Corn Salad
This Corn Salad is the ultimate summer salad! It’s made with fresh sweet corn, black beans, avocado and tomatoes, all tied together with a zesty chili-lime dressing. This easy recipe is great for making ahead and always the hit of the party!
I originally published this corn salad recipe in June 2016 and to this day I look forward to fresh corn season just so I can make this summery salad!
The Best Corn Salad
This corn salad is one of my all-time favorite salad recipes. When I was first testing this recipe, I was hoping that it would turn out to be a delicious and easy side dish for summer meals. Well, this corn salad recipe turned out to be even better than I had hoped! We could not stop eating it, and Brad and I polished off the entire bowl in two days.
This corn salad is such a tasty combination of flavors, and I just love how colorful it is, too. There’s smoky grilled sweet corn, juicy tomatoes, tangy Cotija cheese and creamy avocado, plus a delicious chili-lime dressing to bring it all together.
I made this salad for 4th of July last year and it was a hit! I got lots of compliments from everyone!
Veronica
Ways I’ve Served this Corn Salad
We love to host BBQ’s and pool parties in the summer, and this corn salad is one of my go-to dishes to make for a gathering of family and friends. Here are a few of the ways I’ve served it:
- As a side dish. It goes with just about anything! We love it with Crock Pot Pulled Pork, Turkey Burgers and Grilled Pork Tenderloin.
- As an appetizer. Set out some tortilla chips for scooping and watch it disappear!
- As a main dish, topped with a protein. It’s so good with Grilled Steak, Grilled Shrimp or Grilled Chicken.
Ingredients and Substitution Options
Here’s what you’ll need to make this corn salad. Find the full recipe with measurements in the recipe card below.
- Corn on the Cob: Since the corn is the star of this recipe, it’s best to use fresh corn on the cob, not canned or frozen corn. You’ll get the best flavor and texture with fresh corn.
- Black Beans: Canned black beans add filling protein and fiber to the salad.
- Cherry Tomatoes: Use ripe cherry or grape tomatoes.
- Red Onion: Adds a punch of sharp, spicy flavor.
- Fresh Cilantro: Its flavor complements the other ingredients in the salad.
- Cotija Cheese: It adds a tangy, creamy element to the corn salad. Feta makes a great substitute.
- Avocado: I love adding avocado to salads, and it goes especially well in this one.
- Corn Salad Dressing: For the dressing you’ll need fresh lime juice, olive oil, chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, salt and pepper.
Cooking the Corn
This recipe starts with fresh corn on the cob. I prefer to cook the corn on the grill, because grilled corn on the cob adds so much flavor to the salad. You’ll find instructions for how to grill the corn in the recipe card below.
If you don’t have access to a grill, you can boil the corn, make Air Fryer corn on the cob, or cook it in your Instant Pot using my Instant Pot corn on the cob recipe.
How to Make Corn Salad
- Grill the corn, or cook it using your preferred method.
- Make the dressing by whisking together all of the dressing ingredients.
- Once the corn is cool, remove the husks and silks. Then slice the kernels off of the cob.
- Put it all together! In a large bowl, combine the corn, black beans, tomatoes, red onion, and cilantro. Then pour the dressing over the salad and toss to combine.
- Last, add the crumbled Cotija cheese and avocado. If you plan to serve the salad within 2 hours, add the avocado now. Otherwise, wait and add the avocado right before serving.
Make Ahead Tips
This corn salad tastes best if it is chilled in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours before serving. This time allows the flavors of the salad to blend together.
The salad will stay fresh for up to two days in the refrigerator. It’s best to add the avocado right before serving, to prevent the avocado from browning.
More Summer Salad Recipes
Corn Salad
Ingredients
For the salad:
- 4 ears corn on the cob
- 15 ounce can black beans, rinsed and drained
- 8 ounces cherry tomatoes, halved
- ½ cup chopped red onion
- ½ cup chopped fresh cilantro
- 3 ounces Cotija cheese, crumbled*
- 1 large avocado, chopped
For the dressing:
- 3 tablespoons fresh lime juice, about 3 limes
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- ¾ teaspoon chili powder
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ⅛ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat grill to medium-high heat. Trim off any silks hanging out of the top of the corn husks. If the husks have loose outer leaves, remove them. If there are many layers of husk, you can pull off the outermost layer. Place corn on the hot grill and grill for 10-15 minutes with the lid closed, turning the corn every 2-3 minutes, until corn is tender. You may hear a few popping sounds from the corn as it cooks, but if it is popping a lot turn down the heat. Let the corn rest until cool enough to handle.
- While the corn cools, make the dressing. Whisk together all dressing ingredients in a small bowl. Set aside.
- Once corn is cool, remove the husks and silks. Use a sharp knife to slice the kernels off the cob. Place corn kernels in a large bowl.
- To the bowl with the corn, add the black beans, tomatoes, red onion, and cilantro. Pour the dressing over the salad and toss gently to combine. Stir in the Cotija cheese. If serving the salad within 2 hours, you can stir in the avocado now. Otherwise, wait and add the avocado right before serving. Salad is best if chilled for at least 2 hours before serving.
Notes
- We like this salad best with grilled corn, as directed in the recipe. You can also cook the corn in your Instant Pot or air fryer, or boil the corn on the cob for 6 to 8 minutes, until the kernels are tender.
- I used to grill the corn wrapped in foil, after removing the husks and silks. Now I prefer to skip the foil and grill the corn right in the husks.
- If you can’t find Cotija cheese, feta is a good substitute.
- Salad will stay fresh for 1-2 days in the refrigerator. If you plan to make the salad ahead, it is best to add the avocado right before serving.
I don’t blame you for eating this entire bowl in two days! I know I would do the same, too. I just can’t resist corn salads, and it’s a dish that I make all the time in the summer! This grilled version sounds just perfect, Kristine! I love the black beans and cotija cheese in here. Definitely my kind of meal!
Thank you, Gayle! Grilled corn is my new addiction! 😉
This looks wonderful. I love how colorful it is and the addition of the Cotija cheese is just perfect!
Thank you, Renee! The Cotija was delicious in this salad!
This is such a gorgeous summer salad! I am anxiously waiting for the first fresh corn to be popping out of the ground here and then I definitely want to try grilling it!
Thanks, Ashley! I hope that fresh corn arrives soon!
I honestly think I would eat this whole bowl myself because I live for grilled corn! This looks like THE perfect side dish, Kristine, although I know I could make a meal out of it!
Thank you, Marcie! We had the leftovers for lunch and this was just as good if not better the second day!
Loving grilled corn at the moment! This salad looks delicious, Kristine! Love all the beautiful colours and flavours. 🙂
Thank you, Jess! I’ve recently discovered grilled corn and I’m hooked!
This grilled corn salad looks so fresh and delicious! I would love it plain, on top of tacos, or on a salad 🙂 So yummy and full of flavor!
Thank you, Medha! Putting this on tacos is such a good idea! I’ll be trying that soon. 🙂
Thank you for this wonderful recipe! I made it over the weekend and it was delicious — two thumbs up! However, I live in Toronto and apparently Cotija cheese is not available in Canada. (As the shopkeeper of the local cheese shop explained to me, it has something to do with dairy import/export laws and taxes.) As an alternative, the cheese shopkeeper pointed me to Manouri, a Greek sheep cheese that is firm and slices/crumbles well like Cotija, yet has a soft, smooth texture and mild yet distinctive taste. The Manouri worked very well as an alternative — for your Canadian readers!
I’m so glad you enjoyed this salad, Katherine! That is interesting about the import/export laws. Thanks for sharing your tip about using Manouri cheese!
I just made this again, by far my favorite recipe. It is better when is sits for half a day if time permits.
I’m glad you enjoy this recipe so much! Thanks for adding the tip about letting the salad sit for half a day in the fridge before serving.
I love this salad! Not only is it pretty to look at, it’s so flavorful and the different textures are amazing. It’s very satisfying on its own and the flavors blend even more when it sits overnight. Thanks so much for sending the leftovers home with me.
This is one of my favorites, too! Grilling the corn really makes a difference. I’m happy that you enjoyed the leftovers!
Delicious! I was stuffed but wanted to keep eating. I added a little sliced steak on top to satisfy my hubby but it didn’t need it. The dressing was great too. Thanks for the recipe!
Haha, that is a wonderful compliment! I’m so happy that you enjoyed this. It is one of my favorites!
Absolutely delicious!
I made this salad for 4th of July last year and it was a hit! I got lots of compliments from everyone! ?
So awesome for hot day in AZ ( w crazy heat wave) !! My friend loved it so much, she making for her daughter who just had her first baby!!!!❤️ thank you !!!
Fresh corn salad was amazing. My family loved it. I will make it again for sure. I didn’t have avocado or the cheese and it was wonderful. Next time I will plan ahead and add those two items.
I’ve made this salad 4 times this summer alone. It is a hit everywhere.
This is one of my all time favorite salads!! When I made it today, I cooked the corn on the cob in the oven (still in their husks) as the grill was not heated. Came out great, and the salad is DELISH!
I have one word. DELICIOUS! I made this for a 4th of July gathering and it was devoured within the hour. Everyone kept going on & on about it and told me I need to make it every year! I love every recipe I have made of Kristine’s (I’m subscribed to her weekly meal plan emails and it makes planning my next week of meals so easy, especially as a busy mom)! They are always so flavorful AND healthy.
My youngest and I made the recipe for our 4th of July party yesterday. It was a HIT! I used DF feta and paired it with tortilla chips. We couldn’t stop eating it. So, so good! Thank you for sharing.
Easy to prepare and delicious! I served this salad with Kristine”s Instant Pot Pulled Pork! Great combination! Thank you so much!
I made this for a church potluck tonight, and it was a hit. People were asking if they could take some home with them.
The corn cooked on the grill was so juicy. I will definitely make this again.
This recipe was a hit for the Fourth of July celebration!
Love this recipe! It was a great addition to our taco salad! We ate it a second night with burgers. It was fresh and light. The dressing compliments it so well!
My family loved this salad. It had just the right amount of lime and the spices added a special taste to it. I couldn’t roast the corn so I used plain corn. I can’t wait to try it again with the roasted corn. This salad gets better each day.
Great! We loved the freshness and flavors in this summer salad. Thanks for sharing!