Say hello to taco Tuesday’s new bestie.
Eating corn on the cob has always evoked Summer in a heartfelt way. It was a staple at Summer dinners when I was growing up, but what I remember most about eating it is - ironically enough - the 12inch stainless steel cylinder filled with melted butter that sat in the center of the table.
I like to this that dunking my ear of corn into the butter vat between bites is something I did because I'd yet to learn what a calorie is, but I'm not certain I wouldn't eat it that way again if given the chance. Butter vat or not, corn has remained one of my Summer favorites.
If you’ve never heard of or eaten elote before, allow me to introduce you!
Elote is the spanish word for corn on the cob. If you order it off of a menu, you may expect to be served an ear of corn (probably on a stick) that is slathered in a spicy mixture of mayo, crema, and chili powder, and finished with a (generous) sprinkling of cheese. If you’re lactose intolerant, proceed with caution. You may have also heard elote referred to as “street corn” because it is a popular snack sold by vendors both on the streets and at festivals in Mexico, but I think "elote" has a nicer ring.
Recently, I've been on a cooking kick.
Despite what you'd assume from me being a dietitian, this isn't always the case, and this Spicy Elote Slaw was born from a totally unplanned kitchen adventure that snowballed to fruition after I googled “red cabbage, corn, jalapeno recipes”. And if you've never thought to google a list of ingredients that are about to go bad followed by “recipes”, your life is going to be SO much easier from here on out.
If you’ve been following along in my Facebook community recently, you’ve learned that I am 1. a converted evangelist for using greek yogurt to reduce (not eliminate!) the amount of mayo and/or sour cream in a recipe, and 2. highly, HIGHLY obsessed with Trader Joe’s new-ish Everything But The Elote (EBTE, if you will) seasoning!
Let’s talk a little about this seasoning.
If you’re like me, your pantry is never without Trader Joe’s most popular Everything But The Bagel (EBTB, to keep the acronyms straight) seasoning. EBTB has been my go-to for a long time, but I’m telling you, you’re going to want to make space in your heart (slash pantry) for this new addition.
EBTE seasoning is a mix of salt, chili pepper, parmesan, chipotle, cumin, dried cilantro, plus corn flour & cane sugar (and I’m not usually one to advocate for spices with added sugar, so you know this blend is worth it). It adds a smoky chipotle, almost ~cool ranch vibes~ to whatever it’s paired with. I’ve been sprinkling it onto hard-boiled eggs, dried chickpeas, popcorn, and roasted veggies, but this elote slaw is next level.
Typically I don’t prefer (or have time) to spend more than 30 minutes putting together a weeknight dinner, and this dish is slightly more time-consuming, but it’s worth the exception for several reasons:
It’s downright delicious and will be loved by everyone
Different colored vegetables, herbs, and spices mean this slaw is packed with nutrients
Greek yogurt provides all the creamy, tangy goodness of elote without all of the calories from mayo
This recipe makes enough to feed a family of 4 and/or provides leftovers for you to pack in cutesy mason jars for no-prep salads the rest of the week
Ready to make this?! Here’s what you’ll need!
4 Ears Corn
1tbsp Olive Oil
1 Green Bell Pepper Julienned
2 Jalapeños, Diced (option to use 1, or none at all)
2tbsp Sour Cream
2tbsp Mayo
1/2 cup Plain Greek Yogurt
1tbsp Apple Cider Vinegar
1tbsp EBTE Seasoning
4 cups Shredded Red Cabbage (about ½ head, buy pre-shredded to save some time!)
1/2 cup Diced Tomatoes & Green Chiles (Rotel)
1/2 cup Crumbled Feta
Where’s the lime and cilantro, you ask?
Not in my fridge, of course! I was inspired to make this dish less than 10 minutes after we’d received a FULL instacart order - which is what I get for not planning ahead. You could absolutely add cilantro to this recipe if you’d like! And if you’re going to use lime juice, skip the Apple Cider Vinegar (which isn’t a bad swap for lime juice, btw!), and use 2tbsp instead of 1.
Here’s what you’ll do!
Cut kernels from corn, & dice bell pepper and jalapenos. (*note: you may choose to grill the corn and peppers instead, in which case you may leave the kernels on and the peppers whole.
Heat olive oil in a cast iron skillet over medium high heat. If you’d prefer to grill the corn and peppers, you’ll want to heat your grill to the same temperature. Despite what method you choose, browning the kernels before mixing with the other ingredients adds another layer of smoky flavor to the dish.
Sautee/grill corn and peppers until browned, about 10 minutes.
In a small bowl, mix the sour cream, mayo, greek yogurt, apple cider vinegar, and EBTE seasoning.
In a larger bowl, toss the crema dressing a little at a time with shredded cabbage until cabbage is coated (you may have dressing leftover!)
Add the corn, diced tomatoes & green chiles, and cheese to the bowl and mix!
Enjoy this slaw as a side dish with tacos (or tamales, if you’re like me!), and top your mason jar slaw with protein to balance this meal out!
P.S Heads up, this can be addictive.
P.P.S. Tag me in your recipe photos and let me know how much you loved this dish!