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Just when you thought our ultra delicious Mexican grilled corn salad couldn’t get any better, we went and added jalapeno and bacon! You. are. welcome!
Last summer all of our summer corn recipes like, elote, how to grill corn, elote pasta salad were our most popular posts. So rather than trying to reinvent the wheel, we just took that perfect wheel and gave it some bling…bacon and jalapeno bling. It’s so pretty!
Table of Contents
- What is Elote?
- What is Crema?
- Is Corn Good for You?
- Can You Use Canned Corn Instead of Fresh Corn?
- Is Red Onion Mild?
- Will Jalapenos Give You Heartburn?
- How to Make Elote Mexican Corn Salad with Jalapeno and Bacon
- What We are Serving as a Main Dish
- More CORN RECIPES You Are Sure to Love:
- Watch How This Salad is Made…
- Jalapeno Bacon Elote Mexican Grilled Corn Salad Recipe
We have several elote Mexican street corn recipes on the blog that blow up every summer. From the traditional Mexican street corn to elote Mexican corn grilled pizza, we keep finding new twists and spins to put on this delicious side dish. We just can’t help ourselves!
What is Elote?
Elote is a mexican street corn that is grilled and smothered in Mexican Crema or mayonnaise, sprinkled with Cotija (a dry Mexican cheese), smoky chili powder or smoked paprika, fresh cilantro and lime juice. My mouth is watering right now just typing all those ingredients out. Hubba hubba…get in my belly!
What is Crema?
Crema is the Mexican version of French crème fraîche, a little bit tangy and creamy. It is slightly soured and thickened cream, milder and less thick than American sour cream. The flavor is a lot more mild in my opinion and a touch buttery when served on grilled corn. You will find it in the meat and Mexican ingredients section of your grocery store. If you can’t find Mexican crema, you can use mayonnaise as a substitute, but try your darnedest to find the crema.
Is Corn Good for You?
While corn is high in carbs, it is packed with fiber, vitamins and minerals. It’s also low in protein and fat. There is a lot of talk out there about corn being good or bad for you. I just stick with my rule of thumb…balance in all things. Too much of anything is not good. But grilled corn in this Mexican corn salad is fantastic!
Can You Use Canned Corn Instead of Fresh Corn?
Nothing is going to replace the flavor of fresh corn, but if you’re craving this in the dead of winter, I would go with frozen corn before using canned. Frozen corn has a more similar flavor and texture to fresh corn. I would give it a good saute in some olive oil to get some grill marks on the corn.
We have a whole post on how to freeze corn, so you could even plan ahead to have frozen corn all year round.
Is Red Onion Mild?
Of all the different varieties of onions, red onions are one of the more mild options. This is why you often see them in dishes where they are served raw.
Will Jalapenos Give You Heartburn?
Any type of spicy food has the potential to cause heartburn. Peppers affect people differently. They contain capsaicin which is what makes them spicy. If you are prone to heartburn, there is a good chance that jalapenos will aggravate your esophagus and/or intestines.
How to Make Elote Mexican Corn Salad with Jalapeno and Bacon
You all loved our elote grilled Mexican corn salad, so we logically started thinking about ways to make it even better. And when we thinking about making things better, we often turn to bacon. It makes all things better. It makes life better!
We also wanted to add a little heat, so we went with some fresh jalapeno. The combination of crunchy bacon and spicy jalapeno give this Mexican corn salad all the flavor you could ever dream of. Here are the steps:
- Corn – husk the corn, boil it for 10 minutes, dry it as much as you can, grill it while turning frequently to get grill marks, allow to cool for 10 minutes, cut corn from the cobs, combine with the red onion and chopped fresh cilantro
- Dressing – combine all the ingredients for the dressing (crema, lime juice, cumin, chili powder, garlic salt, and pepper), add it to the corn mixture and give it all a good stir
- Toppings – this is where we add the bling! Sprinkle the cooked bacon and diced jalapenos all over the salad and serve immediately or store in the refrigerator until ready to serve
This is a great side dish for any Mexican dish, or as a lunch with your friends! Mexican corn salad with that creamy lime dressing and added jalapenos and bacon is going to be your new favorite this summer!
What We are Serving as a Main Dish
Want to know what we are serving with this corn? This week It’s Instant Pot Short Ribs!
More CORN RECIPES You Are Sure to Love:
- Secret the the Best Grilled Corn
- Elote Mexican Corn Pasta Salad
- Slow Cooker Potato Broccoli Corn Chowder with Bacon
- Cheesy Zucchini Corn Casserole
- Elote Grilled Mexican Corn Salad
- Grilled Corn Avocado Tomato Salad
- Bacon Ranch Corn Dip
- Ham and Potato Corn Chowder
- Fiesta Corn
- Ham Sandwich and Corn Chowder
- Best Creamed Corn
- How to Freeze Corn
- Cilantro Butter Corn
- Grilled Corn Salad with Black Beans and Rice
- All our SIDE DISHES here!
Watch How This Salad is Made…
Jalapeno Bacon Elote Mexican Grilled Corn Salad
Ingredients
- 8 Ears Corn
- 2/3 Cup Mexican Crema, or Mayonnaise
- 1/2 Cup Lime Juice, about 4 limes
- 1/2 teaspoon Cumin
- 2 teaspoons Chili Powder
- 2 teaspoons Garlic Salt
- Pepper , to taste
- 1/4 Red Onion, Chopped
- 2 Tablespoons Cilantro, Chopped
- 2 Jalapenos, minced
- 1 Pound Bacon, cooked and chopped
- 3/4 Cup Cotija Cheese
Instructions
- Heat a grill to High Heat.
- In a large pot, add the husked corn and fill with water. Cook about 10 minutes, drain.8 Ears Corn
- Place the corn on the grill, turning each time charred marks appear and remove from the heat.
- Allow to cool for about 10 minutes and cut the kernels off of the corn.
- In a bowl, whisk together the crema, lime juice and seasonings. Stir in all remaining ingredients and chill or serve immediately.2/3 Cup Mexican Crema, 1/2 Cup Lime Juice, 1/2 teaspoon Cumin, 2 teaspoons Chili Powder, 2 teaspoons Garlic Salt, Pepper , 1/4 Red Onion, 2 Tablespoons Cilantro, 2 Jalapenos, 1 Pound Bacon, 3/4 Cup Cotija Cheese
Recipe Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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Hi, if I don’t have corn on the cob, how much frozen corn should I use ? Thank you .
Hi Sandi! One cob yields about 1/2 – 3/4 cup of corn so 4-6 cups of frozen should work great. Enjoy!
I made this recipe and accidentally forgot to add the spices- chili powder, garlic salt, cumin, and pepper. We ate one helping without spices and then added spices and ate second helping. We all agreed it tasted more tangy and fresh without the spice.
That is very interesting! I love the feedback! I bet it would taste super bright and fresh!
Love this recipe! But when I’m in a rush, what would be a substitute for grilling & cutting the kernels off the cob?
Thank you Natalie! You could use frozen corn and cook and grill them on the stove top in a grill pan.
I love your recipes and save them by pinning them on Pinterest but for the last few weeks, I have been unable to pin them because the images do not transfer. I have not changed anything I am doing so I don’t know what the problem is. Has anyone else told you they have this problem?
Yes, a few people have told us the same thing. I can’t figure out what is going on because we have kept everything the same on our end. I am so sorry for the frustration! Try this link: https://www.pinterest.com/pin/412431278378966161/