Creamy Corn Salad Jalapeño (Printable View)

Vibrant salad blending sweet corn, fresh vegetables, and a creamy, tangy jalapeño dressing.

# What You’ll Need:

→ Vegetables

01 - 4 cups fresh corn kernels (about 5 ears) or frozen, thawed
02 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
03 - 1/2 cup red bell pepper, diced
04 - 1/4 cup red onion, finely diced
05 - 1 jalapeño, seeded and finely chopped
06 - 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped

→ Dressing

07 - 1/3 cup mayonnaise
08 - 1/4 cup sour cream
09 - 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
10 - 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
11 - 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
12 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
13 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

# How To Make It:

01 - If using fresh corn, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add corn kernels and cook for 2–3 minutes until just tender. Drain and let cool.
02 - In a large mixing bowl, combine the corn, cherry tomatoes, red bell pepper, red onion, jalapeño, and cilantro.
03 - In a separate small bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, sour cream, lime juice, cumin, smoked paprika, salt, and black pepper.
04 - Pour the dressing over the vegetable mixture and toss until everything is evenly coated.
05 - Taste and adjust seasoning as needed. Chill for at least 30 minutes for best flavor, or serve immediately.
06 - Garnish with extra cilantro before serving, if desired.

# Best Practices:

01 -
  • It comes together in 25 minutes flat, which means weeknight dinners suddenly feel less stressful.
  • The creamy dressing clings to every kernel without being heavy, so you can actually eat seconds without feeling weighed down.
  • It gets better as it sits, so you can make it ahead and let the flavors get cozy with each other.
02 -
  • The dressing needs fresh lime juice to shine—bottled lime juice will make it taste flat and somehow sad, and you'll wonder why it's not as good as it should be.
  • Pat your corn completely dry if you thawed frozen corn, because excess moisture will dilute the dressing and make the whole thing watery by serving time.
03 -
  • If you're grilling corn, char it hard before cutting off the kernels—the caramelized bits add a complexity that pushes this from side dish to showstopper.
  • Taste the dressing before you pour it over everything; it should make your mouth want to keep tasting it, and that's how you know it's right.
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