Avocado Corn Salad - Dinner at the Zoo

This avocado corn salad is a blend of corn kernels, fresh avocado, ripe tomatoes and red onion, all tossed in a homemade lime dressing. A colorful side dish that is quick to put together and always gets rave reviews!

I can’t get enough of fresh salads during the warmer weather months. Some of my favorites include a main course grilled chicken salad, classic cucumber tomato salad and refreshing avocado corn salad.

In my opinion, there’s nothing better than fresh corn on the cob. It’s great when grilled, boiled or served in a salad. This avocado corn salad has the perfect blend of flavors and textures, and also happens to be quite easy to make.

Corn Salad Ingredients

This salad is comprised of corn, cherry tomatoes, red onion, avocado and cilantro. The dressing is made with olive oil, honey, lime juice, chili powder, cumin, salt and pepper.

How do you make avocado corn salad?

Start by placing corn, cherry tomatoes, sliced red onion, diced avocado and cilantro in a large bowl. Make the dressing by whisking together olive oil, fresh lime juice, a little bit of honey and some spices. Pour the dressing into the vegetables, then toss gently to coat. Serve and enjoy!

Tips for the best salad

• You can use fresh, frozen or canned corn depending on what is available near you. If you use fresh corn, you’ll want to grill it or boil it, then slice the kernels off the cob. Thaw frozen corn before use.
• Choose avocados that are ripe, but still firm so that they don’t get mushy when you go to stir the salad together.
• This salad can be made up to 4 hours in advance, but I recommend adding the avocado at the end right before you serve it so that it doesn’t discolor.
• I find that the salad is best when eaten on the day that it’s made because of the avocado.
• I use a mandoline to cut my red onion into very thin slices.
• Serve avocado corn salad as a side dish, or use it as a topping for grilled chicken or fish.
• Not a fan of cilantro? You can use sliced green onions instead.
• This salad also works with diced Roma tomatoes instead of cherry tomatoes. I’ve even made it with heirloom tomatoes with great success.

Recipe FAQs

Avocado corn salad flavor variations

This salad is delicious as-is, but you can add other ingredients to make it your own.

• Protein: Turn this salad into a main course by adding grilled chicken, cooked shrimp or a can of black beans.
• Vegetables: Amp up the nutrition by incorporating extra veggies such as bell peppers, baby spinach leaves or cucumber.
• Add-Ins: Try stirring in some toasted pumpkin seeds, finely grated cotija cheese, canned roasted green chilies or sliced black olives. If you want a little heat in your salad, stir in 1 tablespoon of minced jalapeno.
• Pasta: Make it a pasta salad by doubling the amount of dressing and adding 8 ounces of cooked short pasta.

I make this avocado corn salad all year round. It’s a great way to get a dose of veggies with plenty of zesty flavor.

More ways to enjoy corn