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 grilled shrimp tacos or vegetarian bean tacos for an easy Taco Tuesday dinner.
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📖Why My Recipe Works
- Lightly cooking the corn enhances its sweetness and color while keeping it crisp.
- Ripe avocado adds creamy texture that complements the crunch.
- Lime juice helps prevent the avocado from browning.
- Instead of tomatoes (which make it too acidic), red bell pepper adds color and balance.
- No Mayonnaise, because we don't need another mayo-based summer salad.
🧾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.
💭 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 by 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.
Corn Salad as an Entree
To turn this delicious salad from the perfect side dish to a veggie main course, by adding add cooked quinoa or brown rice to make it a more filling meal.
⏲️How to Make Avocado Corn Salad
- Cool the corn before adding it to the other veggies. A fine dice is perfect for the other veggies.
- Don't forget to zest your lime before cutting it in half and squeezing out the juice. You can make the dressing by hand or in a blender.
- Pour half the dressing over the avocado to prevent browning
- Mix the avocado and remaining dressing into the salad.
👩🏻🍳Jen's Testing Notes
- 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 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.
More Easy Summer Side Salads
Common Recipe Questions
Yes, grilled corn will add lovely smoky flavor to the salad.
I recommend using fresh corn but frozen corn can be used in a pinch. Defrost and add straight to the salad.
Cut avocado lasts about 3 days in the fridge but will brown from oxidation. It's still safe to eat, just less appealing. To slow browning, press plastic wrap directly on the surface or brush with lime juice.
Did you enjoy making this recipe? Show it some love with ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ and leave a comment! Hungry for more FLAVORFUL recipes?
📖 Recipe Card
Avocado Corn Salad
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
Soma Kliemann says
This was delicious. I made it for a going away party and everyone loved it. I will definitely make it again.
Jen Wooster says
Thanks for taking a time to leave a review.
Victoria says
Can I make this 1 day ahead of time??
Jen Wooster says
I don't recommend that as the avocado will brown. You can prep the other veggies and toss it all together the day of.
Patricia says
Very bland! Needs jalapeños and more seasoning! Yuk!
Jen Wooster says
I am sorry you didn't care for the salad. It is meant to be light on the seasoning so the summer corn shines through.
There were instructions for a spicy version using jalapeno peppers or serranos for those that prefer more heat.
Hammons says
Is this gluten free?
Jen Wooster says
Yes- all my recipes are naturally gluten free or have specific GF instructions in the recipe card notes section. All recipes are tested with the GF variations. Thanks
Kristi says
I doubled this recipie and it was gobbled up within minutes. I will definitely make this again!
Jen Wooster says
Thanks for the review!
Cheryl D says
It was delicious! I didn’t add cilantro because my husband and a friend doesn’t like it. I used frozen corn because the last corn on the cob wasn’t great. I might use 3 avocados next time. I added cojita on after this. So good!