Too many ingredients to list in the title. This Spicy Corn Salad with Avocado & Feta is filled with cherry tomatoes, cilantro and the most delicious Jalapeño Lime Vinaigrette dressing.
This is the perfect salad for a bbq. It is also a great side dish to go with anything else you can think of! The corn lends sweetness, the avocado some creamy texture, tomatoes add brightness and the vinaigrette the spice and acidity.
When I have the time, I like to char the corn cobs on a grill. It gives the dish a little smokier flavor and I love the way the little charred bits look (a bit more rustic). I have not grilled them here but will provide both preparation in the recipe. I always like to give the easiest preparation so making it won’t seem intimidating with too many steps.
Okay, so the dressing is beyond delicious as I have already mentioned. First, you roast the jalapeño. Pop it right on the stove flame until it is completely charred, then blend it along with the other ingredients. It adds a great kick of spice but not too much since the jalapeño has been cooked. The jalapeño and lime combination, along with some vinegar and a splash of honey to tone down the acidity is a winner and can be used to dress many other salads.
Spicy Corn Salad with Avocado & Feta is a fantastic side to go with Grilled Chicken & Vegetables.
This Spicy Corn Salad with Avocado is one of the special recipes I created in collaboration with the Culver City Farmers Market. I purchased the corn and cherry tomatoes from Underwood Family Farms, Ace Ranch for the avocados, Yallatizers for the feta and Living Lettuce for the arugula and cilantro. Check out this fantastic farmers market if you live in our around the Culver City area.
PrintSPICY CORN SALAD WITH AVOCADO & FETA
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
Description
Corn salad that you can serve with everything!
Ingredients
The Salad
- 6 ears of corn
- 2 avocados, ripe but firm
- 10–12 cherry tomatoes cut in half
- 2 cups of arugula or other mixed lettuce
- 1/2–1 cup crumbled feta cheese
- 1/3 cup of roughly chopped cilantro
Spicy Jalapeño and Lime Vinaigrette
- 1 jalapeño
- 2 limes
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
- 1/2 teaspoon of honey
- 1/3 cup olive oil
- Salt and pepper
Instructions
Salad Preparation
- Peel husks off the corn then break in half. You can do this by placing one on the edge of your counter and apply pressure to the middle of the cob then it will split in half. You can also just break it in half with your hands. I have you cut them in half because I find it easier to cut the kernels off when they have a nice flat surface to balance on in step 3.
- Fill a large pot with water and bring to a boil. Add a couple of teaspoons of salt then add the corn. You may have to do this in 2 batches, depending on the size of your pan. Cook for 5 minutes then remove the corn with tongs and place on a large plate or baking sheet to cool.
- When cool enough to handle, take one of the cobs and hold upright on a cutting board and with a sharp knife cut off the kernels, placing them in a large salad bowl as you go.
- Cut cherry tomatoes in half and add to bowl.
- Slice the avocado into nice 1 inch chunks so they will hold their shape, then add to bowl
- Add the crumbled feta and cilantro.
Spicy Jalapeño and Lime Vinaigrette
Turn on stove burner to high and place the jalapeño directly onto the flame. After a few minutes, use your tongs to turn it to the other side and continue to cook until dark and blistered on all sides. Remove from flame and let cool. Once cool, trim off the stem and cut into a few chunks then place into the bowl of a food processor or blender.
- Squeeze 1-1/2 limes into the bowl.
- Place all other ingredients into the bowl and mix until smooth.
- Taste, then add salt and pepper.
- Sometimes I will add another half of lime before serving.
Assembling
- Toss corn, tomatoes, avocado, feta and cilantro with 3/4 of the vinaigrette. Pour over lettuce or arugula and add additional dressing if needed.
Notes
Grilling the corn.
Follow same process of boiling the corn but only do it for 3-4 minutes.
Once the corn has cooled, rub it with a bit of olive oil then place on a hot grill. Turn several times until it begins to get charred spots all around then remove and let cool before finishing the salad.
Roasting the jalapeño.
If you do not have a gas stove, place the jalapeño on a small baking dish and roast for 15 minutes or until softened.
You can prepare the corn and vinaigrette ahead of time and chill. Remove the corn from the refrigerator 30 minutes prior to serving, add the other ingredients and toss with dressing just prior to serving.
Sometimes, I will throw some green beans into the boiling water before or after I cook the corn and add them to the salad.
Last note: jalapeños vary greatly in their level of spice. I have used one in the dressing and it was plenty hot. On another occasion I had to use two whole jalapeños to get the heat that I wanted.
- Prep Time: 20
- Cook Time: 5
- Category: Salad
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Healthy
13 Comments
So delicious! First time I ever toasted a jalapeño on the stove. Fun and easy. I’ll be making this all summer.
Thanks for the feedback Stacey. Best dressing ever!!
Love to try something new, right? Isn’t that dressing fantastic??
The toasted corn is a huge plus! I’ll be making this salad tomorrow for some friends. xoxo Sis! 😘
I agree, love the extra element of grilling it!!
Thanks for the website design shoutout!
of course, sista
So I made this corn/ avo salad last night with turkey burgers for my family which ended up being a fabulous combination! . I used arugula, not lettuce for the salad. I also grilled the cobs in husks then shaved into salad. My only regret is that I may have overcooked the jalapeño, or should have used two, as I was hoping for a spicier result. All in all, tho, a scrumptious
melange of ingredients. Thanks Lisa!😍
Thanks Taryn. Glad you improvised. I usually use arugula too. Definitely add more jalapeño next time!!
Lisa
I made this delicious salad yesterday and my husband and I loved it!!
The flavors all work so well together and it was easy. The dressing is amazing!
We will be eating this all summer long!
Hi Liz,
I’m so glad you liked it. Try the dressing on green salad with feta and cilantro or or green beans!
Made this and loved it. Great for the tropics! Fresh and spicy will definitely make it again thank you. Toni from Costa Rica
Hi Tony, so happy to hear that you tried this recipe and that I am reaching my friends in Costa Rica. I’ll definitely post more CR friendly recipes for you!!
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