Light, fresh and bursting with flavor, this Grilled Corn Pineapple Salad is perfect for Taco Tuesday or for your Cinco De Mayo Party!

Grilled Corn Pineapple Salad with a wood spoon

This Grilled Corn Pineapple Salad combines sweet, tangy, spicy, salty flavors with complimentary hints of bitter char and deep caramelization. You may remember my Charred Grilled Corn Salad from last year … well, this has a NEW spin to that recipe.

Grilled Corn Pineapple Salad

If you love Mexican corn on the cob then you will love this version made with pineapple. It’s so good served as a side salad (hello, summer entertaining), or a topping for tacos!

bowl of Grilled Corn Pineapple Salad

Friends, this salad is chock full of fresh grilled corn, pineapple, fresh tomatoes, Cotija cheese, jalapeno and cilantro, and a super fresh and flavorful cilantro-lime dressing.

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It’s heart-healthy, easy and delicious!

ingredients for grilled corn salad

Ingredients for Pineapple Corn Salad:

  • Corn
  • Mayonnaise
  • Salt and pepper
  • Fresh pineapple
  • Olive or avocado oil
  • Lime
  • Cilantro
  • Jalapeno
  • Cotija cheese
  • Cherry tomatoes
  • Chili powder

deconstructed Grilled Corn Pineapple Salad

Just add black beans

I don’t know about you, but our family gets excited when Abby’s cooking Mexican food. We enjoyed this recipe with tacos, and then leftovers on a steak sandwich the next night. Oh, boy!

This recipe is a fairly simple salad — with summer sweet corn smothered in mayonnaise, crema, Cotija cheese, chili powder, salt and pepper. You can also add drained black beans, if you want to stretch the recipe, but just keep it simple.

fresh Grilled Corn Pineapple Salad

What are elotes?

Elote, commonly called Mexican Street Corn, is grilled corn smothered in a creamy mayo sauce and topped with chili powder, cheese and lime.

Traditionally when making elotes (Mexican Street Corn), the ears of corn are smothered in a creamy mayo sauce and topped with chili powder. Cheese is optional, and they are grilled, to give them that perfect smoky flavor that makes them so delicious.

But for this recipe we’re more interested in the kernels than the cob, so if you’re in a pinch for time, you can buy Trader Joe’s frozen roasted corn. It’s okay if you have to use a bag of frozen corn. No one will ever know. The secret is in the dressing!

Summer Grilled Corn Pineapple Salad

Perfect for a potluck

As potlucks gain popularity, I think we all remember the potlucks we grew up with (jello and potato salads, chicken, lasagna, pizza, lots of whipped topping desserts), and we want to change it up, by making the meal a bit healthier, and not so heavy!

Potluck parties have been around for a long time, and in our home, it’s been an easy way to entertain. They really relieve the stress of the cost of putting on an entire meal by yourself, which is why I think so many people choose to not entertain! I particularly love it when my guests bring a dish!

Serving bowl of Grilled Corn Pineapple Salad

My favorite kind of potluck? A Mexican-themed party, where everyone is invited to participate in the menu!

Serve warm or chilled with grilled meat, chips, or fish. Or chilled as a side salad.

Enjoy!

ingredients in a bowl for Grilled Corn Pineapple Salad

Mexican Potluck Menu:

Mexican Charcuterie Board

Easy Flank Steak Tacos

Mexican Ground Turkey Olive Pasta Bake

This salad today or this Layered Grilled Corn Salad

Mexican Flan Cake

Grilled Corn Pineapple Salad with a wood spoon
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Grilled Corn and Pineapple Salad

This salad combines sweet, tangy, spicy, and salty flavors with complimentary hints of bitter char and deep caramelization.
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 23 minutes
Total Time: 43 minutes
Yield: 8
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Ingredients
 

  • 4 ears corn, boiled 4-5 minutes
  • c mayonnaise
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • ¼ fresh pineapple cut into 4, long spears
  • 1-2 Tbsp olive or avocado oil
  • 1 lime, zested and juices, plus more to taste
  • 1 c whole cilantro leaves, finely chopped
  • 1 jalapeno, finely diced
  • 1 c Cotija cheese, crumbled
  • 1 heaping cup cherry tomatoes, quartered
  • Chili powder to garnish

Instructions
 

  • Preheat grill to high heat.
  • Brush the boiled corn with mayonnaise and season with kosher salt and pepper. Place on the heated grill and cook 5-6 minutes each side, or until golden and slightly charred. Remove from heat and allow to cool for 5-10 minutes before cutting off the kernels. Add to a large mixing bowl and set aside.
  • Brush the pineapple spears with oil and place on the grill. Cook until golden and lightly charred, 6-8 minutes per side. Cut into 1/2’’ pieces and add to the corn.
  • Add the lime zest, 3/4 cup of the cilantro, jalapeño, and 3/4 cup of cotija, cherry tomatoes, and mix until combined. Pour over the lime juice and toss once more—taste for additional lime or salt. Garnish with the remaining cilantro, cotija, and chili powder.
  • Serve warm or chilled with grilled meat, chips, or fish.
Cuisine: Mexican
Course: Salad
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Grilled Corn Pineapple Salad with serving spoon