Grilled Corn, Tomato, Avocado Salad

Enjoy the taste of fresh garden veggies all year long with this extremely quick, easy, and versatile “salad” recipe that works with almost anything on your menu!

This super simple, make-ahead “salad” recipe is a perfect way to use up extra veggies you have in the house (or in the garden.)

And I say “salad” in quotations, because this recipe could be a condiment, a dip, a topping, a side dish, a main dish, OR a salad — you can’t go wrong, no matter how you enjoy this recipe!

Best of all, you can easily make it several hours in advance — even the day before, and the avocados won’t turn brown.

The flavors meld so well together, I honestly think it tastes better as leftovers!

I usually make this recipe weekly from mid-July through October.

It’s perfect for potlucks, BBQs, tailgates, or everyday family meals.

No matter where you eat this, you’re likely to end up with an empty bowl.

Ingredients for Grilled Corn, Tomato, and Avocado Salad

• 2 ears of sweet corn (or one 15 oz can)
• 1 large avocado; diced
• 1 c. tomatoes; diced (or one 14 oz. can, drained well)
• 1/4 c. red onion; diced
• 1/4 c. green pepper; diced
• 1 can (15 oz) black beans, drained and rinsed (optional)
• 1/4 c cilantro; roughly chopped
• 1/4 c. lime juice
• salt and pepper to taste

Ingredient Variations

This recipe does not need exact measurements — use whatever you have in the house and make it work!

Corn: We usually use leftover grilled corn on the cob, but it doesn’t have to be grilled. It could be boiled corn on the cob or canned corn. I personally wouldn’t recommend using frozen corn for this recipe as it gets fairly soggy.

Avocados: They will stay fresher longer with the lime juice, but if you plan to make this ahead of time, add the avocados last.

Tomatoes: My top choice for tomatoes is Roma because they aren’t as juicy as other varieties. That said, any variety could work — even canned tomatoes if you drain them well.

Black Beans: I add these about 50% of the time — they add great color and flavor, but not everyone in our family likes them.

Onions: I love the taste of red onions, but any color/variety will do.

Peppers: Again, any color of pepper will be fine. You could even add spicier varieties if you want your salad to have some kick!

Cilantro: I realize many people do NOT like cilantro… and I suppose you could leave it out, but it does add tons of amazingly fresh flavor to this dish.

Lime Juice: In a pinch, you can substitute lemon juice, but lime is best if you have it.

Salt: Go easy on the salt, as you’ll likely be eating this with salty chips!

How to Make Corn, Tomato, Avocado Salad

1. In a large bowl, cut corn off the cob (or dump out drained canned corn).

2. Halve, pit, and dice avocado; add to bowl.

3. Wash and dice tomatoes, onions, pepper, and cilantro. Add to bowl.

4. Add optional black beans.

5. Toss “salad” with lime juice, salt, and pepper. Stir well.

5. Taste and add more salt and/or pepper as you feel is necessary.

6. Cover tightly and refrigerate until ready to eat.

Doesn’t it look delicious!?

This recipe is so versatile — you can serve it as a condiment for tacos, as a dip for chips, as a side dish for almost any type of Mexican meal, as a salad topping, or even as a stand-alone main dish (yes, I have eaten a big bowl of this for lunch many times!)

We’ve enjoyed this salad with beef, chicken, salmon, tilapia, lettuce, spinach, chips, and even eggs. It’s just so tasty!

How would you eat this dish?

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