Roasted Corn, Tomato and Avocado Salad

Roasted corn, tomato and avocado salad is so vibrant and full of incredible flavors. The corn and tomatoes are sweet and juicy, pairing nicely with the creamy avocados and slightly hot pepper. It’s a burst of tropical flavors in each bite.

Roasted Corn, Tomato and Avocado Salad is on my list of favorites that we make in our family all the time. When I put a forkful of this salad in my mouth, I immediately think of the tropics. The flavors are incredible and pair together in great harmony. Fresh, tiny tomatoes, creamy avocado, roasted corn, jalapeño (providing a small kick of heat), lime, and cilantro to give it so much fresh flavor.

This is my husband’s absolute favorite salad, so I often make it on his birthday and other special occasions, like anniversaries, date nights or when I just want to make him happy:). It’s so vibrant that it’s perfect to serve for company too.

It pairs so well with grilled shrimp or chicken kabobs and is also nice to serve with tacos or fajitas. You can either roast the corn and jalapeno in the oven or put them on the grill to get even more char and smoky flavor.

Ingredients:

corn – fresh corn on the cob is the best for this recipe, but you can also use frozen or canned corn.
jalapeno or poblano pepper
- Jalapeno pepper will give your salad more heat but if you want the flavor and a more mild heat level use a poblano pepper.
grape or cherry tomatoes
avocados
lime
- This salad needs some acidity and lime is my favorite, but lemon juice will work as well. I have also used rice vinegar too and it gives it that acidity with a unique flavor too.
shallot (you can use a red or yellow onion instead, or just leave them all out completely)
garlic
sugar or honey (a bit of added sweetness is great in this salad. You can choose honey or sugar.)
salt, pepper, to taste
olive oil (this is used to roast the corn and pepper and also to dress the salad)
fresh herbs – green onions and cilantro are my favorite. You can also use parsley instead of the cilantro.

How to Make Corn, Tomato and Avocado Salad

Preheat the oven to broil, 500 degrees Fahrenheit, and place the oven rack as close to the heating element as you can, about 6-8 inches away.
Roast the corn and pepper in the preheated oven for about 5 minutes on each side, until they get a bit of a char. Set aside until cool enough to handle.
Meanwhile, cut the tomatoes in half or thirds. Finely mince the shallots, herbs and garlic. Place in a bowl.
Cut the corn kernels off the cob and finely chop the pepper. (Remove the skin from the pepper, it easily comes off after roasting.)
Lastly, cut the avocados in half, remove the pit, score and scoop out the avocado. Add the avocados to the salad, then add lime juice right over the avocados.
Season with salt, pepper, a bit of sugar or honey and mix to combine. Add a little more oil and add more lime juice to taste.
Serve right away or within a few hours. Refrigerate if not served right away.
You can prep all the ingredients in advance except for the avocado, then refrigerate for a few hours or up to a day in advance. Add the avocado right before serving.

Helpful Tips

Can you use frozen or canned corn?

Fresh corn is the best for this recipe, especially when corn is in season. However you can use frozen or canned corn as well.

Why broil the corn and pepper?

Broiling the corn and the poblano or jalapeno pepper will make them more flavorful. It will draw out their natural sweetness, make them softer and will give the salad that lovely charred flavor. Roasting will also help to peel off the skin from the pepper very easily.
However, you can also just cut the corn off the cob and cut up the fresh pepper too.

Grill the corn and pepper instead of broiling.

If we are grilling and I am making this salad, I often grill them instead. It is even easier and will add a nicely smoky flavor to the salad too.

How to meal prep this salad:

Roast/grill the corn and pepper. Chop all the ingredients except for the avocados. Don’t mix the ingredients together and don’t dress them or season them. Store in the refrigerator for a few hours in advance.
Then simply add the avocados and mix everything to combine, season and dress before serving.

Adjust the flavors and season to your preference.

This salad is very versatile. If you don’t like raw onions, omit the shallot/onion and just use the green onions, which are much more mild.
Instead of the sugar, use honey. If you want more heat, use a jalapeno pepper, if you want it to be more mild, use a poblano pepper.
If you don’t have cherry/grape tomatoes, seed a few regular sized tomatoes and chop them up instead.
Adjust the dressing with more or less olive oil, lime/lemon juice, add or omit the rice vinegar.
Parsley is a great substitute for the cilantro.