Spicy corn and avocado salad combines the best flavors of summer and can be whipped up in 15 minutes! Fresh corn, creamy avocado, bright red pepper, and spicy jalapeños blend for a sweet and fresh salad. Enjoy this salad with tortilla chips or as a side for tacos or grilled chicken.
This creamy Avocado Corn Salad combines the sweetness of fresh corn and vibrant fresh veggies in a healthy and delicious dish. Easy to make, you can customize it to the vegetables you have on hand or in your garden.
Recipe Ingredients
- Corn: Great, flavorful corn is the key to a delicious salad. You could use frozen corn in this recipe, but if you have fresh, in-season corn available, I would recommend using that.
- Bell peppers: Bell pepper adds a fresh crunch to the salad. I’m using red pepper for the color, but any bell pepper would work.
- Red onion: Adds a bit of spicy bite to the salad. I like red onion because it isn't as harsh as yellow onion.
- Cherry tomatoes: Cherry tomatoes add a great texture and a bit of moisture to the salad.
- Jalapeño: Adds spice to the salad. For more spice, leave the seeds! For less spice, remove the seeds before mincing.
- Cilantro: This bright green herb adds a fresh grassy flavor to the salad. If you aren’t a fan of cilantro, parsley would work too.
- Lime juice: Adds acidity to the salad and helps prevent the avocado from browning.
- Avocado oil: I like avocado oil in this salad because it has a very mild flavor. Grapeseed or vegetable oil would work too.
- Avocado: Adds a fresh creaminess to the salad. Make sure to use avocados that are ripe but not mushy.
How to Make Avocado Corn Salad
Be sure to see the recipe card for full ingredients and instructions.
- Cook: Bring a small pot of water to a boil over medium heat. Add the corn kernels and cook them for 2 minutes.
- Drain: Once the corn finishes cooking, drain the corn and run it under cold water until it is no longer warm. Drain well and then transfer the corn to a large bowl.
- Combine: Add the red pepper, red onion, cherry tomatoes, jalapeño, cilantro, lime juice, and avocado oil. Toss to combine. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Fold: Add the avocado and stir gently–you don’t want to smash the avocado.
- Enjoy: Serve at room temperature or chill in the fridge until ready to use.
Recipe FAQ's
Make this dish packed with protein by adding a can of black or white beans, grilled chicken or grilled shrimp. To add beans, drain and rinse a 14 oz can and add with the other ingredients in step 3. I would add the chicken or shrimp on top of an individual serving so that I could store the protein separately from the salad.
Gently squeeze the avocado. With gentle pressure, the avocado should yield slightly without feeling mushy. If it's very hard, it's not ripe. You can choose ones that are slightly firm and allow them to ripen at home if you're planning to make the salad in a few days, or look for one that is ripe if you want to make the salad the same day that you shop. Once the avocado is ripe, you can store it in your refrigerator for a few days to extend its shelf life.
Prep all of the ingredients except the avocado and mix in a bowl. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and place in the fridge. Just before serving, stir again and then add the chopped avocado.
Top Tips
- Be careful to always wash your hands throughly after handling the seeds in jalapeño peppers. The seeds contain capsaicin, which gives peppers their spicy bite. It can linger on your skin and can cause a burning feeling if you then touch your face or eyes.
Recipe Variations
- Add other veggies: Cucumber, sliced radishes, zucchini and yellow squash would all be great additions to this salad.
- Add ¼ cup crumbled feta cheese for a tangy, salty flavor.
- Use grilled corn on the cob if you have time for an extra step. Grilling gives corn a delicious smoky flavor, and the direct heat from the grill caramelizes the sugars in the corn, creating a sweeter taste.
Storage
- To store: Store any leftover salad in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days. The avocado may start to brown after a few hours, but the salad will still taste delicious.
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Avocado Corn Salad
Ingredients
- 2 cups fresh corn kernels, cut off the cob
- ½ cup finely diced red bell pepper
- ½ cup finely diced red onion
- ½ cup quartered cherry tomatoes
- 2 Tablespoons minced jalapeno
- 1 Tablespoon chopped cilantro
- 1 lime, juiced
- 1 Tablespoon avocado oil
- 2 large avocados, diced
Instructions
- Bring a small pot of water to a boil over medium heat. Add the corn kernels and cook them for 2 minutes.
- Drain the corn and run it under cold water until it is no longer warm. Drain well and then transfer the corn to a large bowl.
- Add the red pepper, red onion, cherry tomatoes, jalapeno, cilantro, lime juice, and avocado oil. Toss to combine. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Add the avocado and stir gently–you don’t want to smash the avocado.
- Serve at room temperature or chill in the fridge until ready to use.
Notes
- Storage: Store any leftover salad in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days. The avocado may start to brown after a few hours but the salad will still taste delicious.
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