Mexican Street Corn Shrimp Salad

This Mexican Street Corn Shrimp Salad combines juicy shrimp, smoky corn, avocado, crunchy vegetables, Cotija cheese, and a creamy lime-Tajín dressing. It has all of those flavors I love from Mexican street corn, but turned into a fresh, filling salad that you can make in about 20 minutes.

If you’re looking for an easy summer dinner, this is such a good one. It’s creamy, smoky, a little spicy, and packed with protein, but still feels light enough to eat when it’s 90 degrees outside and you have absolutely no interest in turning on the oven.

You can eat this shrimp elote salad straight from the bowl, serve it over chopped romaine, scoop it up with tortilla chips, or turn it into tacos. Honestly, I don’t think there’s a wrong way to eat it.

Jump to:

• Why you will love this recipe
• What Is Elote?
• Mexican Street Corn Shrimp Salad Ingredients
• How to Make Mexican Street Corn Shrimp Salad
• Substitutions
• Mexican Street Corn Shrimp Salad Variations
• How to Store Shrimp Elote Salad
• Frequently Asked Questions About Shrimp Elote Salad
• Mexican Street Corn Shrimp Salad

Why you will love this recipe

Versatile: This can be a salad, taco filling, appetizer, or even a dip with tortilla chips. You can also add romaine, black beans, or rice if you want to bulk it up.

Full of flavor: Lime, Tajín, chili powder, smoked paprika, cilantro, Cotija, and smoky corn give you a ton of flavor without needing a huge ingredient list.

Hearty: Shrimp adds plenty of protein, while avocado, corn, and the creamy Greek yogurt dressing make this much more filling than your average chopped salad.

Kid Friendly: Leave out the jalapeño and serve the Tajín on the side if you’re making this for kids. You can also let everyone build their own bowl or tacos.

Perfect for Warm Weather: This Mexican shrimp salad was basically made for spring and summer. It’s fresh and satisfying without being heavy, and you can make the entire thing without turning on the oven.

Great for a Crowd: The recipe makes about four main-dish servings, but it’s incredibly easy to double for a barbecue, pool party, or summer dinner.

What Is Elote?

Elote is Mexican street corn that’s traditionally served on the cob with a creamy mixture of mayonnaise or crema, lime, chile, and cheese.

If you’ve ever had it, you already understand why I want those flavors on everything.

There’s also esquites, which takes similar flavors and serves the corn off the cob in a cup or bowl. This recipe is really inspired by those flavors rather than being a traditional elote recipe. I’m adding shrimp, avocado, cucumber, bell pepper, and a Greek yogurt dressing to turn everything into a full meal.

The result is somewhere between an elote shrimp salad, Mexican shrimp salad, and chopped summer salad, and I’m very okay with that. If you want the classic version, try my Mexican Corn Recipe (Elote Mexicano).

Mexican Street Corn Shrimp Salad Ingredients

You’ll only need a few simple ingredients to make this recipe. The exact measurements are listed in the recipe card below. Here’s an overview of what you’ll need:

• Shrimp: I use cooked, peeled and deveined shrimp because it makes this recipe ridiculously easy. If you have raw shrimp, you can absolutely cook your own first.
• Corn: Fresh grilled corn is amazing here because you get those smoky, charred edges. Frozen fire-roasted corn is my favorite shortcut and works really well too.
• English cucumber: This gives the salad that fresh crunch. English cucumbers also have thin skin, so there’s no need to peel them.
• Red bell pepper: Sweet, crunchy, and great for adding color.
• Red onion: Finely dice this so you get a little bit in every bite without completely overpowering the salad.
• Cilantro: One of my favorite herbs and pretty much mandatory here.
• Jalapeño: Optional, depending on how spicy you want the salad.
• Avocado: Adds creaminess and makes the salad more substantial.
• Greek yogurt: I use nonfat Greek yogurt as the base of the elote-inspired dressing. It keeps everything creamy while adding some extra protein.
• Mayonnaise: You only need a little. It gives the dressing that classic richness you expect from Mexican street corn.
• Lime: Fresh lime juice makes a huge difference here.
• Garlic: I grate one clove directly into the dressing so it distributes evenly.
• Chili powder and smoked paprika: These add smokiness and a little heat.
• Tajín: I put Tajin in the dressing AND sprinkle more on top because obviously.
• Cotija cheese: Salty, crumbly, and the perfect finishing touch.

See recipe card for quantities.

How to Make Mexican Street Corn Shrimp Salad

Top tip: Get some color on your corn! Those charred edges add so much smoky flavor and give the salad more of that Mexican street corn flavor. If you’re using frozen corn, cook it in a hot skillet for a few minutes instead of simply warming it through.

Substitutions

This shrimp and corn salad is very forgiving, so use what you have.

If you don’t eat shrimp, grilled chicken would be my first substitution. For a vegetarian version, leave out the shrimp and add black beans.

Can’t find Cotija? Feta is a great substitute because it’s similarly salty and crumbly. Queso fresco works too, although it’s milder.

You can use sour cream instead of Greek yogurt if that’s what you have. The dressing will be slightly richer and won’t have quite as much protein.

Mexican Street Corn Shrimp Salad Variations

This salad is really easy to make your own. For more heat, add an extra jalapeño, a little hot sauce, or a pinch of cayenne to the dressing. If you want some crunch, top it with crushed tortilla chips or even Flamin’ Hot Cheetos right before serving. You can also add black beans to make it more filling, chopped romaine to turn it into a bigger salad, or mango or pineapple for a sweet and spicy twist. And if you have leftovers, throw everything into warm corn tortillas with extra Cotija and lime for easy shrimp elote tacos.

What to Serve with Mexican Street Corn Shrimp Salad

This Mexican Street Corn Shrimp Salad is definitely filling enough to eat on its own, but if you’re making a bigger spread, there are so many good options. Serve it with my  ⁠Chipotle Black Beans or  ⁠Chipotle Rice for an easy Mexican-inspired dinner. You could also add my ⁠Traditional Guacamole with tortilla chips on the side.

If you’re serving this for a summer dinner or barbecue, I’d make a pitcher of ⁠Mango Jalapeño Margaritas or Tamarind Margaritas. And for dessert, my ⁠Easy Key Lime Pie would be so good after this.

How to Store Shrimp Elote Salad

Store leftover Mexican Street Corn Shrimp Salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2–3 days.

The vegetables will gradually soften once they’re mixed with the dressing, so it’s definitely best the first day.

I don’t recommend freezing this recipe. Cucumber and avocado don’t hold up particularly well after freezing and thawing, and the creamy dressing can separate.

Frequently Asked Questions About Shrimp Elote Salad

What dressing goes best with shrimp salad?

For this shrimp salad, I love a creamy lime dressing made with Greek yogurt, mayonnaise, fresh lime, garlic, chili powder, smoked paprika, and Tajín. The acidity from the lime works especially well with shrimp.

Can I use frozen corn for Mexican Street Corn Shrimp Salad?

Absolutely. Frozen fire-roasted corn is actually one of my favorite shortcuts. Regular frozen corn works too—cook it in a hot skillet for a few minutes to give it some color.

Can I use frozen shrimp?

Yes. Thaw the shrimp completely and pat them dry before adding them to the salad. Make sure you’re using fully cooked shrimp or cook raw shrimp before assembling the salad.

Is elote shrimp salad spicy?

It doesn’t have to be. Leave out the jalapeño for a mild version. If you like spice, keep the jalapeño seeds in or add hot sauce.

What can I substitute for Cotija cheese?

Feta is my favorite substitute for Cotija because it has a similar salty, crumbly texture. Queso fresco is another option.

Can I make Mexican Street Corn Shrimp Salad ahead of time?

Yes. You can make the dressing and prep most of the vegetables ahead of time, but I’d wait to add the avocado and dressing until you’re ready to serve. This keeps everything fresh and prevents the salad from getting watery.

Can I turn this into shrimp tacos?

Absolutely, and I highly recommend it. Spoon the salad into warmed corn tortillas and finish with Cotija, cilantro, lime, and hot sauce.

Print