Mexican Street Corn Rice (Print)

Fluffy rice combined with sweet corn, cotija cheese, and zesty lime for a vibrant side dish.

# What You Need:

→ Grains

01 - 1 cup long-grain white rice
02 - 2 cups water
03 - 1/2 teaspoon salt

→ Vegetables

04 - 1 1/2 cups corn kernels (fresh, canned, or frozen)
05 - 2 green onions, thinly sliced
06 - 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

→ Dairy

07 - 1/2 cup cotija cheese, crumbled

→ Seasonings

08 - 1 teaspoon chili powder
09 - 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika (optional)
10 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

→ Other

11 - 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
12 - 2 tablespoons sour cream
13 - Zest of 1 lime
14 - Juice of 1 lime

# Steps:

01 - Rinse rice under cold water until clear. Combine rice, water, and salt in a medium saucepan. Bring to boil, cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer for 15 minutes until tender and water is absorbed.
02 - In a skillet over medium-high heat, cook corn kernels without oil for 3 to 4 minutes until lightly charred, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat.
03 - Whisk mayonnaise, sour cream, lime zest, lime juice, chili powder, smoked paprika, and black pepper in a large bowl until smooth.
04 - Add cooked rice, charred corn, green onions, and cilantro to the dressing. Toss thoroughly to coat evenly.
05 - Gently fold in crumbled cotija cheese, reserving a small amount for garnish.
06 - Adjust seasoning to taste. Garnish with remaining cotija, extra cilantro, and a sprinkle of chili powder. Serve warm or at room temperature.

# Top Tips:

01 -
  • It comes together in under 40 minutes, which means you can pull it off even on nights when you're running behind.
  • The creamy, tangy sauce keeps it from being just another rice side, turning something ordinary into something people ask you to make again.
  • It tastes equally good warm or at room temperature, so you can prep it ahead without any stress.
02 -
  • Don't skip charring the corn—it seems like an extra step, but those caramelized bits are what separate this from regular corn salad.
  • Mix the warm rice with the sauce right away; cold rice doesn't absorb the flavors the same way, and you lose that creamy, cohesive texture.
  • Cotija can be salty, so taste before adding more salt to the whole dish—it's easy to oversalt if you're not paying attention.
03 -
  • Make the sauce and chop your vegetables ahead of time; you can assemble everything in minutes once the rice is done.
  • If you only have regular feta or queso fresco instead of cotija, they'll work, but cotija's specific saltiness and crumbly texture is hard to replicate perfectly.
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