep it stored in the fridge. It should stay good for up to 5 days if stored correctly.
Quick Tip: Save some of your dressing (or make another half batch) to toss your leftovers in when you eat it next. (Potatoes have a tendency to soak up the dressing the longer the salad sits.)
FAQ’s
- How do I know when my potatoes are done cooking? They should be soft, tender and pierce easily with a knife. Larger potatoes may take longer to cook. (About 20-25 minutes) To lessen the cooking time, we’ll usually cut our potatoes in half or quarter them depending on their size.
- Can I make this potato salad in advance? Yes! We prefer making this salad at least 1 day before serving it to let the flavors meld together.
- Is Mexican street corn potato salad served warm or cold? It can be served both ways! You can chill the salad before serving it or serve it right after you’re done mixing!
Why you’ll love this Mexican street corn potato salad recipe!
- Not your average potato salad! This one’s loaded with fresh corn, peppers & lots of Mexican herbs & spices! It’s a fun and smoky spin on classic potato salad!
- Easy to customize! Love cilantro? Add another handful! Too much corn? Use 2 cobs instead of 3! This recipe is so easy to tailor to your personal preferences!
- Perfect for parties & potlucks! Full of bright vibrant colors & zesty flavors – your guests are going to love this potato salad! (No need to worry if it sits out for too long either! It tastes just as good served warm or at room temp!)
Need it gluten free? Great news, it already is!
Need it dairy free? Use your favorite dairy free sour cream and omit the cotija cheese!
More side dish recipes you might like:
- Chili Smashed Potatoes with Avocado Chimichurri
- Crispy Cajun Smashed Potatoes with Lemon Garlic Sour Cream Sauce
- Mexican Street Corn Kale Salad
- Summer Corn Salad with Avocado
[Made one of my recipes? Make sure to tag my Instagram @kalefornia_kravings & leave a review in the comments. I love seeing what you create!]
Mexican Street Corn Potato Salad
Tender potatoes, grilled sweet corn, poblanos, onions & cilantro all tossed in a smoky chili lime dressing & sprinkled with cotija cheese! This Mexican street corn potato salad is the perfect side dish for summer!
Servings: 6 servings
Ingredients
For the potato salad:
- 1.5 – 2 lbs. baby red potatoes (cut in half depending on their size)
- 2 poblano peppers, deseeded & diced
- 3 ears of corn, shucked (about 3 cups)
- ½ cup green onion, sliced (green & white parts)
- ¼ cup cilantro, chopped
- ½ cup cotija cheese, crumbled (plus more for serving)
- Ancho chipotle powder, for serving
For the chili lime dressing:
- ½ cup sour cream
- ¼ cup mayo
- 2 Tbsp + 1 tsp lime juice
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp chili powder
- Black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Place your potatoes in a pot and add enough water to cover them. Then cover the pot and bring it to a boil. Boil your potatoes for 15-20 minutes or until they pierce easily with a knife. Once done, remove the potatoes from the pot and discard the water. Allow them to cool until they're easy to handle then cut them into bite-sized pieces and place them in a large bowl.
- Next cook the corn using your favorite method. Then cut the kernels off each corn cob and add them to the bowl with your potatoes. Deseed your poblano peppers and cut them into bite-sized pieces. Then sauté them until just tender (about 2 minutes) and add them to the bowl.
- Next whisk your sour cream, mayo, lime juice, chili powder, salt and pepper together. Set it aside while you prepare the rest of your salad.
- Then add your chopped green onion, cilantro and crumbled cotija cheese to the bowl with your potatoes and pour your desired amount of dressing over the top. Toss the salad until it's coated to your liking then cover it and let it chill in the refrigerator for at least 20 minutes – 1 hour.
- Once the salad has chilled, sprinkled a pinch of chipotle chili powder over the top and serve immediately. (Or serve the chipotle powder on the side.)
Notes
Cooking time for the potatoes may vary & depends on their size. (Larger potatoes may take 20-25 minutes to boil.)
