This Mexican Street Corn Dense Bean Salad takes everything you love about classic elote- creamy, tangy, and a little smoky – and turns it into something way more filling. It’s fresh, flavorful, and hearty enough to actually count as a meal!
Love a good bean salad? You need to try our Mediterranean Dense Bean Salad recipe as well as our protein packed Edamame Salad and our Avocado Black Bean Salad!
Why you’ll love this flavor packed dense bean salad!
If you’ve been around for any amount of time then you’ll know that my obsession with Street Corn runs DEEP! It started with my classic elote. Then moved on to my Street Corn Salad and eventually Street Corn pasta salad. At this point, I have around 10 street corn recipes on the blog and so many more ideas 🙂
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Actually filling thanks to beans + edamame
Perfect balance of creamy, tangy, and smoky flavors
Works as a side OR a full meal
Great for meal prep—it holds up really well
Made with simple ingredients you likely already have
Ingredients needed
The ingredients for this recipe are listed fully down in the recipe card but let’s briefly go over the pantry staples needed including a few substitutions you can make as desired!
For the Salad:
Chickpeas. Adds creaminess and plant-based protein—white beans also work.
Black beans. Hearty and classic in flavor.
Corn. Grilled corn adds the best flavor, but fire-roasted canned works great.
Shelled edamame. Boosts protein and adds a subtle sweetness. You could leave this out as desired or replace it with other beans.
Red bell pepper. Crunch and color.
Jalapeño. Adds a little heat—adjust to taste.
Red onion. Sharp bite that balances the creamy dressing (green onion works too).
Fresh cilantro. Bright, herby freshness.
Cotija cheese. Salty, crumbly finish—feta is a great substitute.
For the Dressing:
Mayonnaise. Creates that classic creamy street corn base.
Mexican crema or sour cream. Adds tang and richness.
Red wine vinegar. Brightens everything up.
Lime juice + zest. Essential for fresh, citrusy flavor.
Garlic. Adds depth and punch.
Chipotle chili powder. Smoky heat (or use regular chili powder).
Salt + black pepper. Enhances all the flavors.
How to Make It
Just a reminder that you can find the FULL written recipe down in the recipe card, but I want to quickly go over how to make them with visuals for you 🙂
Add all of the veggies to a large bowl.
Whisk together the dressing and pour it on top of the veggies. Toss to coat and enjoy!
Recipe Tips
Let it chill for at least 30 minutes—flavor gets so much better
Grill your corn if possible for that authentic street corn flavor
Dice everything small so you get a little of everything in each bite
Taste and adjust lime + salt before serving
Add avocado right before serving for extra creaminess
Mexican Street Corn Dense Bean Salad
Ingredients
For the Salad
15 oz can chickpeas drained and rinsed15 oz can black beans drained and rinsed2 cups corn grilled off the cob, or 1 can fire-roasted corn, drained1 cup shelled edamame thawed if frozen1 medium red bell pepper finely diced1 medium jalapeño finely diced (seeds removed to taste)½ small red onion finely diced⅓ cup fresh cilantro chopped⅓ cup cotija cheese crumbled
For the dressing
3 tablespoons mayonnaise3 tablespoons Mexican crema or sour cream2 tablespoons red wine vinegar1 medium lime juiced and zested2 cloves garlic finely minced½ teaspoons chipotle chili powder or regular chili powder½ teaspoons fine sea salt½ teaspoons black pepper
Instructions
Notes
For the corn: Grilled corn off the cob gives the best flavor — grill 4 ears at 400°F for about 12 minutes, turning every 3 minutes. In a pinch, one 15 oz can of fire-roasted corn works great and keeps this completely no-cook.
Bean swap: Black beans keep it in the Mexican flavor profile, but cannellini or pinto would also work well. You can leave out the edamame or swap it for other beans as desired.
Make it vegan: Swap mayo and crema for vegan versions, and use vegan feta in place of cotija.
Nutrition
The post Mexican Street Corn Dense Bean Salad appeared first on Food with Feeling.