Avocado Corn Salad

Creamy avocado meets sweet summer corn, juicy grape tomatoes, and crisp cucumber in this crowd-pleasing Avocado Corn Salad recipe. As if that’s not enough to win you over, a sweet and tangy honey-lime dressing brings it all together, creating the perfect easy backyard barbecue side dish!

Avocado Corn Salad

Let’s be honest: lettuce is the worst part of a salad. Who needs it? Not you! Especially when you can make this avocado corn salad. We get rid of the leaves and get into the good stuff—avocado, sweet corn, tomatoes, cucumbers, and just enough red onion to make things interesting without overpowering everything else.

This, my friends, is a salad that’s all about balance. You’ve got sweet and tart, crisp and creamy, herby and savory. It’s also a salad that’s INCREDIBLY versatile. I’ve made it as a side dish for Honey Chipotle BBQ Grilled Chicken Thighs, to spoon over Honey Glazed Salmon, and—wait for it—as a topping for Grilled Shrimp Tacos. (Is it an AUTHENTIC taco topping? Okay, no. Is it a DELICIOUS one? Absolutely.)

One little tip if you plan on making this for a party—leave out the avocado until you’re ready to serve the salad. You can slow the oxidation process (I share some tips for that below), but you can’t stop it entirely. For the absolutely freshest avocado corn salad recipe, assemble everything else in advance, then cut the avocado and toss it with your salad.

Ingredients for Avocado Corn Salad

Fresh is the key here—you want every single ingredient to be at the peak of ripeness for the very best flavor.

• Corn – Fresh sweet corn cut off the cob is your best bet, but thawed frozen corn will also work. I don’t recommend canned corn, as its texture and flavor falls flat in a salad.
• Red Onion – Slice this as thinly as you can. (A mandoline slicer helps.) The acid in the dressing will pickle the thin onion slices, mellowing their bite.
• Grape Tomatoes – Or cherry tomatoes. Basically, you want small tomatoes here because they don’t have as much juice and seeds as the big guys, which means they won’t make your avocado corn salad soggy.
• English Cucumber – Two or three Persian cucumbers will also work here. If you want to use a “regular” cucumber, cut it in half lengthwise and scoop out the seeds.
• Avocados – When buying your avocados, have the timeline for your salad in mind—buy firm avocados if you plan on making this recipe later in the week and ripe avocados if you’re making it the same day you’re shopping.

For the Dressing

• Honey – The honey in the dressing adds balance and complements the sweet corn.
• Apple Cider Vinegar – ACV is a classic in salad dressing; if you don’t have it on hand, unseasoned rice vinegar would be a good substitute.
• Olive Oil – If you have a fancy bottle of EVOO, salad dressing is a great way to use it.
• Limes – You’ll need both the zest and the juice, so zest them first.
• Seasoning – Garlic powder, kosher salt, and ground pepper.
• Basil Leaves – Chop them finely so they’re evenly distributed when you toss the salad with the dressing.

How to Make Avocado Corn Salad

It’s a salad: there’s really not that much to it. Most of the work is prepping the veggies—after that we’re just coasting.

1. Combine. Stir together the corn, red onion, tomatoes, and cucumbers in a large bowl. (Using the bowl you plan on serving the salad in is fine and will save you an extra dish to clean.) Fold in the avocado. Be gentle! 
2. Make the dressing. Whisk together all of the dressing ingredients until they emulsify. If you have a small bowl with a spout, that’s perfect; a large liquid measuring cup is good too.
3. Toss. Pour the dressing over the salad and toss gently. The avocado will start to break down a little bit and that’s okay—it will make the dressing creamy.
4. Enjoy! Serve the salad chilled or at room temperature.

How to Keep Avocado From Browning in a Salad

Ideally, you will devour all of this avocado corn salad immediately and keeping the avocado from browning will be a moot point. Unfortunately, life doesn’t always work out that way. 

Drizzle the cut avocado with honey, water, or lime juice to slow down the oxidation process. You should get at least a day out of your leftovers this way. Store the salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

Avocado Corn Salad Variations

Switch things up with these simple swaps and additions:

• Grill the corn. Use grilled corn to add a smoky element to this salad recipe. Frozen fire-roasted corn also works.
• Use green onions. For a milder onion flavor, you can swap the red onion for thinly sliced green onion.
• Try a different herb. Mint or cilantro would both work well here.
• Add fresh peaches. Lean into the sweetness of the corn and honey-lime dressing by swapping the tomatoes with sliced ripe peaches or nectarines.

What to Serve With Avocado Corn Salad

• Grilled Pork Tenderloin
• Juicy Lucy Burger
• The Best BLT Sandwich
• Pan Seared Salmon
• Grilled Lemon Chicken
• Easy Cod Fish Tacos

More Recipes for Avocado Lovers

• Mango Crab Avocado Salad
• Chicken Fajita Stuffed Avocado with Honey Chipotle Cream
• The Best Avocado Toast
• Easy Avocado Ranch Dressing
• Spicy Lump Crab and Avocado Salad

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