Roasted Corn and Avocado Salad
This is a refreshing corn and avocado salad finished with a zesty chipotle lime dressing. It's healthy and colorful and is perfect for summer parties or BBQs. It's simple to make and it's ready in just 30 minutes!
This corn salad is one of our favorites, along with our tomato and corn salad, and grilled corn salad with sausage.

Table of contents
This corn and avocado salad is colorful, delicious, and full of feel-good ingredients. It's a healthy side dish you can serve with anything you're grilling, and it's perfect for summer.
We roast the corn in the oven until it's slightly charred which brings out the corn's inherent sweetness. Then we toss it with some crisp vegetables, creamy avocado, and a smoky citrus dressing to bring it all together. It's super quick and satisfying to make.
This lettuce-free salad is what we bring to parties and picnics all summer long, and it always disappears quickly. You can enjoy it as a salad, scoop it up with tortilla chips, or use it as a burger topping!
Corn and avocado salad ingredients notes
You only need a handful of healthy ingredients for this avocado corn salad. Here's what you need:
- Frozen corn – we use frozen corn to make this salad year-round. You can absolutely use fresh corn on the cob if it's in season. You'll need 3 large cobs with the kernels cut off.
- Celery stalks – make sure your celery stalks are firm for a wonderful crunch.
- Red bell pepper – we like the color that red bell pepper adds to this salad, but any color of bell pepper like orange or yellow will work.
- Red onion – red onion is sweeter and milder than other onion varieties. It adds color, crunch, and flavor.
- Avocado – a ripe avocado that's still somewhat firm will hold up well in this salad.
Here's what you need for the easy chipotle mint dressing:
- Lemon juice – fresh lemon juice is best. It adds acidity and brightness. You can also use fresh lime juice if you prefer.
- Vegetable oil – a neutral vegetable oil like olive oil or avocado oil is what we use.
- Fresh mint – mint has a subtle sweetness and cool taste, making this dressing extra refreshing. Basil also tastes delicious if you have some on hand.
- Adobo sauce – adobo sauce is what chipotle peppers in adobo come packaged in. Our kitchen hack is to buy a can of chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, purée them, then store them in a jar in the fridge to use in a variety of ways.
- Maple syrup – the sweetness of maple syrup rounds out the dressing.
- Sea salt + pepper

How to make corn and avocado salad
This roasted corn and avocado salad is an easy side dish that's perfect for summer parties and BBQs. Here's how we make it in a couple of easy steps:
- Roast the corn kernels in the oven until they start to char.
- Whisk all the dressing ingredients together in a small bowl.
- Add the other vegetables, roasted corn, and avocado to a bowl. Toss gently with the dressing before serving!
Full recipe instructions are in the recipe card below.
Corn and avocado salad add-ins
This salad with avocado and corn is really versatile so feel free to add or swap ingredients based on what's in season, or what you have on hand. Here are a few of our favorite ideas:
- Cherry tomatoes – if you're making this salad in the summer, cherry tomatoes are a great idea. Slice them in half or quarters and toss them in.
- Cucumbers – we love the fresh, cooling, and crunchy taste of cucumbers. No need to peel them. Just dice them up and toss them in.
- Feta cheese or cotija cheese – crumble in some feta or cotija cheese for a salty cheesy taste.
- Fresh herbs – we use mint in the dressing but cilantro, basil, and chives all taste great, too.
What to eat with avocado corn salad
Sweet corn screams summertime, but this corn and avocado salad is delicious any time of year. It's a great salad for picnics, potlucks, and backyard BBQs. It tastes great with a healthy burger, grilled sausage, fish, or shrimp, and Mexican foods of all kinds!
Recipe FAQs
Yes, this salad stores well. Just wait until right before you serve it to add the avocado because it will start to brown shortly after it's sliced.
Store any leftover salad in the fridge in an airtight container for 2-3 days. The avocado will brown which doesn't look pretty but won't affect the taste.
Absolutely! You'll want to grill three cobs of corn and then slice off the kernels.

Favorite corn recipes

Corn and Avocado Salad Recipe
If you love this recipe as much as we do, let us know with a 5-star rating!
Ingredients
- 3 cups frozen corn, or 3 large cobs of corn with the kernels cut off
- 2 stalks celery, chopped
- 1 sweet red pepper, diced
- ½ cup red onion, diced
- 1 avocado, peeled, pitted and diced
The Dressing
- ¼ cup lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 2 tablespoons minced fresh mint
- 1 teaspoon adobo sauce, from a jar of chipotle peppers
- ½ teaspoon maple syrup
- ¼ teaspoon EACH: salt and pepper
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Place the corn kernels on a rimmed baking sheet and roast in the oven for 15-20 minutes, or until several pieces begin to char. Let the corn cool slightly.3 cups frozen corn
- In a small bowl, whisk the lemon juice, oil, mint, adobo sauce, maple syrup, salt, and pepper.¼ cup lemon juice, 2 tablespoons vegetable oil, 2 tablespoons minced fresh mint, 1 teaspoon adobo sauce, ¼ teaspoon EACH: salt and pepper, ½ teaspoon maple syrup
- To a large bowl, add the celery, red pepper, and onion. Add the roasted corn and avocado and pour the dressing over top. Toss gently to combine.2 stalks celery, 1 sweet red pepper, 1 avocado, ½ cup red onion
Notes
If you love corn as much as we do, check out all of our corn recipes!
This looks delicious! I have an abundance of limes and wonder if anyone tried it with limes instead of lemons?
We’ve made it with lime and it’s great that way, too!
I made this for the first time in 2016 and I’m still making this for big gatherings to this day 🙂 Thank you for this recipe!!
I’m about to dive head first into a big bowl of this stuff. So fresh and full of flavor- I love everything about this recipe!
I hope you love it as much as I do. It really is one of my favourite salads!!
I love love love peppers and was just looking for new ways to devour them. Then I chanced upon this beauty of a dish. Thanks!
It’s one of my favourites! Enjoy!!
You are really on a roll! Not that your reciepes aren’t always appealling, but these last few have been right in my sweet spot.
Hey thank you!!!
This looks amazing! I’m definitely going to be making this. How does this go for leftovers?
Leftovers are awesome! I’ve eaten it the next day and loved it just as much 🙂
Hi Kristen,
This looks delicious! I am definitely making it tonight. Quick question though: what kind of chipotle sauce did you use? Is the tabasco one ok?
Thanks!
Katarina
Hey Katrina,
I used the adobo sauce that comes in the jar when you buy chipotle peppers. It’s very different than tabasco sauce. Chipotle is full of delicious smoky flavour. I’ve never seen a grocery store that doesn’t sell it, and it’s super cheap too (only about $2)
Just ask for chipotle pepper in adobo sauce!
What you don’t use will keep (in a covered container) in the fridge for almost forever. I also have quite a few other recipes on here that call for it if you are wondering how to use the rest of the jar 🙂
Hope it turns out great for you!
This salad looks like a winner to me. I saw your recipe on The Hot Plate website. I think I am going to try it with some tilapia fish. Looking forward to it.
Hey Vita,
The salad’s a perfect side for any kind of fish. I hope you love it as much as I do!
If you are using frozen corn do you defrost it first or roast it frozen? And do you need to roast it with any oil on it?
No need to defrost or add oil. Just put put it straight from the freezer onto your ungreased baking sheet and into the oven 🙂
I made this last night and it was delicious. I roasted the red peppers and took the skin off only because I prefer to eat peppers roasted instead of raw. I ate the left overs today with tortilla chips like an appetizer. MmmMmmm!!
Amazing! As my husband said, “salad has no business being this good”. Thanks for this great recipe 🙂
Hey April,
LOL that’s a great compliment! You are very welcome 🙂
I would be tempted to have this with lentils or black beans. Thanks for sharing!
That’s a great idea! Black beans and corn always go so well together.
I could eat this salad for daysss! I love the flavors here!
Hey Crystal,
LOL I actually have been eating this salad for days! I just can’t get enough of it 🙂
This is a fabulous recipe! Great combination of flavors. This is right up my alley! I definitely look forward to making this! 🙂
Thanks, Jennifer! Would love to hear what you think of it after you make it 🙂
WOW, everything about this salad sounds delicious. I could definitely see myself eating a gigantic bowl of it. And I love the idea of serving it along side some fish.
Cathy,
Thank you so much! I had this salad last night for dinner with a piece of grilled salmon, it was delicious together 🙂