Smoky Black Bean Street Corn Salad
A fast street-corn inspired salad with black beans, charred corn, lime, and cotija, perfect as a side or scoopable snack.
Prep: 12 · Cook: 8 · Total: 20 · Serves: 6 · Difficulty: Easy · Rating: 4.6/5 (121 reviews)
INSPIRED BY
Elote (Mexican street corn) — Mexico
Inspired by elote flavors, but designed for the home kitchen with a quick skillet char and pantry black beans.
Story
I make this when I want something bright on the table but I do not want to turn dinner into a whole project. Corn, beans, and a creamy lime dressing feel like a shortcut to a cookout, even if you are just eating at the counter. It is also one of those sides that somehow disappears before you can pack leftovers. If you are feeding picky eaters, serve the chips on the side and let everyone build their own.
By Casey
Ingredients
- 3 cups corn kernels (fresh, frozen, or canned and drained)
- 1 tbsp neutral oil
- 1 (15 oz) can black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1/3 cup mayonnaise
- 2 tbsp sour cream or plain yogurt
- 1 lime, zested and juiced
- 1/2 tsp chili powder
- 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
- 1/4 tsp ground cumin
- 1/2 cup crumbled cotija or feta
- 1/4 cup chopped cilantro
- 2 scallions, sliced
- Salt and black pepper
- Tortilla chips, for serving (optional)
Instructions
- Heat a skillet over medium-high and add oil. Add corn and cook, stirring occasionally, until lightly charred in spots, 6 to 8 minutes.
- In a large bowl, whisk mayonnaise, sour cream, lime zest, lime juice, chili powder, smoked paprika, and cumin. Season with a pinch of salt.
- Add black beans to the bowl, then add the warm corn. Toss to coat so the dressing clings.
- Fold in cotija, cilantro, and scallions. Taste and adjust salt, pepper, and lime.
- Let it sit 5 minutes so flavors settle, then give it one more stir.
- Serve as a side, or set out with tortilla chips for scooping.
Chef Tips
- Frozen corn chars nicely, just thaw and pat dry first.
- For extra heat, add a pinch of cayenne or a chopped jalapeño.
- This tastes even better after 30 minutes in the fridge.
- Use it as a taco filling with shredded lettuce and hot sauce.
Cook's Notes
- **Corn options:** Fresh off the cob is great, frozen is the easiest, canned works if you drain it well.
- **Cheese swap:** Cotija is classic, feta is the easiest substitute.
- **Make ahead:** Hold the cheese until serving if making it more than a few hours ahead.