This Corn Salad is made with fresh grilled corn, cherry tomatoes, avocado, red onion, fresh herbs tossed with tangy lime. Serve as an easy side, lunch or appetizer with a bowl of your favorite chips.
Summer Corn Salad Recipe
Looking for a delicious way to use up some summer corn? This fresh corn salad is light, refreshing, flavorful and so easy to make. It’s packed with corn on the cob, fresh lime juice, chopped tomatoes and perfect for a light lunch, side or appetizer with a bowl of chips.
There’s something so magical about a summer night with a bowl of this Mexican-inspired corn salad and a fruity refreshing drink on the front porch. If you’ve got tons of summer corn and don’t know how to jazz it up, you’ve gotta try this grilled corn salad.
Ingredients you need
- Fresh corn: You’ll need 2 cobs of corn.
- Avocado oil: Or olive oil.
- English cucumber: Sliced and cut into quarters
- Cherry or grape tomatoes: Cut into quarters or halves depending on the size
- Avocado: Diced
- Red onion: Finely diced (rinse or soak in cold water for 1-2 minutes to remove some of the harsh bite if preferred)
- Fresh cilantro: Chopped.
- Fresh basil leaf: Finely chopped.
- Fresh Mint leaf: Finely chopped.
- Lime: Fresh lime juice works best.
- Sea salt: To taste.
- Ground black pepper, to taste
- Chili powder or Tajin seasoning: Optional to taste for a kick of heat
For garnish / topping: A little bit of freshly crumbled dairy-free or regular feta + a pinch of chopped fresh herbs of choice
Serve with:
- Tortilla chips of choice: Gluten-free or grain-free as needed, we like Siete)
How to make Corn Salad
- Preheat an outdoor grill or indoor grill pan on the stove to medium-high heat.
- Shuck the corn by removing the husks and strip away the silk. Brush the corn with 3/4 tablespoon of oil and grill for 8-12 minutes, using tongs to rotate a few times for even charring.
- Remove from heat and allow to cool for 10 minutes, or until cool enough to handle.
- Use a sharp knife to slice the kernels off the cob then add to a large bowl.
- Prepare the vegetables by chopping the cucumber, tomatoes, avocado, red onion and herbs and add them to the bowl.
- Drizzle in 1-2 teaspoons oil, squeeze in the lime juice and season with salt, black pepper and chili powder / Tajin, (if using, to taste.) Gently stir to combine. Chill for 10-25 minutes before serving.
- Garnish with crumbled feta and serve with preferred tortilla chips.
- Grab one tortilla chip to scoop up some salad and enjoy.
Variation Ideas
Although this salad is super tasty as it is, you can add even more yummy stuff to it! Check out these ideas for inspiration.
- Skip the grilling: You can boil or air fry the corn if you don’t have a grill.
- Make Mango Corn Salad: Want some sweetness to this fresh Mexican-inspired salad? Add some diced mango.
- Make Tropical Salad: Diced pineapple would really kick this summer corn salad recipe up a notch. A true tropical delight!
- Sub Lime Juice for Lemon Juice: Some people prefer the more bitter flavor of a lime, while others gravitate toward the sweetness of lemons. Either flavor tastes great in this salad – the choice is yours!
- Add protein: Bulk up your salad with some black beans, edamame or chopped cooked protein of choice to make it a complete meal.
- Frozen corn or canned corn: Wondering if you can use frozen corn instead? If you can’t find fresh corn cobs, you may sub with frozen corn or canned corn. Be sure to thaw the frozen corn and then heat it through in some oil in a hot skillet. Cook on medium for a few minutes, tossing occasionally, until 1/3 – 1/2 of the kernels are lightly browned.
How to store extras
This fresh corn salad tastes best the day it is made within 24 hours.
If you happen to have any leftover corn salsa, it should be stored in an airtight container in the fridge. It will stay fresh for about 2 days. Note that the tomatoes and avocado will soften as it rests.
More summer salad recipes you will love:
This Corn Salad is made with fresh grilled corn, cherry tomatoes, avocado, red onion, fresh herbs tossed with tangy lime. Serve as an easy side, lunch or appetizer with a bowl of your favorite chips.
- 2 ears of fresh corn . Fresh corn works best but you may sub with frozen thawed or canned corn if preferred. Skip the grilling and shucking step as needed. Heat the corn in some oil in a hot skillet. Cook on medium for a few minutes, tossing occasionally, until 1/3 - 1/2 of the kernels are lightly browned.
- 1 tbsp avocado oil or olive oil divided
- 1/3 of a small English cucumber sliced and cut into quarters
- ½ cup cherry or grape tomatoes cut into quarters or halves depending on the size
- 1 small avocado diced
- ¼ cup red onion finely diced (rinse or soak in cold water for 1-2 minutes to remove some of the harsh bite if preferred)
- 2 tbsp fresh chopped cilantro + more for topping
- 1 fresh basil leaf finely chopped
- 1 fresh mint leaf finely chopped
- 2 tbsp fresh lime juice
- Sea salt to taste
- Ground black pepper to taste
- Chili powder or Tajin seasoning optional to taste for a kick of heat
- For garnish / topping: A little bit of freshly crumbled dairy-free or regular feta + a pinch of chopped fresh herbs of choice
- A tiny pinch of crumbled dairy-free or regular feta + a pinch of chopped fresh herbs of choice , omit for dairy-free
- Gluten-free or grain-free tortilla chips of choice , we like Siete
Preheat an outdoor grill or indoor grill pan on the stove to medium-high heat.
Shuck the corn by removing the husks and strip away the silk. Brush the corn with 3/4 tablespoon of oil and grill for 8-12 minutes, using tongs to rotate a few times for even charring. (Skip this step if using frozen or canned corn and cook on a hot skillet until 1/3 - 1/2 of the kernels are lightly brown.)
Remove from heat and allow to cool for 10 minutes, or until cool enough to handle.
Use a sharp knife to slice the kernels off the cob then add to a large bowl.
- Prepare the vegetables by chopping the cucumber, tomatoes, avocado, red onion and herbs and add them to the bowl.
- Drizzle in 1-2 teaspoons oil, squeeze in the lime juice and season with salt, black pepper and chili powder / Tajin, (if using, to taste.) Gently stir to combine. Chill for 10-25 minutes before serving.
Garnish with crumbled feta (if using) and serve with preferred tortilla chips.
- Grab one tortilla chip to scoop up some salad and enjoy.
How to store extras
This fresh corn salad tastes best the day it is made within 24 hours.
If you happen to have any leftover corn salsa, it should be stored in an airtight container in the fridge. It will stay fresh for about 2 days. Note that the tomatoes and avocado will soften as it rests.
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