Roasted Corn and Avocado Salad with Chipotle Mint Dressing
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This refreshing corn and avocado salad is finished with a zesty chipotle lime dressing. It’s colorful and perfect for summer parties or BBQs. It’s simple to make, and it’s ready in just 30 minutes!
This corn and avocado salad is colorful, delicious, and full of feel-good ingredients. It’s one of those side dishes 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!
Key Ingredients
You only need a handful of ingredients for this avocado corn salad. Look for the freshest ingredients to get the best crunch and texture. Here are some notes on the key ingredients:
- 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.
- 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.
- Lemon juice – fresh lemon juice is best. It adds acidity and brightness. You can also use fresh lime juice if you prefer.
- 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.
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!
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.
Make-ahead, and storage
Make-ahead: You can make this ahead of time and store it in the fridge, pulling it out 30 minutes before you want to serve it. Just wait until right before you serve it to add the avocado because it will start to brown shortly after it’s sliced. Also, store the dressing separately until it’s time to serve.
Storing leftovers: 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.
Roasted Corn and Avocado Salad with Chipotle Mint Dressing
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
Nutrition
We have thoroughly tested this recipe for accuracy. However, individual results may vary. See our full recipe disclosure here.
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!!
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!
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 🙂