This mouthwatering Grilled Corn Salad is loaded with fresh corn, creamy avocado, fresh tomato, jalapeno, and more, all tossed in fresh cilantro and lime. Such an easy and delicious corn salad that is perfect for cookouts and summer barbecues!
Fresh summer vegetables are high on my list of favorite things about summer! And featuring them in delicious recipes that are not only quick and easy but flavorful and healthy makes them even better! My family loves to grill and is blessed to be able to do so throughout most of the year since we live in the South. But when the fresh bounty of summer arrives, recipes like this scrumptious Grilled Corn Salad are on the menu often!
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How to Make the Best Grilled Corn Salad
This quick, easy, and very tasty grilled corn salad is easy to make in minutes and is perfect for serving at summertime cookouts. Here’s how you’ll make it.
Ingredients
Be sure to see the recipe card below for the full listing of ingredients, instructions, notes, and estimated nutritional information.
- fresh corn on the cob – fresh grilled corn on the cob is delicious when grilled and adds so much to this salad. Don’t have a grill? No problem – I share another way to prepare your corn to follow. I don’t recommend frozen or canned corn for this fresh, amazing salad.
- ripe tomatoes – chopped, or grape tomatoes, quartered – Try to use tomatoes that are as ripe and juicy as possible for the best taste and results.
- jalapeno pepper – seeded and diced – You can use a bit less or a bit more than the recipe calls for if you wish to suit your own preference. The heat is in the membranes, so take note of that as you prepare your jalapenos for the salad.
- green onions – sliced – This is my favorite onion to use in this recipe, but you could use a bit of red onion instead if you don’t have green onions available.
- avocado – peeled and diced – Ripe avocado combines deliciously with the other ingredients to give the salad a cool and creamy taste.
- fresh lime, fresh cilantro, and kosher salt – The fresh lime juice combines perfectly with the fresh cilantro and a bit of salt for an easy dressing to bring the whole salad together!
Optional Ingredient Variations
Here are some tasty variations to this recipe if you want to make it a main dish!
Beans – Give the salad a southwest kick with some black beans! They will add a bit of protein to the salad. Drain and rinse the black beans. You could even add chickpeas or pinto beans instead.
Chicken – My Grilled Cilantro Lime Chicken would be scrumptious in this salad since the flavors will marry all the way through and would turn this side into a main course dinner salad.
Fish or seafood – Grilled salmon or seafood would also be a great option to add to this salad.
Make without a Grill
You can use a skillet or grill pan to cook this corn if you prefer. Simply place your skillet or grill pan over medium-high heat to char the corn.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Prepare the corn.
If using corn that has already been shucked but still contains the silks, go ahead and silk the corn before grilling. If using corn that is still in the husks, there is no need to shuck and remove the silks from the corn before grilling. But if you prefer to do so, shuck and silk your corn while the grill preheats.
Grill the corn.
Place the corn cobs on the heated grill and cook it until the outer husks of the corn have a slight char (if using unshucked corn), or the corn kernels have a bit of char coloring (if shucked corn). This will take about 15-20 minutes, turning your corn with tongs about every 5 minutes or so.
Prepare other vegetables.
While corn is grilling, prepare other ingredients for the salad by chopping the tomatoes, dicing your jalapeno, and slicing your green onions, then add to a large bowl.
Cut the corn off the cob.
Once the corn cobs are done grilling, remove them from the grill and allow them to cool enough so that they can be handled. Shuck and/or silk the corn cobs if needed. Hold the corn cob with one end on a cutting board, and carefully slice away the kernels from the cob of the corn with a sharp knife.
Combine salad ingredients.
Add the grilled corn to the large bowl with tomatoes, jalapeño, and onions, and then mix in the diced avocado and chopped cilantro.
Finish the salad with a squeeze of fresh lime juice and a sprinkle of salt, then toss it all to combine.
Serve.
For the best results, serve this grilled corn salad immediately after making it since it includes all fresh ingredients.
Storage Instructions
While this salad is best served immediately, although not likely, you could possibly have leftovers.
Place any leftovers in an airtight storage container or wrap well and refrigerate for up to 2 days. The avocado will begin to brown a bit. So if possible, enjoy this salad right after preparing it.
What to Serve with Grilled Corn Salad
This grilled corn salad makes the perfect side dish to serve at cookouts and barbecues with hamburgers, grilled chicken, BBQ Ribs, and more. It’s even a scrumptious topping to shrimp tacos or fish tacos too! And it’s party and tailgate perfection served with tortilla chips.
But this salad is absolutely spectacular all by itself!
Frequently Asked Questions
Corn husks protect the corn to keep it from burning or getting dry while it is grilling. To get the char on your corn kernels, remove a few of the layers of husk prior to placing them on the grill so that some of the kernels touch the grill.
Boiling or soaking the corn is not necessary prior to grilling it. If you are after the delicious charred flavor from the corn that grilling brings out, then do not boil it.
More Fresh Side Salads for Summer
Cucumber and Tomato Salad Recipe
Here’s my Grilled Corn Salad Recipe. I hope you love it as much as we do!
Grilled Corn Salad Recipe
Equipment
- Grill (Gas) or grill pan or skillet
Ingredients
- 2 ears corn
- 2 medium tomatoes, or 1/2 pint grape tomatoes, quartered
- 1 medium jalapeno pepper, seeded and diced
- 2 medium green onions, sliced
- 1 large avocado, peeled and diced
- 1 large lime
- cilantro
- kosher salt
Instructions
- Preheat the grill or grill pan to high heat. If needed, brush the grill or grill pan with olive oil to prevent sticking.
- Prepare the corn for grilling. If already shucked, remove all of the silks from the corn. If in the shucks, you can optionally shuck and silk the corn or leave in the shucks for grilling.
- Grill the corn for 15 – 20 minutes, turning every 5 minutes until the corn or the corn husk has a slight char and/ or grill marks. Remove the corn from the grill and allow to cool enough to handle. Once cooled slightly, place the corn cob on the tip on top of a cutting board. Using a sharp knife, carefully cut the corn kernels away from the cob. Repeat with the second cob of corn.
- Place the tomatoes, jalapeno, and sliced onions in a medium bowl. Add the corn, avocado, lime juice, cilantro and salt. Gently toss to combine. Transfer to a serving bowl and serve.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Enjoy!
Robyn xo
Excellent summer salad. I substituted fresh banana peppers from my garden and added a little apple cider vinegar and virgin olive oil to the fresh lime juice. Plan on preparing it again for an upcoming cookout with friends.
Joey, it was great to talk to you today. Love your additions!
Love your recipes, I shall definitely be making this one…..Coming from Europe, I sometimes have to google what the ingredients are in British English (I didn’t know a green onion was a spring onion and cilantro was coriander, maybe that’s just me though:-) – would be great if you had some kind of glossary for the common terms we say differently. Thanks for always inspiring me in the kitchen!
Jackie, thank you for your suggestion. That is actually something that is being worked out and should be on the site in the future.
I have 5 cans of cooked pork from the food pantry and been searching everywhere for how to use it, can you help
Carolyn, I will email you some ideas.
Sweet corn is just coming in around here, so this is a perfect summer salad!
Hi Anne,
Hope you love this salad! This is perfect time for it!