Easy Mexican Street Corn Potato Salad for Cookouts and Weeknight Dinners
This Mexican street corn potato salad is one of my favorite things to make for a cookout or anytime I’m craving something creamy and tangy. It has roasted corn, soft golden potatoes, lime, mayo, scallions, cotija cheese, and a little chili powder on top.
It’s like elote turned into a potato salad — and honestly, I think it’s the perfect side dish for a cookout. I’ve made this for family dinners and summer gatherings, and it always disappears fast.
Why I Love This Recipe
- It tastes like elote but with soft potatoes and a creamy dressing.
- It comes together quickly and can be made ahead.
- It’s easy to double if I’m making it for a group.
Prep First
- Scrub and halve the potatoes.
- Boil until fork-tender, then drain and let steam dry.
- Thinly slice the scallions.
- Chop the cilantro.
- Crumble the cheese.
- Slice the jalapeños (leave the seeds if you want heat).
- Cut the limes and get your dressing ingredients measured.
What You’ll Need (With Subs)
- Baby yellow potatoes — or Yukon Golds cut into chunks
- Frozen organic sweet corn — extra sweet or frozen sweet corn on the cob (available year round)
- Sour cream — or Mexican crema
- Mayo — just a little for richness, try this homemade avocado oil based mayo recipe
- Fresh lime juice — for acid
- Scallions — or red onion, finely chopped
- Jalapeños — or serrano if you want it hotter
- Cilantro — flat-leaf parsley works if needed
- Cotija or queso fresco — crumbled
- Chili powder or smoked paprika — for dusting
- Salt
How to Make This Mexican Street Corn Potato Salad
- Boil the halved potatoes in well salted water until they’re fork-tender — not falling apart — then drain and let them steam dry in the colander.
- While the potatoes cook, place a skillet over medium heat. Pour in the frozen sweet corn kernels straight from the bag — no need to thaw. Cook for 8–9 minutes, stirring every couple of minutes, until the corn is cooked through and golden in spots. If you want it more browned, turn the heat up for the last 2 minutes and stir less often.
- In a mixing bowl, stir together the sour cream, mayo, lime juice, and salt until smooth.
- Add the warm potatoes and gently toss until they’re coated in the dressing.
- Add the cooked corn, scallions, jalapeños, and chopped cilantro. Mix everything gently — don’t mash the potatoes.
- Crumble the cheese over the top and dust with chili powder or smoked paprika.
- Serve warm or chilled, with lime wedges on the side.
Helpful Tips
Time saver – no need to thaw the corn — it cooks straight from frozen in about 8–9 minutes.
Baby yellow potatoes hold their shape and soak up the dressing best.
Don’t skip the lime — it cuts through the richness of the dressing.
If you want extra flavor, cook the corn over higher heat at the end to get some browning.
Add the cheese at the end so it stays crumbly and doesn’t melt into the mix.
How I Like to Serve It
I serve this cold or room temp, depending on the day. It goes great with anything grilled, especially chicken or steak. Sometimes I’ll make it a little spicy with extra chili powder or hot sauce on top. If I have leftovers, I eat them straight from the fridge — no shame.
What to Serve With a Potato Salad
These recipes from the blog pair perfectly with this potato salad:
- Grilled chicken and cilantro-lime rice bowl, for an easy summer dinner.
- I love this potato salad with these chimichurri chicken thighs
If You Like This Then You’ll Love
- Easy citrusy Cuban mojo chicken rice bowl, with bold citrus flavor and marinated grilled chicken.
- 20-minute simple black bean pasta salad, another good option for warm-weather meals.
- Cucumber feta salad with lemon greek vinaigrette, for a crunchy, cool side.
The Best Mexican Street Corn Potato Salad
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Prep: Scrub and halve the potatoes, slice the scallions and jalapeño, chop the cilantro, and crumble the cheese.
- Boil the potatoes in salted water for 12–15 minutes until fork-tender, then drain and let them steam out.
- While the potatoes cook, place a skillet over medium heat and add the frozen corn straight from the bag.
- Cook the corn for 8–9 minutes, stirring every couple of minutes, until cooked through and golden in spots; turn up the heat for the last 2 minutes if you want browning.
- In a large bowl, stir together the sour cream, mayo, lime juice, and salt until smooth.
- Add the warm potatoes and gently toss to coat them in the dressing.
- Add the cooked corn, scallions, jalapeño, and chopped cilantro, and mix again gently.
- Top with crumbled cheese and dust with chili powder or smoked paprika.
- Serve warm or chilled with lime wedges on the side.
