Grilled Corn Salad with BBQ Sausage
This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.
This grilled corn salad with farmer’s sausage is an easy and delicious summer side dish. It’s fresh crunchy veggies, grilled corn, smoky sausage, and creamy avocado all tossed in a tangy dressing. It’s perfect for BBQ parties and picnics, and it’s ready in just 20 minutes!
This summer corn salad has a lot going for it, which is exactly why I make it on repeat once corn hits its peak. Smoky grilled corn gets tossed with crunchy summer veggies, creamy avocado, and slices of flavorful farmer’s sausage, then finished with a bright, punchy dressing that pulls everything together. The dressing is made with fresh orange and lime juice, herbs like cilantro and mint, a spoonful of adobo sauce for gentle heat, and a touch of honey to balance it all out. It’s tangy, slightly sweet, and full of flavor without overpowering the salad.
It’s an ideal dish for BBQs and warm-weather gatherings because it can sit out for a bit without losing its appeal. I’ll serve it alongside other grilled foods or enjoy it on its own as a light summer meal. Everything happens on the grill, which keeps the kitchen cool and makes cleanup refreshingly easy—exactly how summer cooking should be.
Variations to try
- Add some feta cheese or cotija cheese
- Make it spicy with some minced jalapeño
- Use lemon juice instead of lime juice
Recipe FAQs
How long does this grilled corn salad keep in the fridge?
This salad will stay fresh in a covered container in the fridge for 2-3 days.
Can I make this salad ahead of time?
Yes! This is a great salad to make ahead, as it can sit for at least an hour without losing quality. If you want to make it further ahead, grill the corn and sausage, chop the veggies, make the dressing, and then wait until you’re nearly ready to serve it before you mix everything together.
What to serve with grilled corn salad
This is the best BBQ party salad and pairs perfectly with burgers, hotdogs, tacos, and other grilled foods like grilled chicken breast, grilled chicken wings, or grilled shrimp skewers.
Here are some of our favorite BBQ party foods:
Grilled Corn Salad Recipe with BBQ Sausage
Ingredients
The Salad
- 3 cobs corn
- 1 lb farmer's sausages (sliced in half lengthwise)
- 1 teaspoon vegetable oil
- 1 medium red pepper (diced)
- 1 medium orange pepper (diced)
- ¼ cup thinly sliced red onion
- ½ cup halved cherry tomatoes
- 1 large avocado (diced)
The Dressing
- 2 tablespoons orange juice (from ¼ orange)
- 2 tablespoons lime juice (from 1 lime)
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 2 tablespoons cilantro (finely chopped )
- 2 tablespoons mint (finely chopped )
- 1 teaspoon adobo sauce (from a jar of chipotle peppers)
- 1 teaspoon honey
- Sea salt and pepper (to taste)
Instructions
- Preheat your BBQ to medium-high. Lightly coat the cobs of corn and farmer sausage in the vegetable oil. Place them both on the BBQ and grill for 10 minutes, turning the sausage once and the corn a few times. Remove them both from the grill and let them cool slightly.3 cobs corn, 1 lb farmer's sausages, 1 teaspoon vegetable oil
- While the corn and sausage cook, make the rest of the salad. Place all the dressing ingredients into a small bowl and mix well.2 tablespoons orange juice, 2 tablespoons lime juice, 2 tablespoons vegetable oil, 2 tablespoons cilantro, 2 tablespoons mint, 1 teaspoon adobo sauce, 1 teaspoon honey, Sea salt and pepper
- Add the red and orange peppers, red onion, and cherry tomatoes to a large bowl.1 medium red pepper, 1 medium orange pepper, ¼ cup thinly sliced red onion, ½ cup halved cherry tomatoes
- Chop the sausage into bite-sized pieces. Hold the corn on end on a plate and cut the corn kernels off by sliding a sharp knife down the side of the cob.
- Add the corn, diced sausage, and avocado to the bowl with the vegetables. Pour the dressing over the top and toss to coat.1 large avocado
Video
Notes
Nutrition
We have thoroughly tested this recipe for accuracy. However, individual results may vary. See our full recipe disclosure here.
More corn salad recipes
For more inspiration, check out all of our corn recipes!
This was very good! I made substitutions with what I had on hand (no cilantro or avocado, even tho I love them both) but added cucumber, jalapeno and green pepper. The dressing is great, would make again! I think I would try to sub a BBQ/hot sauce or something for the adobo liquid so as not to open a whole can.
Good call on the hot sauce – that will be good, too. For the adobo sauce, I usually blend the whole peppers with the sauce and then spoon it into a clean jar. It keeps for many many months in the fridge that way. Then I just use little bits as I need. Hope that helps!
Really yummy! Made it tonight with a side of grilled cheese. Delicious.
Wow – doesn’t that look absolutely incredible! Can’t wait to try!
Thank you so much, Gina!
I love all of the colors! Beautiful! Grilled veggies are the best and I love the sausage in there. Looks super yum. 🙂
Thank you so much, Becky!
A perfect late summer salad, love all the corn in your beautiful salad!!
Thank you so much, Tara!
Grilled veggies for pizza (onions, peppers, leeks, zucchini, carrots, beets), grilled fruit (pineapple, peaches), yum!
You’re brilliant … I’ve never grilled veggies for pizza before but I guarantee I will be now!
Thanks, Kelley!
Pineapple!
I had grilled pineapple for the first time a couple years ago and LOVE it. It’s so good!
I love it! Thank you so much! I’m all about salads that you can eat for dinner, and this is definitely one of them. 🙂
I love grilled everything! Grilled veggies are the best along with an awesome rare steak.
It’s really hard to go wrong with anything that’s grilled, isn’t it? I just love that smoky taste!
I love to grill liver! Liver is amazing on the bbq. I use a cast iron griddle on the grill to make it.
Liver? Really? I’ve never thought of grilling liver before! I might just have to give that a try now. 🙂