Spicy Lime Sweet Corn Salad

Combine sweet corn with roasted red peppers, green onions, freshly squeezed lime juice, and a good sprinkling of cotija cheese to get the most amazingly delicious summer salad. Serve at room temperature or slightly warmed to taste the optimum flavour profile.

I prepared this Spicy Lime Sweet Corn Salad a few times and finally got it to where I wanted it a few weeks ago. The photos you see here were actually taken on June 21, 2023, and I’m just getting around to sharing them now. Previously, I had photographed this recipe two or three times and I was never happy with the results. I wish I could explain the process of getting a recipe from the kitchen to the camera. It can be a real challenge, especially when if you have some perfectionist traits as I do.

A couple of weeks ago, I shared my version of a Mexican Street Corn Coleslaw recipe with you. The recipe has gone completely viral, which was a huge surprise to me. I knew the taste was right and we loved the coleslaw, but I was so unhappy with the photographs, the whole post almost ended up in my computer’s trash folder. John.e always encourages me to post recipes despite how I feel about the photos. But, I can’t get past it, because we eat with our eyes first, and I feel very strongly that a delicious recipe deserves to be showcased with great photos.

I’m not tooting my own horn here, but the fact is, I love these photos and this recipe deserves nothing less! I love corn, and when that corn is cooked in a skillet with butter, I love it even more! For this recipe, I wanted to combine some very strong flavours to add complexity, but at the same time, it needed to be budget and family-friendly.

That is why I decided to pair the sweet corn with the sweet smokiness of roasted red peppers. A little bit of hot sauce added some kick. Of course, the hot sauce is optional. I just can’t seem to get enough spicy food lately! Next, I wanted to brighten up the salad and I knew freshly squeezed lime juice would do just that. Adding sliced green onions added freshness, so the only thing left was to add some creaminess and saltiness and that’s where the cheese came in! All in all, Spicy Lime Corn Salad is a winner in my mind – even if it doesn’t go viral!

SPEAKING OF CHEESE…

Let’s talk about cotija! Cotija is an aged Mexican cheese made from cow’s milk and named after the town of Cotija. The cheese is white in colour and has a firm texture. It has a flavour that is both salty and milky. Does that make any sense? When a type of cheese is said to have a milky flavour, it simply means that you can detect the taste of milk. Younger cheeses like mozzarella have a milky flavour, while old or aged cheese does not.

Cotija cheese has been described as being similar to mild feta. Alternatively, an aged cotija is more comparable in flavour to hard, aged cheeses like parmesan. Cotija softens when exposed to heat, but does not melt, so don’t expect to get a cheese pull!

Made in the short time between the summer and fall, this cheese is made with milk from local cattle and is salted before the fermentation process. The manufacturing processes of most cheeses in Mexico are still rustic and traditional. Due to the traditional means of production of dairy products in Mexico, some dairy products have a conflicting shelf-life which leads to earlier expiration. However, some cheese connoisseurs believe that components in the fermentation of cotija are natural preservatives that can extend the shelf-life.

Cotija can be a little pricey, depending on where you live. I paid just over ten dollars for an eight-ounce block. That’s quite costly considering an eight-ounce block of cream cheese is under four dollars. The same amount of feta will come in around six dollars. So, it’s up to you to use either cotija or feta here depending on your personal budget.

HERE IS WHAT YOU WILL NEED TO MAKE THIS RECIPE

The following is a list of the ingredients needed to prepare this recipe. For exact amounts and measurements, refer to the printable recipe card located near the bottom of this post.

• Oil – Normally, I prefer to saute corn in butter, but butter will reharden when cooled. I wanted to avoid that in the salad so opted for oil. You can use olive, canola, avocado oil, etc.
• Corn – You can fresh corn that has been cooked, cooled, and removed from the cob.  Frozen corn that has been cooked and cooled will also work!
• Roasted Red Peppers – You can buy these in a jar or you can make your own at home very easily. Here is my recipe for Roasted Red Peppers.
• Green Onions – These add a delicate onion flavour without overpowering the salad.  They add freshness and colour too.
• Parsley – Just a little bit for freshness, colour, and garnish. You could also use cilantro. I always use parsley instead because I don’t like the taste of cilantro.
• Hot Sauce – This is optional, but a few dashes of your favourite hot sauce is a great addition to this salad.
• Lime Juice – For optimum flavour, use freshly squeezed lime juice. 
• Salt & Ground Black Pepper
• Cayenne Pepper
• Cotija – This is a Mexican cheese which is salty and crumbly much like feta. You can use feta or even parmesan if you cannot locate cotija.

HOW TO MAKE A SPICY LIME SWEET CORN SALAD

Start by preparing the corn.  If you are using fresh corn on the cob, you can cook it as you wish.  Boiling is an option, or if you prefer, you can grill it.  Once cool enough to touch, cut the corn from the cob and set aside.  Alternatively, you can use frozen corn.  Add the frozen corn and oil to a hot skillet over medium-high heat.  Saute the corn until thoroughly heated through. Remove the corn from the heat and allow it to cool.

Once the corn has cooled, add all of the ingredients to a mixing bowl and toss well to coat.  Serve immediately. If you are preparing this salad ahead of time, mix everything together except the lime juice.  Cover well and refrigerate until ready to serve.  Add the lime juice, toss well, and serve.

ROASTED RED PEPPERS

Roasted Red Peppers are a versatile condiment, ingredient, and topping. The ways to use Roasted Red Peppers and endless, and making your own is both easy and fun! If you don’t grow your own, buy a bunch when they’re on sale and make your own roasted peppers at home!

There are very few recipes that require you to burn food.  Roasted Red Peppers require just that! And, with the help of a very hot oven, and a little patience, you can have homemade Roasted Red Peppers any time you want! If you don’t want to heat up your home, you can char the peppers outside on your grill as well.

Near the end of summer, patiently wait until you see locally grown red bell peppers go on sale.  They’re never really expensive at any time of the year, but I love a sale! I grow my own peppers in my garden. Just yesterday, I took a closer look at the little bushes growing in one of my raised garden beds. They’re loaded with both little green balls, which will grow into bright red bell peppers. There are also a lot of flowers still, so I’m hopeful for a nice harvest.

If you are not inclined to make Roasted Red Peppers at home, the kind you buy at the store in jars is perfectly fine.  In fact, I use jarred roasted red peppers many times during the winter months when I can’t buy local red bell peppers, or if I’m in a big hurry. Be sure to read my recipe here if you feel like making your own. It’s fast and easy and the flavour is out of this world!

TIPS AND TRICKS

This salad will store quite well and will keep fresh for two to three days in your refrigerator. If stored, before serving, toss the salad well, because salad tends to settle after a while.

You can make it a day or two in advance without compromising the texture or the flavour.  Even though I am a huge advocate for making things ahead of time, I would not make this salad more than 48 hours before I was planning to serve it.  Lastly, do not add the fresh lime juice until just before serving. The freshness of lime juice can change dramatically for the worse over time. It’s best to avoid that by leaving it out until you are ready to eat.