Mexican Street Corn Dense Bean Salad

Name: Mexican Street Corn Dense Bean Salad
Prep time: 15 min
Total time: 45 min
Ingredients: 15 oz can chickpeas (drained and rinsed); 15 oz can black beans (drained and rinsed); 2 cups corn (grilled off the cob, or 1 can fire-roasted corn, drained); 1 cup shelled edamame (thawed if frozen); 1 medium red bell pepper (finely diced); 1 medium jalapeño (finely diced (seeds removed to taste)); ½ small red onion (finely diced); ⅓ cup fresh cilantro (chopped); ⅓ cup cotija cheese (crumbled); 3 tablespoons mayonnaise; 3 tablespoons Mexican crema (or sour cream); 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar; 1 medium lime (juiced and zested); 2 cloves garlic (finely minced); ½ teaspoons chipotle chili powder (or regular chili powder); ½ teaspoons fine sea salt; ½ teaspoons black pepper

By Brita Britnell

May 04, 2026

No ratings yet

No Comments

Servings: 6 servings

45 minutes

This Mexican Street Corn Dense Bean Salad is a high-protein twist on classic elote! It's creamy, zesty, and hearty enough to enjoy as a full meal or side dish!

Jump to Recipe ▼

mexican street corn dense bean salad in a large bowl filled with chickpeas, pinto beans, edamame, and fresh veggies topped with cotija

This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.

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.

ingredients laid out that are needed to make a street corn dressing including sour cream, mayo, lime juice and zest, chili powder, and garlic

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 :)

street corn salad veggies in a large bowl for dense beans salad including corn, beans, cilantro, jalapeno, red onion, and edamame

Add all of the veggies to a large bowl.

creamy street corn dressing in a measuring cup

Whisk together the dressing and pour it on top of the veggies. Toss to coat and enjoy!

street corn salad veggies in a large bowl for dense beans salad including corn, beans, cilantro, jalapeno, red onion, and edamame. Topped with a cream dressing drizzled over the top

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

About Brita Britnell

Brita is the author of Food with Feeling which is a vegetarian based food blog. She creates easy and delicious recipes that encourage people to try more meat-free recipes!