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Home » Recipes » Side Dish Recipes

Potluck Frito Corn Salad (Mom's Easy No-Fail Recipe)

Published: May 30, 2023 Last Updated: May 30, 2023 by Marye 1413 words. | About 8 minutes to read this article.

Jump to Recipe Pin Recipe Jump to Video
3 hours hrs 10 minutes mins
Frito Corn Salad is a delicious combination of corn kernels, bell peppers, onions, cheese, and Fritos corn chips covered in a creamy taco flavored dressing. It's salty, crunchy, creamy, and your new family favorite!
Bowl of Frito salad with a text overlay for Pinterest.
Overhead image of Frito corn salad with a text overlay for Pinterest. Second image.

This is the perfect side dish for all your summer cookouts, potlucks, and bbqs! It's one of our favorite Fritos recipes - and a great way to use up leftover chips.

Don't want to scroll through the page to get to the recipe? Use the table of contents to click on the section you want to go to.

Closeup of this salad in a white bowl with green onions garnishing the top.
Jump to:
  • ❤️ Why you'll love it
  • 🧾 Ingredients
  • 📖 Variations
  • 🔪 Instructions
  • 🎥 Video
  • 🥫 What to do with leftovers
  • 💭 Things to know
  • 👩‍🍳 FAQs
  • Related recipes
  • 🍽️ Serve with...
  • 📞 The last word
  • Frito Corn Salad
  • 💬 Comments

❤️ Why you'll love it

  • Crunchy corn chips goodness in every bite!
  • Quick and easy.
  • This is definitely a crowd pleaser!
  • How can you not love a recipe that's main ingredient is Fritos?

If you're looking for a summer side dish you're going to love this easy Fritos corn salad recipe. It gets its great flavor from all the fresh ingredients - and there are plenty of possible variations.

It's absolutely the easiest thing ever!

You might also like this old fashioned potato salad.

🧾 Ingredients

Labeled Frito salad ingredients.
Simple ingredients go into this great side dish!

📖 Variations

  • Make this into a main course by adding cooked ground beef or chicken.
  • This delicious corn salad with Fritos is really, really, REALLY good with diced jalapenos.
  • Add a can of black beans which have been drained and rinsed.
  • Monterey Jack or Pepper Jack cheese work really well in this easy salad.
  • If you have a taste for spicy things try the Flamin' Hot Fritos or Chili Cheese chips!
  • I like mayonnaise but if you'd like to use Miracle Whip you can.
  • I use frozen but you can use fresh corn or a couple of cans of sweet corn that have been well drained.
  • I like to use a mixture of green, yellow, and red bell pepper.
  • I like this with Pepper Jack instead of Cheddar
  • You can use broken tortilla chips - try Doritos Cool Ranch
  • Add a can of drained and rinsed black beans
  • If you like a tangier dressing use more sour cream and less mayonnaise.
  • If you like a sweeter dressing use less sour cream and more mayonnaise.
  • If you like it balanced then use equal amounts. I learned this through trial and error!
  • Sometimes when I make this I add a little sugar to the dressing - just a teaspoon or so. Also learned by trial and error.

🔪 Instructions

Note: This is an overview of the instructions. The full instructions are in the green recipe card below.

Step by step images showing how to make Frito salad.
Just four easy steps to make the Frito corn salad recipe.
  1. Combine corn and the other salad ingredients except the Fritos corn chips.
  2. Whisk the sauce ingredients together.
  3. Pour the sauce ingredients over the salad ingredients and give the whole thing a good stir. Chill for three hours or more if possible.
  4. Important! Mix in the corn chips just before serving or they will be soggy.

🎥 Video

Click on the image to watch me make this recipe from start to finish with extra tips! (Video opens in a new tab).

Clickable cover image for Frito Corn Salad video on YouTube.
Watch the video on YouTube!

🥫 What to do with leftovers

Store leftover Frito corn salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Or, cover it tightly with plastic wrap.

Keep in mind that the leftovers aren't as good as the fresh salad - unless you happen to like soggy Fritos.

This recipe doesn't freeze well.

If you have leftover Frito chips you can use them up in these other delicious recipes. Waste not, want not - right?

Frito Chicken Casserole is a fun, retro recipe from the 1950s! It's a little like King Ranch Casserole.
Frito Pie: How to Make the Original Chili Pie is a football season classic! So easy!

Overhead view of a white serving bowl of Frito corn salad.
Easy frito corn salad is a family favorite!

💭 Things to know

Expert Tip: Please eat this within about 3 hours after adding the chips. After that it gets super soggy. And honestly, it's best in the first hour.

  • Some people like the chips slightly crushed. The easiest way to do this is to lightly squeeze the bag.
  • IF you think there might be leftovers put a bowl of Fritos on the table and add them to each serving individually. It's not the best way but there won't be any waste.

👩‍🍳 FAQs

Here are the questions I am most frequently asked about this recipe.

Is Frito salad gluten free?

According to Frito-Lay Fritos are gluten free and neither dairy nor vegetables contain gluten. As always read labels but as far as I know this recipe is gluten free.

Can I use no-fat or low-fat variety of sour cream or mayonnaise in this corn salad?

Yes you can. I don't think that the result is as delicious as the regular Frito corn salad with mayo but you can certainly use them.

Can you make Frito salad ahead of time?

Yes, as long as you don't add the Fritos until just before serving.

A plate of Frito corn salad.
Best part of this salad? The salty crunch!

Related recipes

More easy salad recipes -

  • Mom's Homemade Potato Salad is one of those summer side dishes everyone loves!
  • Macaroni Salad has all that old fashioned flavor you remember.
  • Pea and Cheese Salad is full of sweet peas, salty bacon, and yummy Cheddar cheese - it's always been a potluck favorite.
  • Feature image - Overhead view of this recipe in a serving dish.
    Easy Polish Cucumber Salad Recipe with Sour Cream
  • Closeup of the top of the casserole in a dish for featured image.
    Southern Eggplant Casserole
  • Closeup of a bowl of potato salad for feature image.
    CopyCat Red, Hot, and Blue Potato Salad (6 Ingredients
  • A collage of side dishes for white chicken chili for the feature image.
    What to Serve with White Chicken Chili (75 Ideas)

🍽️ Serve with...

Frito corn salad is perfect with any of your basic summertime foods.

  • Pulled chicken
  • Hamburgers
  • Grilled chicken
  • Ribs

Or hot dogs!

📞 The last word

This time of year I love good pasta salads but after a while I am ready for something a little different, a little out of the ordinary - like this fun salad with crunchy Fritos chips.

It's a real showstopper at potlucks, backyard BBQs, picnics, or even as a tasty side dish for your summer feast. It'll have your guests coming back for seconds. Trust me, this easy side dish is a guaranteed crowd-pleaser!

My mom was potluck famous because of this recipe.

If you click on the number of servings in the recipe card you can adjust the measurements up or down for the exact number of servings you need. Don't forget that you can click on "add to collection" to save it to your own, private recipe box!

If you love this recipe please give it 5 stars! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Overhead view of Fritos salad in a white bowl
4.74 from 19 votes

Frito Corn Salad

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Frito Corn Salad is a delicious combination of corn kernels, bell peppers, onions, cheese, and Fritos corn chips covered in a creamy taco flavored dressing. It's salty, crunchy, creamy, and your new family favorite!
Course Side Dish
Cuisine American - Southern
Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes
Chilling time (optional): 3 hours hours
Total Time: 3 hours hours 10 minutes minutes
Servings:12
Calories:380
Author:Marye Audet-White
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Equipment Needed

  • mixing bowl

Ingredients

Salad

  • 1 pound whole kernel corn, frozen, canned, or fresh
  • 2 cups cheddar cheese, grated
  • 1 cup bell pepper, diced
  • 1 cup red onion, diced
  • ¼ cup cilantro, chopped
  • ½ cup green onions, chopped
  • 4 ounces chiles
  • 4 slices bacon, cooked crisp, reserve grease
  • 9 ¼ ounce fritos

Dressing

  • ¼ cup sour cream
  • ¾ cup mayo
  • 1 tablespoon taco seasoning
  • 1 teaspoon reserved bacon grease
  • ½ lime

I earn a commission from Instacart from qualifying purchases.

Instructions

  • Mix all the salad ingredients except Fritos I a large mixing bowl.
  • Set aside.
  • Squeeze the lime half into a small mixing bowl, about 1 tablespoon of lime juice.
  • Add the remaining salad dressing ingredients.
  • Whisk the dressing ingredients together.
  • Pour the dressing over the salad. Stir to coat.
  • Taste and adjust seasoning. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate a few hours or overnight.
  • Remove the salad from the refrigerator.
  • Mix lightly.
  • Add the Fritos corn chips and mix them in.
  • Garnish with some sliced green onion and cilantro if desired.
  • Serve immediately.

Notes

Storage:
Store leftover Frito corn salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Or, cover it tightly with plastic wrap.
Keep in mind that the leftovers aren't as good as the fresh salad - unless you happen to like soggy Fritos.
This recipe doesn't freeze well.
Expert Tips:
  • Make this into a main course by adding cooked ground beef or chicken.
  • Instead of just green bell pepper use a mixture with red peppers and yellow peppers. It's so much prettier!
  • This delicious corn salad with Fritos is really, really, REALLY good with diced jalapenos.
  • Add a can of black beans which have been drained and rinsed.
  • Monterey Jack or Pepper Jack cheese work really well in this easy salad.
  • If you have a taste for spicy things try the Flamin' Hot Fritos! If you have a taste for spicy things try the Flamin' Hot Fritos! You can change the flavor of this great summer salad with a different kind of Fritos every time you make it!
  • Some people like the chips slightly crushed. The easiest way to do this is to lightly squeeze the bag.

Nutrition Facts

Calories: 380kcal | Carbohydrates: 27g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 28g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 33mg | Sodium: 399mg | Potassium: 275mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 796IU | Vitamin C: 35mg | Calcium: 189mg | Iron: 1mg

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    First published April 19, 2021. Last updated May 30, 2023 for editorial improvements.

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    About Marye

    With a 40 year focus on the importance of family and a passion for southern comfort food, Marye Audet-White is an expert in melding the two together effortlessly. Marye's a NY Times Bestselling author with 10 cookbooks under her belt and her recipes have been featured in Good Housekeeping, Country Living, Today, House Beautiful, Texas Living, Food & Wine, and many more.

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    Marye Audet-White, founder of Restless Chipotle Media

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