Mexican Street Corn Dip Appetizer

This is the best Mexican street corn dip! It only lasted 20 minutes in my house! It’s just like our beloved street corn just in a dip, which might make it better… I’ll let you decide. It is quick and easy to make and so so sooo delicious. This is an essential summer appetizer, served with your favorite tortilla chips.

Lets get to it

This is probably one of the most simple dishes to make ever. I will probably start making this all the time now, especially because everyone who tried it loved it and my family was wishing they could try it. If you like street corn, you will LOVE this.

I used fresh corn, however you can use frozen or canned corn if you would like. I just like the texture of fresh corn the best. So I started by cutting the corn off the cob and tossed in a skillet with olive oil on medium high heat. Stir until lightly charred, about 8-10 minutes. Then I took it off and added the corn to a bowl.

For my spices, I added salt, pepper, chili powder, cayenne pepper, and some tajin to sprinkle on top. If you want some extra spice, add some chopped jalepeno! I minced garlic in there as well, but beware … I like a lot of garlic. Put as much garlic as you wish. I love my garlic peeler and press, it makes everything so much easier. Check it out in my amazon storefront. Of course you cannot forget the lime. I could not live without my citrus squeezer, for real. You can either add the spices into the skillet to cook with the corn, or you can just toss them all in the bowl when it is done. I am sure cooking the spices would add even more flavor.

In the bowl, I threw in the rest of the ingredients and mixed it all together. The Monterrey Jack, Mexican cotija cheese, and sour cream made this dish so creamy and wonderful. Add in the red onion and cilantro and mix. I LOVE cilantro, so I like to add a little extra at the end. I also sprinkled some tajin on top for a little zing – so so good. Taste your dish to see if it needs anything and serve immediately with some tortilla chips.

Everyone is going to rave about this dip!!

Now, lets talk nutrition.

Corn

Corn has a good nutrient profile including fats, fiber, phosphorous, sodium, sulfur, riboflavin, amino acids, minerals, calcium, iron, potassium, thiamine, vitamin-C, vitamin-E magnesium, and copper. Vitamin-E in corn is used as an anti-oxidant. A few phytochemicals are found in corn which are very important for human health and can prevent chronic diseases. One example of phytochemicals found in corn is carotenoids. Corn contains carotenoids which are compounds that give foods that red, yellow, and orange pigment and often have anti-oxidant properties. Some common carotenoids include alpha or beta carotene and some can be converted into vitamin A in the body. The beta-complex vitamins play a role in maintaining hair, skin, nails, the heart, and aids in proper digestion. They are also helpful for the limbs and joints. The carotenes and vitamins K, C, and A work to improve immunity and aid in proper function of the thyroid glands.

The stringy fibers that you find on a corn husk, also known as corn silk, have health benefits as well. They are used in other countries to treat many health related issues such as kidney problems, jaundice, and fluid retention. The fatty acids present help maintain blood pressure, cholesterol, and obesity. It has even been said to help with certain vision problems. Some also use it to help skin issues and some cancers.

HOWEVER … because of the glyphosate (Round-Up) that is sprayed, it has made finding corn and corn products without this very difficult. Therefore, it may not be the best idea to make corn a staple in your diet.

Garlic

The list of benefits for garlic just goes on and on and on. To start, it has antioxidant, antimicrobial, anticarcinogenic, antilipemic, hepatoprotective, and antineoplastic properties. It is made up of as many as thirty-three sulfur compounds, enzymes, seventeen amino acids, and trace minerals. The antioxidants help reduce free radicals found in your body. Radicals have unpaired electrons, therefore can be very chemically reactive which can alter our DNA, lipids, proteins, and trigger a number of diseases. Antioxidants have been shown to reduce these radicals in our body. They can reduce oxidative stress, inflammation, and hypertension.

The sulfur compounds found in the garlic give the food its anti-carcinogenic properties. It may reduce the incidence of certain cancers. Its antilipemic agents are known to reduce hyperlipidemia, or high blood cholesterol, which may end up leading to a heart attack, stroke, angina, or heart failure. Hepatoprotective just means it has agents to help protect the liver. It also has antimicrobial effects that have been shown to fight against Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria at room temperature. The same with some strains of Helicobacter pylori, which is bacteria known to infect two thirds of the worlds stomachs. It is crazy cool that garlic can help fight this pesky bacteria!

Garlic has been known to treat aches, parasitic infection, diarrhea, leprosy, deafness, constipation, and fever. I think just about everyone loves garlic, but these facts have got to make you love it even more!!

Onion

Onions not only provide LOADS of flavor, they also provide health benefits as well. They are full of phytochemicals that help promote human health, high in vitamin C and contain folic acid, calcium, iron, and some protein. Onions are low in sodium, contain no fat, are also a good source of dietary fiber. They contain sulfur compounds and quercetin which is a flavonoid that provides antioxidant properties. Antioxidants reduce the free radicals in our bodies and help delay the oxidative damage done to our cells and tissues. Studies have found that quercetin may fight against many diseases and disorders such as cataracts, cardiovascular disease, and some cancers. The sulfur compounds have anticancer and antimicrobial activities.

Cilantro

I personally adore everything about cilantro – the taste, the smell, the color. I feel so sad for those who think it tastes like soap. Besides all that, cilantro has significant benefits and disease-fighting properties. In traditional Ayurvedic Indian medicine they used the plant to aid in digestion. Modern studies have found that it can reduce pain and inflammation, as well as that extracts from it can protect the skin against ultraviolet (UV) radiation. It has antifungal and antioxidant properties. Antioxidants reduce the free radicals in our bodies and help delay the oxidative damage done to our cells and tissues. They can reduce oxidative stress, inflammation, and hypertension.

A study found that when cilantro is added to meat, it may be able to stop a carcinogenic substance forming from cooking with high temperatures. There were also many studies done to understand cilantros anticonvulsant, or anti-seizure effects – which is insane in my opinion. It also may have anti-cancer, antibacterial, cardioprotective, gut health, and analgesic effects. Cilantro is just all around amazing.

Disclaimer:   I am not a certified nutritionist … yet, and I am not certified to give health advice. I am just providing information that I have learned. Everyone’s body is unique and has different needs. One food that is great for my body, may not be so great for you. Find what works for you! There is still so much to learn – so follow along if you want to learn with me.

Be sure to follow me on all my socials and let me know if you try this recipe and love it as much as I do! A few of the items used to create this dish are linked in this article and my amazon storefront.

I absolutely LOVE this garlic press. The rubber piece peels the garlic so fast and the press is so easy to use and clean. 

If I didn’t have this, all the tiny cuts in my hands would be burning everytime I had to squeeze anything citrus. Need this in my life, click here if you do too!

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