If You're Not Combining These 2 Popular BBQ Side Dishes, You're Seriously Missing Out

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Classic BBQ side dishes like baked beans and potato salad are the reason some of us even show up at a backyard shindig. Grilled meat is great, but a good collection of sides adds vibrancy and variance to the spread. The event gets even better when someone brings something unexpected, and the next new BBQ side dish on your list will probably impress a few people. It's a cross between two classic sides — grilled corn and coleslaw. But there's a twist.

Introducing Mexican street corn coleslaw, a spicy, zesty side dish that unites the fresh, creamy crunch of coleslaw with spicy, lime-drenched elotes, also known as Mexican street corn. The recipe is a straightforward blend of the two dishes. It's easy to make ahead of time and looks beautiful on the table, all dressed up with lime wedges. If you love a side with a little spice and a lot of pizzaz, this flavorful creation might just be your next signature dish to bring to summertime cookouts.

Grab a big, clear bowl for this recipe, because Mexican street corn coleslaw is beautiful when it's on display. Shredded purple and green cabbage set the stage with crunch and color, but there's so much more to this dish. There's sweet corn and spicy, diced jalapeños, fresh cilantro, parsley, and green onions. Crumbled cojita cheese adds a salty and mild tang. Add cherry tomatoes, diced celery, and red onions for flavor, texture, and color.

Mexican street corn sauce is super versatile, and you can get creative making it for your coleslaw. It's generally made with mayonnaise, lime juice, and chili powder — but feel free to add some Mexican hot sauce or a spice blend. If you don't want to make your own blend, you can buy premade, like this one from The Spice Lab, or Trader Joe's Everything but the Elote Seasoning. You can even take flavor cues from our warm elote corn dip recipe, which includes Cholula hot sauce and garlic powder.