If you only make corn on the cob once this summer, let it be this recipe! This Healthy Grilled Mexican Street Corn takes corn on the cob to an entirely new level of deliciousness! This recipe is a healthier and lighter version of the classic Grilled Mexican Street corn loaded with a light creamy chili lime sauce, low-fat feta cheese, cilantro, and crushed red pepper (ingredients that are easy to find). It's a delicious summer recipe that not only takes corn on the cob to an entirely new level, but it's Weight Watchers friendly, gluten-free, fast, and easy to make!
Grilling is one of my favorite ways to cook corn in the summer, especially when it's smothered with delicious toppings! Although it's WW friendly, it's so loaded with flavor that no one would ever be able to tell. And it was the inspiration for my Elote Pasta Salad (also 4 ww points).
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This is one of my favorite times of the year because it's peak corn season, and that means fresh corn! And we are very fortunate to have easy access to Taber corn here in Calgary! Taber, Alberta, is known as the Corn Capital of Canada, and it's famous for its corn because of the ample sunshine the area receives.
The sun warms the soil around the crop during the day, then the cool Alberta nights bring out the natural sugars in this corn, resulting in a sweet, crisp cob! In fact, Taber corn is so sought after (with a price tag to match) that vendors selling knock-offs, at roadside stands, are trying to pass off 'other corn' as Taber corn.
I love corn on the cob, so I'm actually happy to have fresh corn at all. But since discovering this Mexican-style grilled corn, I honestly don't think I can go back to plain old corn on the cob.
And since I've come up with a healthier, lighter and WW friendly version of it, I don't have to! Mexican Grilled corn is an easy and fun way to enjoy the short summer corn season.
🥘 Ingredient Notes
- Ears of sweet corn husks.
- Fat-free sour cream and light mayonnaise. Authentic Mexican corn on the cob also uses crema, which is similar to sour cream but a little runnier and sweeter, and also a little higher in fat and calories. Where many people use Greek yogurt, I use low-fat mayonnaise and non-fat sour cream instead, to lighten it up even further. I use Hellman's ½ the fat mayonnaise.
- Fat-free feta cheese. Your typical Mexican Corn on the cob uses Cotija cheese, which has 35.7 g of fat and 446 calories! I wanted to make it lighter and healthier, so I opted to use fat-free feta cheese. The feta cheese gives it a nice, salty zing!
- Chopped fresh cilantro and fresh lime. The fresh lime and cilantro take it to that next level, fresh summer taste!
- Crushed red pepper. The crushed red peppers and chili powder give it a spicy bite!
- Parmesan cheese. I use light parmesan cheese to keep the ww points lower.
*Please see recipe card for full list of ingredients and quantities
📖Variations & Substitutions
- Spicier - use hot sauce or cayenne pepper
- Add-ins - use green onions or red onion
- Oil - you can use olive oil, vegetable oil, or canola oil
- Cheese - you can use Cojita or queso fresco
- Cilantro - If I don't have fresh cilantro, I use cilantro I dehydrated in the air fryer- it's the next best thing to fresh!
What is Elote?
Elote is what this corn on the cob is known as in the streets of Mexico. It's sold by street vendors and at festivals. And this loaded grilled corn on the cob is completely irresistible - I'm officially addicted to it. No wonder it's such a popular Mexican street food! In fact, I'll be making it again this week.
🔪How to Make Healthy Elote
This grilled Mexican Street Corn is easy to make on the grill
- Heat grill to 400 degrees F/204 degrees C. Clean the grates once it has heated. Add a little cooking oil to the grill.
- Whisk together the sauce: In a bowl, whisk together the sour cream, mayonnaise, garlic, salt, chili powder, lime zest, and lime juice. Add more salt to taste, if desired. Set aside.
- Grill corn: Place the husked corn directly onto the grill grates. Grill the corn for about 3-5 minutes or until kernels begin to turn golden brown and look charred. Turn over and repeat. When all sides are browned, remove from the grill onto a plate.
- Using a bbq or pastry brush, coat each ear of corn with the mix of mayo and sour cream.
- Then add the toppings! Sprinkle with crumbled feta cheese, crushed red pepper, and cilantro. Serve with lime wedges.
Expert Recipe Tips
- Char = flavor: Don’t be afraid of a little blackening! The slight charring from the grill adds a smoky depth that balances the creamy and tangy topping.
- Warm sauce = better coating: Let the sauce sit out at room temperature while the corn grills. A slightly warmer sauce spreads more easily and evenly than one straight from the fridge.
- Double the sauce for dipping: If serving for a party or BBQ, consider doubling the sauce so guests can use it as a dip or drizzle more on themselves.
- Fresh lime juice is key: Bottled lime juice lacks the brightness and complexity of fresh. The zest and juice combo in your recipe gives the sauce its signature pop—don’t skip the zest!
- Don’t skip the salt in the sauce: Even though feta adds saltiness, the sauce needs its own seasoning for balance. Always taste and adjust before brushing it on.
- Grill in batches if needed: If doubling or tripling the recipe, grill in batches and keep finished corn warm in a 200°F oven while preparing the rest.
- Serve immediately for best texture: The contrast of hot corn and cool, creamy sauce is part of the appeal. Serve right after assembling to preserve this texture and prevent sogginess.
- Customize spice level: To make it milder, reduce or omit the chili powder and crushed red pepper. For spicier corn, add cayenne, chipotle powder (or chipotle sauce to the sauce), or even Tajín seasoning.
🥗What to serve with this Healthy Street Corn Recipe
This lighter version of traditional Mexican street corn is also perfect for your Cinco de Mayo celebrations as a party snack or side, and pairs well with so many recipes!
Personally, I grill all year 'round (seriously, I shovel a path through the snow to get to the BBQ, ) but if you don't, you can easily grill this corn in the oven. And as a summer grilled side, it goes perfectly with a simple BBQ pork, like this Marinated Grilled Maple Lemon Pork.
And if you're looking for Mexican dishes to go with this Healthy Elote, try my Air Fryer Chicken Fajitas (shown), my Air Fryer Steak Tacos , or my Slow Cooker Pork Carnitas Recipe (gluten-free) (shown above).
Beer can chicken is also a delicious pairing! Looking for more sides? Check out this post to see what goes good with beer can chicken!
🌡️Storage
Store this healthy Mexican street corn for up to 3 days in an airtight container in the fridge. The ingredients do not stand up to freezing.
👪 Serving Size
This recipe makes 6 servings. But you can double or triple the recipe by simply clicking on the serving number and selecting the number of servings you'd like. The ingredient quantities will automatically adjust.
🔢WW Points
This recipe is 4 WW points.
If you're hoping to take advantage of the fresh corn this season and looking for street corn recipes, then you’ll definitely want to try this Healthy Grilled Mexican Street Corn Recipe- it's the perfect summer side dish!
❔ Recipe FAQs
Yes, you can roast the corn in the oven at 425°F/218 degrees C for about 20–25 minutes, turning occasionally until slightly charred. You can also use a grill pan on the stovetop.
You can grill the corn and prep the sauce a few hours in advance, but for the best texture, apply the sauce and toppings just before serving to keep everything fresh and vibrant.
You can substitute fresh parsley or green onion for a different but still fresh-tasting garnish.
If you're looking for a Healthy Street Corn recipe, you'll love this lighter version of Mexican Street Corn!
📋 More Corn Recipes
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🌽 Healthy Mexican Street Corn Recipe
Ingredients
- 6 medium ears sweet corn husks removed
Sauce
- ½ cup fat-free sour cream
- ¼ cup light or fat-free mayonnaise * I use Hellman's ½ the fat
- 1 teaspoon garlic minced
- ¼ teaspoon chili powder to taste
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon lime zest from one lime
- 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice from one lime
Topping
- ½ cup fat-free feta cheese crumbled
- ½ cup chopped fresh cilantro
- 1 teaspoon Crushed red pepper
Garnish
- 6 Lime wedges
- 1.5 tablespoon light Parmesan cheese (optional)
Get Recipe IngredientsInstructions
- Heat outdoor grill to 400 degrees F (205 degrees C). Clean the grates once it has heated. Add a little cooking oil to grill.
Sauce
- Whisk together the sauce: In a bowl, whisk together the sour cream, mayonnaise, garlic, salt, chili powder, lime zest and lime juice. Add more salt to taste, if desired. Set aside.½ cup fat-free sour cream, ¼ cup light or fat-free mayonnaise, 1 teaspoon garlic, ¼ teaspoon chili powder, ¾ teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon lime zest, 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
Grilling
- Grill the corn: Place the husked corn directly onto grill grates. Grill the corn for about 3-5 minutes or until kernels begin to turn golden brown and look charred. Turn over and repeat. When all sides are browned, remove from the grill onto a plate.6 medium ears sweet corn
- Using a bbq or pastry brush, coat each ear of corn with the sour cream mixture.
Toppings
- Sprinkle with crumbled feta cheese. Sprinkle with crushed red pepper and cilantro.½ cup fat-free feta cheese, 1 teaspoon Crushed red pepper, ½ cup chopped fresh cilantro
Garnish
- Serve with lime wedges and parmesa cheese (optional).6 Lime wedges, 1.5 tablespoon light Parmesan cheese (optional)
Notes
- Char = flavor: Don’t be afraid of a little blackening! The slight charring from the grill adds a smoky depth that balances the creamy and tangy topping.
-
- Warm sauce = better coating: Let the sauce sit out at room temperature while the corn grills. A slightly warmer sauce spreads more easily and evenly than one straight from the fridge.
-
- Double the sauce for dipping: If serving for a party or BBQ, consider doubling the sauce so guests can use it as a dip or drizzle more on themselves.
-
- Fresh lime juice is key: Bottled lime juice lacks the brightness and complexity of fresh. The zest and juice combo in your recipe gives the sauce its signature pop—don’t skip the zest!
-
- Don’t skip the salt in the sauce: Even though feta adds saltiness, the sauce needs its own seasoning for balance. Always taste and adjust before brushing it on.
-
- Grill in batches if needed: If doubling or tripling the recipe, grill in batches and keep finished corn warm in a 200°F oven while preparing the rest.
-
- Serve immediately for best texture: The contrast of hot corn and cool, creamy sauce is part of the appeal. Serve right after assembling to preserve this texture and prevent sogginess.
-
- Customize spice level: To make it milder, reduce or omit the chili powder and crushed red pepper. For spicier corn, add cayenne, chipotle powder (or chipotle sauce to the sauce), or even Tajín seasoning.
Fareen J
This looks amazing. My kids can't get enough corn. Will definitely be making this.
Terri Gilson
Thanks, Fareen! I hope you all enjoy it!
Vanessa
I have been eating fresh corn on the cob on repeat lately. This will be a delicious way to change things up. Looks so good!
Terri Gilson
Thanks, Vanessa!
Kristen
We LOVE LOVE LOVE Mexican street corn at our house - we even make it in salad form. Your recipe looks fantastic. I'll give this a try to switch it up a notch!
Terri Gilson
I really want to make it in salad form too- that would be soo delicious! Hope you enjoy this, Kristen!
Sadia Malik
This recipe is delicious. I don't think I have ever seen a Taber corn here in Ontario.
Terri Gilson
Hi Sadia: no, it's an Alberta thing so you likely wouldn't have seen it. Especially this year - I heard hail wiped out a lot of their crop, so it's not as abundant this year, sadly.... But if you ever get a chance to try, I recommend you do!!