This corn salad is filled with sweet corn kernels, avocado, tomato, jalapeno and red onion, all tossed in a zesty cilantro lime dressing. An easy and colorful side dish that pairs well with chicken, beef and seafood.
During the warmer months, I serve a variety of refreshing salads such as caprese salad, Asian slaw and this simple yet totally satisfying Mexican-style corn salad.
There’s nothing better than fresh corn on the cob. While corn is delicious when boiled or grilled, it’s even better when it’s combined with fresh veggies and creamy avocado to make a fabulous corn salad.
How do you make corn salad?
Place corn kernels in a large bowl along with thinly sliced red onion, cherry tomatoes, avocado, and minced jalapeno. Whisk together a dressing of lime juice, olive oil, spices and fresh cilantro. Pour the dressing over the salad ingredients and toss to coat. Add a sprinkle of cilantro for garnish, then serve and enjoy.
How to cut corn off the cob
This dish tastes best when made with fresh cooked corn. To remove corn kernels from corn cobs, simply remove the husk of the corn and discard it. Take care to remove loose strands of corn silk. Hold the cob upright with your fingers at the top and place the bottom stem end on a cutting board. With a sharp chef’s knife or paring knife, cut downward away from your fingers. Try to follow the shape of the corn to cut at the bottom of each kernel, so that you get individual cut kernels and not large chunks of corn. After you move the knife down the side of the corn, rotate the corn and cut down again. Repeat until all the kernels are on the cutting board.
Tips for the perfect salad
- While I prefer to make this salad with fresh corn, thawed frozen corn kernels or canned corn will also work if that’s what you have on hand.
- I use a mandoline to get ultra thin slices of red onion.
- Choose a ripe, but firm avocado so that it doesn’t get mushy when you toss it with the rest of the ingredients.
- I like the flavor that a little jalapeno adds to the salad. I remove the seeds from my jalapeno which removes most of the heat. If you prefer a spicy dish, add in some of the seeds too.
- This dish can be made up to 2 day in advance. If you’re planning to make it ahead of time, omit the avocado and stir it in right before serving.
Corn Salad flavor variations
This salad is absolutely delicious as-is, but you can add other ingredients to the mix to customize it to your tastes.
- Protein: Turn your salad into a main course by adding cooked crumbled bacon, grilled chicken, shrimp or steak.
- Cheese: I like to add a sprinkle of feta or cotija cheese for added flavor.
- Vegetables: Feel free to add other vegetables such as bell peppers, roasted or grilled zucchini, cucumbers or poblano peppers.
- Beans: Stir in a can of drained black or pinto beans.
There are so many ways to enjoy this corn salad. You can eat it over lettuce, serve it as an appetizer with chips, or even use it as a topping for grilled chicken. No matter how you serve it, the salad is sure to be a hit!
More salad recipes to try
Corn Salad Video
Corn Salad
Ingredients
For the salad
- 4 cups corn kernels can be fresh, canned or thawed from frozen
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes halved
- 1/4 cup red onion finely diced
- 1 jalapeno remove seeds and ribs, then mince finely
- 1 avocado chopped
For the dressing
- 1/3 cup olive oil
- 1/4 cup lime juice
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1/3 cup cilantro leaves chopped, plus more for garnish if desired
Instructions
For the salad
- Place the corn kernels, cherry tomatoes, red onion, jalapeno and avocado in a large bowl.
For the dressing
- In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, lime juice, honey, chili powder, cumin, salt, pepper and cilantro.
- Pour the dressing over the corn mixture and toss gently to coat. Serve immediately, garnished with additional cilantro if desired.
Calli says
Amazing!!!!!! I used 2 cans of corn and it was great.
Pam says
What do think about adding greens?
Sara says
That should be fine, you may need to double the dressing!
Kelly says
I just made this and it was wonderful! So fresh. I can’t imagine canned corn could compete. I had meant this as a salad but my husband assumed it was a salsa and started eating it with chips. He said he liked this “salsa” much more than all the tomatoes salsas. So I tried it with chips. It is really great that way as well. I can see this being used in many ways and will definitely be making this many more times. Thanks!
Tracy says
This was OUTSTANDING!!!!!!! I added cucumber to make it even better!!
Marcy says
So delicious! One of the tastiest side dishes ever. The flavors and textures work so well together.
Jacque says
Served this with your bbq chicken recipe and it was a huge hit! Definitely what a gourmet meal should be, and then some! Delicious!
Kimberly says
LOVE the sound of this corn salad, the ingredients look perfect and that lime juice-based dressing sounds so yummy!
Natalie says
This is one of my favorite summer salads! It has so much flavor! It’s a great way to use corn!
Chelsea says
This is the best summer salad! We’re so obsessed! Thanks for sharing!
April says
So many fresh flavors! It’s like summer in a bowl!
Beti says
I would love this corn salad for lunch! It looks incredibly delicious!
katerina says
SO many fantastic flavors in this salad!! Perfect for summer!
Amanda says
This corn salad is so delicious and I highly recommend it!
Suzy says
One of our favorite side dishes to prepare! Love that you can use fresh or canned corn for it!
Beth says
Yum! This is so delicious and flavor filled! I love all the colors!