Description
A vibrant and delicious side dish blending sweet corn, crispy beef, sharp cheddar cheese, and a zesty kick from jalapeños, tossed in a creamy ranch dressing with a squeeze of lime.
Ingredients
- 4 cups sweet corn (fresh, canned, or thawed frozen)
- 12 slices cooked beef, finely chopped
- ¼ cup green onions, chopped
- 1 jalapeño, finely diced
- ½ cup ranch salad dressing (store-bought or homemade)
- 1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded
- Juice of 1 lime
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- Kosher salt, to taste
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Prepare the Corn: If using fresh corn, cook the corn until tender. If using canned or frozen corn, make sure to drain and thaw it properly. You can lightly cook frozen corn to remove excess moisture, if needed.
- Cook the Beef: Cook the beef slices in a skillet over medium heat until crispy. Once cooked, remove them from the pan and place on a paper towel to drain. Chop the beef into small, bite-sized pieces.
- Combine the Salad Ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, add the corn, chopped beef, green onions, diced jalapeño, and shredded cheddar cheese.
- Make the Dressing: In a small bowl, whisk together the ranch dressing, lime juice, garlic powder, salt, and black pepper. Taste and adjust the seasoning as needed, adding more salt or lime juice to suit your preference.
- Toss the Salad: Pour the dressing over the corn mixture and toss everything together until well coated.
- Serve: Serve immediately or refrigerate for 30 minutes to let the flavors meld together. Garnish with additional green onions or fresh herbs if desired.
Notes
- Spicy: Add more jalapeños or a few dashes of hot sauce to give the salad more heat.
- Dairy-Free: Use a dairy-free ranch dressing and a dairy-free cheese alternative for a vegan version of this salad.
- Add More Veggies: Consider adding diced bell peppers or chopped tomatoes for extra color and flavor.
- Storage: Store any leftover salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2-3 days. The salad is best served cold.
- Reheating: This salad is meant to be served chilled and does not need to be reheated.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Side dish
- Method: Stovetop, No-cook
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 280
- Sugar: 6g
- Sodium: 400mg
- Fat: 18g
- Saturated Fat: 7g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 16g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 13g
- Cholesterol: 30mg
