As invigorating as summer itself, this avocado corn salad recipe is everything wonderful about a gorgeous sunny day all in a bowl. Fresh yellow corn kernels, diced avocado chunks, red onion, bell pepper, and a simple homemade lime dressing make this a bright and tangy salad recipe you’ll be making as often as you can find corn on the cob.
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This salad can be served as a side dish or even as a lunch or light summer dinner when paired with grilled BBQ chicken or a grilled flank steak.
You can serve it with my favorite vegetarian bean tacos for an easy Taco Tuesday dinner.
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📖Why You Will Love This Corn Salad
While most corn salads use raw corn, I find that can be a little underwhelming. By briefly cooking the corn we are brightening the yellow color and enhancing the sweetness. But it remains crunchy. So once you add the creaminess of ripe avocados there are loads of complementary textures.
Lime juice prevents the avocado from browning. But often corn salad recipes add juicy tomatoes. But I find the acid from both the lime and tomatoes is too much. I prefer a more balanced approach. So I added red peppers to my recipe. And I think it is just perfect.
The other reason I don't add tomatoes is that I often pair this with my cherry tomato salad recipe when hosting cookouts.
This recipe is also gluten-free, dairy-free, and vegan.
🧾Ingredient Notes
Fresh Corn - If you can’t find fresh corn on the cob, or you're making it outside of corn season, frozen is best. I don’t recommend using canned corn.
Avocados - Choose a dark green or black avocado if you need one that’s ripe today. It should feel soft to the touch but not too squishy.
Red Onion - You can also replace the red onion with another sweet onion like a Vidalia onion or even use green onions.
Cilantro - This provides a lot of the flavor of the dish. Look for bright green leaves that don’t appear wilted. If you’re not a fan of cilantro, you can add flavor with other fresh herbs like basil, parsley, or dill.
Red Bell Pepper
Lime - Use fresh lime and zest the entire thing. Then, squeeze out all the juice for your salad dressing.
Extra Virgin Olive Oil - Substitute with avocado oil if you prefer.
See the recipe card for exact quantities.
💭 Variations
There are so many ways to add interest to your summer salads. In this recipe, I like adding black beans, crushed tortilla chips, or feta cheese. But here are two popular variations.
Spicy Avocado Corn Salad
Make a spicy corn salad adding 1 minced jalapeno or serrano pepper. A serrano pepper will be hotter. You can devein and deseed the pepper or leave those parts in for more heat.
Avocado Tomato Corn Salad
We already know I think ripe tomatoes are too acidic in this salad without any type of rice or quinoa to absorb the juice. But you do you! Turn this dish into tomato and avocado corn salad by stirring in one pint of cherry tomatoes. Cut them in half first.
⏲️How to Make Avocado Corn Salad
This is a very simple fresh salad recipe that you can make in just a few minutes. Here’s how to do it:
Step 1 - Prepare the Corn
Clean your corn by removing the husks and the silk. Cut off the ends if they look a bit brown or dry. Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Place the corn cobs in the water and let them boil for 3-4 minutes.
When the corn kernels are bright in color, use tongs to remove the corn from the pot. Allow it to cool on a plate, then use a large knife to cut the kernels off the cobs.
To speed up the process you can place the ears of corn in an ice bath to cool quickly.
Step 2 - Chop the Veggies
Chop the red onion and bell pepper into small pieces. I think a fine dice is perfect. Mince the cilantro and dice the avocado into small chunks. The avocado should be slightly larger than the other pieces.
Don't forget to zest your lime before cutting it in half and squeezing out the juice.
Step 3 - Prepare the Dressing
In a small bowl or measuring cup, whisk together the ingredients for your dressing. You can also do this in a blender.
Step 4 - Assemble
Place the avocado in a bowl and pour half the dressing overtop. Stir to coat. Next, add your chopped veggies and lime zest. Pour over the remaining dressing and stir well until all the vegetables are coated.
🥗What to Serve with Corn Salad with Avocado
To turn this delicious salad from the perfect side dish to a main course you can serve it over lettuce or add cooked quinoa or brown rice to make it a more filling meal.
For dinner, you can pair it with Tex-Mex favorites like sweet potato nachos, pollo asada, or citrus beef. You can eat it on the side or use it as a topping. It’s also delicious and served as a side with grilled Wagyu burgers or grilled brats.
It pairs well with creamy blue cheese potato salad or a gluten-free pasta salad.
👩🏻🍳 Expert Tips
- Cook the corn until it’s tender but not mushy. Overcooked corn will ruin this dish. It should only take about 3-4 minutes.
- Hold the corn cob upright using a fork and use a sharp knife to carve the kernels off the cob.
- It’s important to stir the avocado together with the dressing before adding the other ingredients. This coats the avocado in lime juice and helps to prevent browning.
🌡️Storing Leftovers
Leftover avocado corn salad will keep for 2-3 days in the fridge. Just place it in an airtight container. But keep in mind the avocado will begin to turn brown over time.
This salad isn’t going to freeze well, so make sure you enjoy it fresh.
You can prep this salad in advance, but I recommend following a few guidelines. Cut your avocado fresh, even if you prep the other ingredients ahead of time.
And, store your dressing separately from your veggies until you’re ready to serve. Then follow the assembly instructions above.
More Easy Summer Salads
💭 Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, grilled corn will add lovely smoky flavor to the salad.
Avocado stays fresh for at least 3 days after being cut. However, the green outside oxidizes and begins to turn brown. You can eat brown avocado, but it doesn’t look as appetizing as when it’s bright green.
To stop the oxidization process, you need to store the avocado with as little air near it as possible. You can press plastic wrap down onto the avocado to help. You can also coat the top of a cut avocado with fresh lime juice. Keep it in the fridge.
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📖 Recipe
Avocado Corn Salad
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 ears fresh corn see notes
- 2 avocados diced
- ½ cup red onion diced
- ½ cup red bell pepper diced
- ¼ cup fresh cilantro minced
Lime Dressing
- 1 lime juice and zest
- 2 cloves garlic finely minced
- 2 Tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- ⅛ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Shuck the corn and remove the silk. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the corn and cook for 3-4 minutes until tender. Remove the corn from the pot and allow it to cool. Once cooled, cut the kernels off the cob.2 ears fresh corn
- In a small bowl, whisk together the lime juice, garlic, olive oil, salt, and black pepper to make the dressing.1 lime, 2 Tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, ¼ teaspoon kosher salt, ⅛ teaspoon black pepper, 2 cloves garlic
- In a large bowl, add the avocado and half the dressing. Toss to coat. Add the corn kernels, red onion, red bell pepper, and chopped cilantro. Pour over the remaining dressing over the salad and toss to combine. Add additional salt and pepper to taste.2 avocados, ½ cup red onion, ½ cup red bell pepper, ¼ cup fresh cilantro
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