Corn, Tomato & Avocado Salad

I was raised on fresh, Iowa sweet corn. As a kid, during sweet corn season, we had it for supper several times a week. Steaming hot, slathered in a ridiculous amount of butter, and with those little corn handles poking out the ends, we’d devour it right off the cob, ususally ending up with corn/butter literally from ear to ear on our little kid faces. If you’re from Iowa, you know what I mean. 🌽😬❤️

Now that I’m older, I still look forward to sweet corn season, and eating our fill of it simply boiled and buttered (hopefully not as messy) as back in the day. 🤪

When it gets to be toward the end of sweet corn season, like now, I find myself wanting to still enjoy as much of it as we can until it’s gone for another year, but looking for some alternative ways to prepare it.

This Corn, Tomato & Avocado Salad is the answer. It’s a fresh and light side dish that goes well with just about anything you’re throwing on your grill. Right now, fresh corn on the cob is still available in the stores, and a few farm stands, and if you are harvesting the last of your garden tomatoes, like me, this is a great way to get one last taste of summer satisfaction, before fall officially sets in.

A Few Simple and Fresh Ingredients

You need only a few simple, fresh ingredients to make this salad: fresh corn, tomatoes, avocados, onion, cilantro, lime, olive oil, and salt/pepper.

I don’t care for raw onions, but I was making this for a family (socially-distanced) BBQ last weekend, so after I had it all mixed up, I divided it into two bowls, and only added the onion to half.

Fresh corn cut from the cob is best for this recipe. You can cook it any way that you prefer: boil, steam, grill, sautee….

If we have the grill out, the easiest way to cook the ears is to grill them.

Just pull the outer husks down to the base of the ear. Remove all the silk from each ear of corn. Fold husks back into place, and soak the ears of corn in a large bowl of cold water with 1 tablespoon of salt for 10 minutes.

Then, remove the corn from water and shake off the excess. Place the corn on the grill, cover and grill for 15 to 20 minutes, turning every 5 minutes, or until kernels are tender when pierced with a knife.

If we aren’t grilling, I just place the whole ears of corn (husks removed) in a skillet on the stove with a little butter, turning them until they are a bit charred.

Whatever cooking method you use, allow the ears to cool enough to handle, and then remove the corn from the cob.

Mix it All Together

The rest is as simple as placing all the ingredients in a large bowl, and gently mixing to combine.

Chill

Chill in the fridge for a couple of hours to allow the flavors to combine before serving.

This is such a simple and fresh salad. It’s a perfect side dish with grilled chicken, or even a burger. It would also be delcious served with chips for scooping it up!

Summer may be on its way out, friends, but this summery salad is like one last hurrah before we settle in to all things pumpkin spice. 🤣 ☕️🍁

Resources:

Gourmet Herb Scissors Set 

Corn Zipper

Corn Stripper Cutter Stainless Steel Corn Peeler

Silkster Corn Vegetable Brush, Removes Silk

Corn Dishes, Glass, Set of 4, 8.5-Inches Clear

We have enough of these exact corn dishes to hold a sweet corn festival at our house. I’m not sure how/wny we ended up with so many, but they really are nice to keep the butter from running on to everything else on your plate. Because you aren’t eating your sweet corn correctly if it’s not swimming in butter. 🌽

20 Pack Stainless Steel Corn Holders

Memories….

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