Avocado Corn Salad with Cilantro Lime Vinaigrette

As I’m sure you can tell, I have an obsession with chips + any kind of salsas + guacamole… And that’s exactly what inspired the dish in this post: avocado corn salad.

After all… SUMMER is here! Well, at least for me down in Florida here. We’ve been having a few 90-degree days, so it’s time for lighter dishes!

I’ve been sensing a theme with my recipes lately, as I’ve been gravitating towards a kind of Southwest and Mexican style. Because honestly, that kind of food can be so flavorful and light at the same time and just hits the spot!

When it gets warm our tastes change in what we start to crave and for me I want something that is filling, has a clean and crisp taste and pops with flavor! I love making dishes with ingredients you’ll most likely have on hand (or are inexpensive things you can buy) and throw together to make a great dish.

This avocado corn salad is a mix of all of the things I love: charred corn, tomatoes, red onion,  spicy jalapeño, diced creamy avocado, all topped off with a light cilantro lime vinaigrette.

I made I huge bowl of this for a cookout a few weeks ago and not only was it easy to put together but everyone loved it (and I didn’t spend the morning off in a hot kitchen making a dish!).

My favorite thing about this avocado corn salad is that I had leftovers – not enough to have with a meal, but enough to have as a “salsa” with a drink for a little Sunday happy hour!

Got to love that! 🙂

TIP: Not only can you use this Avocado Corn Salad as a dip with chips, but you could also use it as a fresh topping to some fish or grilled chicken! 

Avocado Corn Salad Ingredients:

For the Corn Salad:

3 cans of corn (I used a charred canned corn or you could use fresh)
1/2 cup red onion, finely chopped
2 jalapeños, diced and seeded (I left the seeds in for more of a kick)
5 oz. Cotija cheese, cubed
1 cup diced cherry tomatoes
2 avocados, cubbed
salt and pepper to taste

For the Cilantro Lime Vinaigrette:

1 cup cilantro, loosely packed
1/4 cup lime juice
1/4 cup olive oil
1 garlic clove
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

For the Avocado Corn Salad:

1. In a large bowl add corn, red onion, jalapeños, Cotija cheese and tomatoes. Toss gently to combine.
2. Season with salt and pepper and set aside.

For the Cilantro Lime Vinaigrette:

1. Add cilantro, lime juice, olive oil and garlic to a food processor and pulse until smooth. Season with salt and pepper (to taste).
2. Pour dressing over the corn mixture and toss gently to fully coat.
3. If you’re going to serve right away, add diced avocados and toss again and serve.
4. If not serving right away cover salad and place in the fridge. Add diced avocados when ready to serve.