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Esquites (Warm Mexican Corn Salad)
Esquites (Warm Mexican Corn Salad)
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Prep Time:
10 minutes
Cook Time:
30 minutes
Total Time:
40 minutes
Delicious Mexican warm corn salad bursting with sweet and savory flavors. Fresh or frozen corn both work great!
Ingredients:
  • 6 ears fresh sweet corn, shucked
  • 4 tablespoons (56g) salted butter
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • 1 dry bay leaf
  • 1 tablespoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
  • 2 cups water
  • 1/2 cup mayonnaise
  • 1/4 cup ground ancho chiles or Tajín , divided
  • 4 limes, divided
  • 7 ounces (about 200g) grated queso fresco or cotija cheese
  • 1 cup chopped cilantro leaves and tender stems
  • 3/4 cup (about 200g) sour cream
  • Cholula hot sauce, to taste
Instructions:
  • Prepare the corn by standing a shucked ear of corn upright in a large bowl. Carefully slice off the kernels using a sharp knife, allowing them to collect at the bottom of the bowl. Repeat with the remaining ears of corn, discarding all but 2 cobs which will be added while cooking.
  • Prepare the corn: In a large saucepan over medium heat, melt butter. Add corn, reserved cobs, garlic, bay leaf, and salt. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring continuously. Pour in 2 cups of water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover with a lid, and simmer for 25 minutes until corn is cooked through.
  • Flavor the esquites: Take the saucepan off the heat. Remove and discard the garlic, bay leaf, and cobs. Mix in mayo, 2 tablespoons ground ancho chili, juice of 2 limes, half of the queso fresco, and cilantro. Adjust seasoning with additional salt, if needed.
  • To serve the esquites, transfer the corn with the cooking liquid into individual bowls. Arrange the toppings (crema, ground chile, lime, queso fresco, and hot sauce) on the side for customization. For my serving, I add a dollop of crema and queso fresco, a sprinkle of ground chile, a squeeze of lime, and a few dashes of hot sauce. Store any leftovers tightly covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. When reheating, warm in a saucepan on medium heat for 5 to 6 minutes or microwave for about 1 minute. Freeze leftovers for up to 1 month and thaw completely in the fridge before reheating. If you enjoyed this recipe, please leave a star rating below!

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