Healthy Mexican Street Corn (Off the Cob) Recipe - The Cookie Rookie® (2024)

Healthy Mexican Street Corn (Off the Cob) Recipe - The Cookie Rookie® (1)

By: Becky Hardin

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This Mexican Street Corn recipe is a healthy version of a restaurant favorite. I took the corn off the cob, switched out some ingredients (no mayo or sour cream), and kept the same delicious flavors to create this creamy, healthy Mexican-style corn salad. It makes an awesome appetizer, side dish, or snack!

Healthy Mexican Street Corn (Off the Cob) Recipe - The Cookie Rookie® (2)

Table of Contents

What’s in this Mexican Street Corn recipe

This creamy corn dish is so quick and easy to make, and it’s healthier than the traditional version. Just brown the corn in a skillet, mix it with all the ingredients to make a sort of corn salad, then eat!

  • Corn: A frozen steam-in-bag corn works great for this recipe, but you could also use canned (just drain and rinse before adding it to the skillet).
  • Plain Greek Yogurt: Use this healthy ingredient instead of mayo or sour cream to add a creamy element.
  • Low Fat Feta Cheese: Feta crumbles add a delicious tangy flavor. Try cotija cheese as a substitute!
  • Lime Juice: This adds a bright acidity to liven up the dish.
  • Jalapeno: Remove the seeds for a little spice, keep them for extra spice, or skip all together if you don’t want any heat.
  • Red Onion: These add a nice bite and some texture into the mix.
  • Garlic: I used 2 cloves but use as much or as little as you like.
  • Cilantro: I love fresh cilantro, but you can skip it if you don’t like it. You can use parsley or another herb too.
  • Frank’s RedHot Sauce: This adds amazing flavor and heat. Leave it out if you don’t like spice. You could also use a homemade taco sauce instead.

Variations on this off the cob street corn

To make this Mexican street corn more traditional, skip the healthy swaps and use mayo or sour cream if you prefer.

If you want an elote-style corn, add an elote seasoning blend (mix together paprika, cumin, chili powder, brown sugar, and lime zest).

If you want a less spicy version, skip the hot sauce and jalapeños.

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What is street corn?

Also known as Elote, Mexican street corn is typically grilled then covered with mayonnaise or sour cream, cheese, lime, and chile powder.

Is this corn spicy?

Between the jalapeño and hot sauce, this dish is pretty spicy. But you can leave out either ingredient if you prefer.

Does the corn need to be cooked first?

If using frozen corn, it should be cooked/warmed first. If using canned corn, you can just heat it in the skillet as instructed.

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How to Store Creamy Mexican Style Corn

Store leftovers in an airtight container and keep in the refrigerator up to 5 days. Serve cold, straight from the fridge.

What to Serve with Mexican Street Corn

This healthy Mexican street corn makes a great dip or side dish. Serve it with plenty of tortilla chips as an appetizer for Cinco de Mayo or taco night. Use it as a topping (like a salsa) with your favorite tacos. Or add it to a plate of chicken enchiladas, chimichangas, or cilantro lime chicken. And of course you’ll want to pair it with a skinny margarita.

If you make this recipe be sure to upload a photo in the comment section below or leave a rating. Enjoy! You can also jump to recipe.

Recipe

Healthy Mexican Street Corn Dip

4.63 from 107 votes

Author: Becky Hardin

Prep: 10 minutes minutes

Total: 10 minutes minutes

Healthy Mexican Street Corn (Off the Cob) Recipe - The Cookie Rookie® (6)

Serves4

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This street corn is made with healthier ingredients for a quick and delicious snack, appetizer, or dip.

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Ingredients

  • 2 – 10 ounce bags steam fresh frozen corn
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • juice from one lime about 2 tablespoons
  • 1/2 cup plain greek yogurt
  • 4 ounces low fat feta cheese
  • 1 jalapeno pepper chopped (leave the seeds in for extra spice!)
  • 2 tablespoons red onion chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic minced
  • 1/2 cup fresh cilantro chopped
  • 2 tablespoons franks redhot sauce or your favorite wing sauce

Instructions

  • Prepare corn according to package instructions.

    2 – 10 ounce bags steam fresh frozen corn

  • Once corn is steamed/dethawed, heat in a large skillet on medium high heat with the olive oil. I cooked it for about 7-8 minutes until it was slightly browned.

    1 tablespoon olive oil

  • Take corn off of heat and toss with all other ingredients.

    juice from one lime, 1/2 cup plain greek yogurt, 4 ounces low fat feta cheese, 1 jalapeno pepper, 2 tablespoons red onion, 2 cloves garlic, 1/2 cup fresh cilantro, 2 tablespoons franks redhot sauce

  • Serve as side dish or as a dip with tortilla chips!

  • Serve immediately and refrigerate remainder for up to 3-5 days.

  • Enjoy!

Last step! Don’t forget to show me a pic of what you made! Upload an image or tag me @thecookierookie on Instagram!

Nutrition Information

Calories: 209kcal (10%) Carbohydrates: 23g (8%) Protein: 9g (18%) Fat: 10g (15%) Saturated Fat: 4g (25%) Cholesterol: 26mg (9%) Sodium: 561mg (24%) Potassium: 313mg (9%) Fiber: 2g (8%) Sugar: 2g (2%) Vitamin A: 290IU (6%) Vitamin C: 11.6mg (14%) Calcium: 173mg (17%) Iron: 0.8mg (4%)

Did You Make This?I want to see! Be sure to upload an image below & tag @thecookierookie on social media!

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More Street Corn Recipes We Love

  • Mexican Corn on the Cob
  • Esquites Corn Salad
  • Avocado Corn Salsa
  • Grilled Corn Salad
  • Mexican Street Corn Salsa
  • Mexican Street Corn Dip
  • Street Corn Pasta Salad

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Healthy Mexican Street Corn (Off the Cob) Recipe - The Cookie Rookie® (2024)

FAQs

Healthy Mexican Street Corn (Off the Cob) Recipe - The Cookie Rookie®? ›

A blend of garlic, cilantro, chile powder, mayo, and Cotija cheese in the sauce, plus a final squeeze of lime, makes the corn sweet, salty, savory, nutty, creamy, and tart all at once.

Why is Mexican street corn so good? ›

A blend of garlic, cilantro, chile powder, mayo, and Cotija cheese in the sauce, plus a final squeeze of lime, makes the corn sweet, salty, savory, nutty, creamy, and tart all at once.

What is the red stuff in elote? ›

The classic seasoning for elote is chili powder, but we have also found that we love it with smoked paprika. So maybe do a few cobs with each and see which one you prefer. You can sprinkle them on the corn with the cotija cheese and then squeeze fresh lime juice all over each corn on the cob.

What is the name of the Mexican version of corn on the cob that comes with a sauce and spices and is increasingly popular at ballparks and street fairs? ›

Mexican Corn on the Cob, or Elote, is a grilled corn dish that is served at roadside stands and street fairs in Oaxaca, Mexico. This loaded corn on the cob is made by seasoning grilled corn with mayonnaise, cheese, chili powder and a squeeze of lime.

Why put mayo on corn on the cob? ›

Mayo does everything butter does for corn, but it has a lot more staying power. Both bring some fatty elements that are great for making corn extra flavorful and rich, but mayo has a deeper taste that adds more complexity than butter.

What country is Mexican street corn from? ›

The origins of street corn lie in the streets of Mexico, where it's known as “elote.” With a history dating back centuries, the indigenous peoples of Mexico prepared this dish before any Europeans landed in the New World.

Is elote good for you? ›

Elote is a favorite summer BBQ treat. Caramelized grilled corn is slathered with a sauce made from Mexican crema, then sprinkled with cotija cheese and cilantro. Butter may be good, but this corn cannot be... Corn is rich in fiber and carotenoids, which makes it healthy for the gut and eyes.

What kind of chili powder goes on elote? ›

Chili powder or ancho chile powder – It adds smoky flavor and a little heat. Cotija cheese – For salty flavor and tang. If you have trouble finding Cotija cheese at the grocery store, a little crumbled feta cheese will work instead. It won't taste exactly the same, but it will still be delicious!

What is the yellow stuff on elote? ›

Elote (pronounced: eh-loh-teh) is a dish comprised of cooked sweet corn slathered in a spicy mixture of mayonnaise, crema, and chili powder, and then sprinkled with cheese.

Why does Mexican corn taste different? ›

The taste is different. Corn was domesticated right here in Mexico. For thousands of years, farmers here carefully mixed varieties of maize in small plots of land. But globalization made American yellow corn more common because it's so cheap.

What is the Mexican corn that has fungus? ›

Huitlacoche, pronounced weet-la-COH-cheh, is a fungus that grows on ears of corn. It is also known as cuitlacoche, corn smut, and Mexican truffle. It is a plant disease that causes smut –multicellular fungi with many spores – to grow on maize and is a delicacy in Mexico.

What is Mexican corn fungus called? ›

Pronounced whee-tla-KO-cheh, huitlacoche is also known as corn mushroom, corn smut or Mexican truffle. It is a fungus, which randomly grows on organic corn (not sprayed with any fungicide). It is rare, as it develops on the corn ears as they ripen after the rainy season or an errant rainstorm.

What's the difference between street corn and regular corn? ›

That would be the Mexican version of corn on the cob. The corn is grilled and then slathered with Crema, Mexican cheese, chili powder and lime. (I prefer to cut corn off of cob before adding ingredients mentioned above.)

What does Mexican street corn taste like? ›

Elote tastes sweet and savory, tangy and spicy all at once. I love to make mine with grilled corn for some smokiness, too. Elote is made with corn on the cob, slathered with mayonnaise, seasoned with chili powder and fresh lime juice, sprinkled all over with salty Cotija cheese and cilantro.

Why does corn taste different in Mexico? ›

The taste is different. Corn was domesticated right here in Mexico. For thousands of years, farmers here carefully mixed varieties of maize in small plots of land. But globalization made American yellow corn more common because it's so cheap.

What are some fun facts about Mexican street corn? ›

History of Elote

Corn dates back to 6600 B.C.E., when the crop was first grown in Honduras. During the 15th century, corn spread across North America. Once a simple street food, elote is now making its way onto fine dining menus across the continent.

Why is elote so good? ›

This iconic dish, often referred to as “elote mexicano“, combines the sweetness of tender corn kernels with a luscious coating of mayo, tangy crumbled Cotija cheese, and a sprinkle of chili powder or Tajín seasoning.

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