Healthy Vegan Mexican Street Corn Grilled in the Husk

Nothing screams summer more than my heathy Vegan Mexican Street Corn grilled in the husk. And this easy Vegan Mexican Corn comes with a wholesome twist as it’s topped with Almond Parmesan and tangy Cilantro Lime Avocado Sauce instead of mayonnaise and cotija cheese for a quick, 20 minute vegan side.

The first in this Summer Barbecue Series is this easy grilled corn recipe, my own healthy version of Vegan Mexican Street Corn. I top mine with Almond Parmesan, but if you prefer cashews over almonds, you can always substitute for my 4-Ingredient Vegan Parmesan Cheese Recipe. This barbecued vegan corn is so good, I’ve already made it twice this week.

One thing I loved about making this delicious grilled corn recipe is that you don’t have to do anything to prepare your corn. Just throw the ears directly on the grill, husk and all, and in 20 minutes, you’ve got a bang-up side dish to pair with my Grilled Portobello Mushroom Burger with Smoky Chipotle Sauce and my Vegan Potato Salad with Lemon, Dill and Dijon. Or if you prefer vegan hot dogs, go with my Grilled Carrot Dogs 4 Ways. And don’t forget to wash it all down with my Watermelon Agua Fresca with Mint and no sugar.

Why Make This Recipe?

• Healthy and delicious – my Vegan Mexican Street Corn is loaded with dietary fiber and grilled on the barbecue in the husk using no added ingredients. Once grilled to perfection, each ear is brushed with coconut oil, which is full of fatty acids that may help improve cognition and boost metabolism. Coconut oil has also been reported to improve HDL levels, or “good” cholesterol, more effectively than olive oil. It may also lower LDL levels, or “bad” cholesterol. Corn is also rich in Vitamin B and minerals such as zinc and iron. For more information about the benefits of coconut oil, visit Coconut Oil: Is it Good for You?
• Quick and easy – although more ingredients are required for the toppings, the actual grilled corn recipe requires 2 ingredients and takes only 20 minutes to prepare.
• Diet-friendly – suitable for many diets, including vegan, vegetarian, low fat, low calorie, and low sodium.

Ingredients

Ingredient Notes and Substitutions

Be sure to check out the recipe card below or my recipe for Cilantro Lime Avocado Sauce and 4-Ingredient Vegan Parmesan Cheese Recipe (you can use cashews or almonds for this recipe) for detailed information on how to make these toppings.

• Corn in the husk – when choosing corn on the cob in the supermarket, first, start with the husk. It should be bright leafy green with a slight dampness to it. If the husk is dry and losing color, this means the corn is old. Next, look at the stem. It should be clean and moist, not turning brown, which is another sign that it is older than you want it to be. Finally, peel back the husk on one side to see the kernels and the tassel. The kernels should be plump and golden yellow, but it’s ok if there are underdeveloped kernels on the end. The tassel should be soft golden yellow to light brown in color. It shouldn’t show any signs of mildew or rot.
• Coconut manna or coconut oil – choose coconut oil or coconut butter that is unrefined. I love the richness of Nutiva Coconut Manna which is organic, gluten-free, and dairy-free. When using unrefined coconut oil, you still get the rich coconut flavor of the oil, which then enhances the natural flavor of the grilled corn with Parmesan.
• Sesame oil – this is used in the Almond Parmesan recipe you can find below in the recipe card. It adds an earthy, nutty flavor to the vegan Parmesan and subsequently, the corn. However, you can use other oils, such as Grapeseed Oil, Avocado Oil, Peanut Oil or Olive oil as a substitution, the most neutral-tasting being Olive Oil.
• Nutritional yeast – this little yeast known as Saccharomyces cerevisiae is included in my Almond Parmesan. It’s a lovely protein that’s naturally dairy-free, gluten-free, low in fat with no sugar or soy. Many vegans use it in their cooking as it’s an excellent source of B12, which is found in animal products or fortified plant-based foods. It gives a nutty, cheesy kick to corn on the cob but if you don’t have any, it won’t alter the taste much so it could be omitted.
• Raw cashews – this nut is used in the Cilantro Lime Avocado Sauce. It should not be substituted.
• Blanched almonds – used in the Almond Parmesan, but can be substituted with other nuts, such as cashews, walnuts, or pecans.
• Other ingredients – all other ingredients should remain in the recipe. If you come up with an interesting substitute, don’t forget to leave a comment and tell us HOW YOU DID IT!

How to Make Vegan Mexican Street Corn

1.First, make the Almond Parmesan by adding almonds, sesame oil, garlic powder, sea salt and nutritional yeast to a food processor.

2. Pulse on high until mixture is fine and crumbly, resembling coarse Parmesan cheese.

3. Next, make the Cilantro Lime Avocado Sauce by adding soaked cashews, olive oil, cilantro, garlic, lime juice, avocado, jalapeño, sea salt and black pepper to a food processor. Pulse on high to blend ingredients thoroughly.

4. Add water, ¼ cup at a time and pulse until you reach desired consistency. Should be thick and creamy, but not runny.

5. Fill barbecue with mesquite charcoal or wood chips and light using paper instead of lighter fluid. Once wood is ready, place ears of corn on grill, husk and all.

6. Cook corn directly on grill in the husk. Turn several times during the cooking process to ensure even grilling.

7. Once charred on all sides, remove corn on the cob from grill and place on a platter to cool for 5 minutes before handling.

8. Remove husk from corn cob completely or pull upwards towards the stem as in the picture above.

9. Tie each husk with a piece of string or twine for a more decorative approach.

10. Brush all sides of each ear with melted coconut oil.

11. Sprinkle with Almond Parmesan (I use these blanched almonds) making sure to reach all sides.

12. Finally, drizzle Cilantro Lime Avocado Sauce over grilled corn with a spoon. Garnish with fresh cilantro and lime wedges. Fill serving bowl with remaining sauce and serve it on the side immediately.

Variations

• Mexican grilled corn – mix vegan sour cream, vegan mayonnaise, garlic, chipotle pepper, cilantro, lime juice and zest of lime in a bowl. Slather on grilled corn on the cob with a brush. Top with vegan cotija cheese, cilantro and a squirt of lime.
• Italian grilled corn – add oregano, garlic powder and paprika to a bit of olive oil or vegan butter. Brush over grilled corn once removed from the grill. Top with vegan Parmesan and Italian parsley.
• Cajun grilled corn – mix melted vegan butter with Cajon seasoning (make your own using paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, dried thyme, cayenne pepper and sea salt) and a few drops of tabasco or red pepper sauce. Brush over corn after removing from the grill.
• Sweet and spicy grilled corn – great for breakfast. Mix vegan butter with coconut sugar, cayenne pepper, garlic, ground ginger and a teaspoon of adobo chipotle sauce (just the sauce, not the chili). Brush over corn after removing from grill.

FAQ

Expert Tips and Storage Recommendations

• Store Vegan Mexican Street Corn in your refrigerator after wrapping in saran wrap or foil for up to 4 days. It’s best to store leftovers before garnishing them with any toppings.

• If you have grilled corn leftovers, use them to create another recipe, such as my healthy Mango Corn Salsa or my Vegan Southwest Salad made with corn and sweet potatoes.

• To freeze for up to 3 months, remove corn from cob with a knife and place in an air-tight container. Thaw at room temperature for 4 hours prior to serving.
  
• In the dreadful heat of summer, I grill my vegan corn indoors on this Indoor Barbecue Grill. It’s smoke-free and even leaves grill marks. I absolutely love using it when it hits 115 degrees in the desert and doesn’t cool off at night.

What to Serve With This Recipe

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