Description
Frito Corn Salad is a vibrant, crowd-pleasing side dish bursting with sweet corn, hearty black beans, zesty Rotel tomatoes, crisp bell pepper, shredded cheddar, and a creamy spiced dressing, all topped with crunchy Fritos corn chips. This irresistible salad delivers creamy, tangy, and bold Southwestern flavors, making it perfect for summer BBQs, potlucks, or as a quirky snack. Easy to make and endlessly adaptable, it’s always the first bowl empty at any get-together.
Ingredients
Salad Base
- 2 cups sweet corn (fresh or canned, drained)
- 1 cup black beans (drained and rinsed)
- 1 can Rotel (diced tomatoes and green chilies, about 10 oz, drained)
- 1 bell pepper (diced, any color)
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- 2 cups Fritos corn chips
Dressing
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
Optional Garnishes
- Fresh chopped cilantro
- Sliced jalapeño
- Extra shredded cheddar cheese
- Sliced green onions
Instructions
- Mix Up the Dressing: In a small bowl, whisk together the sour cream, extra virgin olive oil, salt, black pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, and ground cumin. Whisk until smooth and all spices are well incorporated. This creates the creamy, tangy base for your salad.
- Build Your Salad Base: In a large mixing bowl, combine the sweet corn, black beans, drained Rotel, diced bell pepper, and shredded cheddar cheese. Gently mix until all ingredients are evenly distributed for a colorful and tasty base.
- Dress and Toss: Pour the prepared dressing over the corn and bean mixture. Gently stir everything together so each piece is coated in the flavorful dressing. The salad should look creamy and aromatic at this stage.
- Add the Crunchy Fritos: Just before serving, sprinkle the Fritos corn chips over the salad. Carefully fold them in with a spatula, being gentle to maintain the chips’ crunch and avoid breaking them apart.
- Serve Immediately: Transfer to your serving dish, top with optional garnishes like cilantro or sliced jalapeños, and enjoy right away for the best crunchy texture and fresh flavor.
Notes
- For best texture, add the Fritos just before serving.
- The salad base and dressing can be made ahead; refrigerate separately and combine with Fritos just before eating.
- Swap in fresh corn cut from the cob for extra crispness and sweetness.
- Make it dairy-free by using plant-based sour cream and cheese.
- Control the spice level by choosing mild or hot Rotel or omitting extra chilies.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Category: Side-dishes
- Method: No-cook
- Cuisine: Southwestern
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 320
- Sugar: 3g
- Sodium: 540mg
- Fat: 19g
- Saturated Fat: 6g
- Unsaturated Fat: 11g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 33g
- Fiber: 4g
- Protein: 8g
- Cholesterol: 20mg
