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Create a flavorful, creamy, and Healthy Mexican Street Corn Salad in less than 30 minutes! This delicious high-protein corn salad combines grilled corn, Elote flavors, salty Cojita cheese, and Greek yogurt to make the perfect side salad or dip for any occasion.
This high-protein corn salad with Mexican flavors is the perfect salad or dip to serve at a backyard party or for Cinco de Mayo. It uses Greek yogurt instead of sour cream or mayonnaise, so it has protein and is healthier than other street corn salads. This recipe is such a crowd pleaser, you’ll leave the party with an empty bowl every time.
If you like healthy Mexican side dishes, you will love my layered taco dip and Mexican cauliflower rice too!
Table of Contents
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- It’s Gluten-Free: This healthy street corn is naturally gluten-free! Just be sure to serve it with gluten-free chips or dippers.
- Easy to Customize: One of the best things about this healthy street corn recipe is that you can stir in your favorite taco toppings or other veggies to make it just the way you like it.
- Higher Protein Than Many Dips: The Greek yogurt in this corn salad makes it higher in protein and healthier than if you used the traditional sour cream and mayonnaise combination. Like my crock pot chili cheese dip and shrimp dip recipe, the protein also helps fill you up and keep you energized for longer.
- Great Source of Carbohydrates: Corn is a great source of starchy carbohydrates with minerals and vitamins. Many people tend to stay away from carbohydrates, then snack on foods that are deficient in nutrients, which leaves them hungrier and eating MORE calories overall.
Healthy Corn Salad Ingredients
- Fresh Corn: Clean and shuck your corn, then leave it on the cob for easy grilling.
- Avocado Oil: Since the corn grills at high temperatures, it’s best to use an oil with a higher smoke point, such as avocado or coconut oil.
- Cotija Cheese: This salty, crumbly cheese is a must for any street corn recipe. You can find it with the specialty cheeses at your local grocery store.
- Hot Sauce: Give your Greek yogurt street corn a spicy kick by adding your favorite hot sauce. Just be sure it’s gluten-free!
See the recipe card below for exact ingredient amounts, nutritional information, and detailed instructions.
Variations & Dietary Modifications
- Try a Higher Protein Alternative: Cottage cheese contains more protein than Greek yogurt, so it’s a great way to pack more protein into this corn salad. You can blend it in your food processor to give it a creamier texture before mixing it in.
- Spice It Up: While this recipe already contains hot sauce, some people may prefer an elote recipe with more spice. Add diced jalapenos, canned chiles, or homemade enchilada sauce for an even spicier corn dip.
- Make It a Meal: Grill some chicken, shrimp, or other meat with your corn, then mix it into your low-calorie corn salad to make a full meal.
How to Make Healthy Mexican Street Corn
This high-protein street corn is the perfect side dish or appetizer for barbeques, a Cinco de Mayo celebration, or a taco dinner party. It’s creamy, flavorful, and is a guaranteed crowd-pleaser.
Step 1: Prepare the Corn. While your grill preheats to 400°F, rub your clean and shucked corn with avocado oil, followed by the spice mixture.
Step 2: Grill the Corn. Grill your corn for 20 minutes, then remove from the heat.
Step 3: Cut Away the Kernels. Once the corn is cool enough to handle, cut the kernels off the cob and set them aside.
Step 4: Combine the Ingredients. Whisk together the sauce ingredients. Add the vegetables and corn, and toss to combine. Serve as a side dish with the best taco salad recipe or chicken enchiladas!
Expert Tips
- Char the Corn for More Flavor: Get that signature elote charred flavor by removing it from the foil and placing the corn directly on the grill for a few seconds.
- Skip the Grill: If you don’t have access to a grill or the weather isn’t ideal for grilling, you can cook up the corn in a cast iron skillet on the stove! Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and add the avocado oil directly to the pan. Season the corn, then place the ears directly in the skillet. Rotate the corn every 5 minutes until fully cooked.
- Soak the Red Onion: If you find the flavor of red onion to be too overpowering raw, try soaking your diced onion in water for 10-15 minutes to relax the flavor. Then strain it, pat the onion dry, and mix it into your Mexican street corn salad.
Storage Directions
- Storing: Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. I don’t recommend freezing leftovers of this salad.
- Reheating: Reheat the street corn in the microwave in 60-second intervals, stirring each interval, until it is heated through. You can also reheat it in a skillet on the stove. This healthy corn salad also works well served at room temperature or chilled.
- Make Ahead: You can make this healthy elote recipe 1-2 days before you plan to serve it. Just warm it up in the microwave or a skillet before serving.
Serving Suggestions
Whether you’re making this high-protein Mexican corn salad for a crowd or just to go with your main dish for dinner, it’s sure to be a crowd pleaser! The creamy Greek yogurt, grilled corn, Elote seasonings, and salty Cotija cheese make an irresistible dish that your guests will love.
- Make the Elote corn and serve it mixed into these slow cooker chicken taco bowls or over grilled shrimp tacos for a creamy crunch.
- Don’t forget dessert! Serve a healthier dessert option, like chocolate quinoa brownies or low-calorie cookie bars, to your guests after dinner.
Healthy Elote Recipe FAQs
It won’t have the same flavor as grilling the corn, but you can use frozen corn. I recommend thawing the frozen corn first, then warming it in a skillet for 4-5 minutes before stirring it into your corn salad. You can also roast it on a baking sheet in the oven if you want some browned edges.
Yes! I prefer to serve my street corn warm, but you can serve it cold if you prefer.
Absolutely! Use a dairy-free yogurt and a salty dairy-free cheese, or skip the cheese altogether, to make this a dairy-free salad or dip.
More High Protein Salad Recipes
If you tried this Healthy Mexican Street Corn salad recipe or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how you go in the 📝 comments below.
Healthy Mexican Street Corn Salad
Ingredients
For the Corn
- 6 ears Corn, cleaned and shucked
- 2 tablespoons Avocado Oil
- 1 teaspoon Cumin
- 1 teaspoon Chili Powder
- 1 cup Cherry Tomatoes, sliced in half
- ⅔ cup Red Onion, diced
- ½ cup Cilantro, fresh, roughly chopped
- Salt and Pepper to taste
For the Greek Yogurt Sauce
- ⅔ cup Greek Yogurt
- 2 teaspoons Hot Sauce
- ¼ cup Cotija Cheese
- ½ teaspoon Garlic Powder
- 2 tablespoons Lime Juice
Instructions
Grill Instructions
- Preheat the grill to 400 F. Prepare the corn by rubbing with the avocado oil. Mix together the cumin, chili powder, salt and pepper in a small bowl then rub each ear of corn with the mixture.
- Wrap each corn ear in a foil pack then grill 20 minutes, flipping slightly every 5 minutes.
- When the corn is finished cooking, remove from the grill. Carefully, unwrap each foil pack and cool for 5 minutes. Once the corn is cool enough to handle, use a knife to cut the kernels from the cob into a bowl.
- Prepare the Greek yogurt sauce for the corn by mixing the ingredients for the sauce together in a medium bowl.
- Add the corn, tomatoes, onion and cilantro to the bowl and toss to combine. Serve warm with your favorite sliced vegetables or chips!
Stovetop Instructions
- Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the oil to the pan then mix together the cumin, chili powder, salt and pepper. Rub each ear of corn with the mixture.
- Cook the corn 15 minutes or until the corn begins to brown, turning every 5 minutes.
- Remove from the heat and cool the corn for 5 minutes. Once the corn is cool enough to handle, use a knife to cut the kernels from the cob into a bowl. Follow steps 4 and 5 as above.
Video
Notes
- Skip the grill and cook the corn in a skillet on the stove! Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and add the avocado oil directly to the pan. Season the corn, then place the ears directly in the skillet. Rotate the corn every 5 minutes until fully cooked.
- If you find the flavor of red onion to be too overpowering raw, try soaking your diced onion in water for 10-15 minutes to relax the flavor.
- Use frozen corn instead of fresh corn, but be sure to thaw it before warming it up in a skillet on the stove.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
