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Corn Tomato Avocado Salad is the perfect way to enjoy sweet summer corn. Light and delicious, this vegetarian and gluten free salad is a perfect complement to grilled meats, as a light meal or even a salsa
This post and recipe card updated June 1, 2020

For as long as I can remember, I’ve loved fresh, sweet corn on the cob. My mom simply boiled it and, when corn is at its peak freshness, it really doesn’t need much else.
And since simple is often best, I still make it like that all the time! Of course I slather it with butter, because that’s just the way to go.
As soon as I find sweet corn at the grocery store Corn, Zucchini, and Red Pepper Cakes get bumped to the top of my summer menu plan. Funfetti Corn Casserole uses canned corn and is a staple for holiday gatherings. And I add frozen corn to my Shrimp Fried Rice.
One of my very early recipes on the blog, and one that I honestly don’t make enough, is Corn Tomato Avocado Salad
WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS
- It’s ready in 30 minutes (15 minutes if you use raw corn)
- You can eat it as a light lunch, side, or salsa
- It’s vegetarian and gluten free

INGREDIENT TIPS FOR CORN TOMATO AVOCADO SALAD
Fresh corn, straight off the cob, is by far the best option for Corn Tomato Avocado Salad. And from late spring through early Fall it’s usually plentiful and inexpensive in grocery stores.
Full disclosure: I have used canned corn to make Corn Tomato Avocado Salad in the winter and to me it’s just not the same. However, you can use frozen corn from the grocery or freeze your own!
Pro Tips for Freezing Fresh Corn
- Cut the kernels off the cob
- Place the kernels in a Ziploc bag
- Squeeze out all the air, lay flat, and freeze
I like to use cherry or grape tomatoes, and cut them in half. I’ve tried roasting the tomatoes, but wasn’t a fan of them in this dish.
Diced avocado adds a wonderful, creamy bite. I love avocado so I use a generous amount.
Red onion adds a nice bite and pop of color to the dish. I also like the sweetness of diced red bell pepper.
The dressing is simple, yet so full of flavors. I always use fresh-squeezed limes juice, because limes are plentiful and inexpensive and fresh is better. Honey cuts the acidity of the lime, and I use Raw Honey. I prefer to use Avocado Oil, and olive oil is a good substitute.
I use raw and roasted garlic interchangeably for the dressing. When I have roasted garlic in the fridge it’s a no-brainer, because roasted garlic adds such a wonderful depth of flavor. When I use raw, I use a Garlic Press to get it as finely minced as possible.

COOKED OR RAW CORN?
I’ve gone back and forth on this many times, and really it’s about personal preference.
When it’s the middle of summer and that corn is super sweet, I’ll often just use it raw. Other than that, I’ll do one of 2 things
- Grill the corn on high for about 20 minutes while I prep the other ingredients
- Cut the kernels off the cob and sauté them in a skillet with just a little bit of oil for 5 minutes

STEP BY STEP INSTRUCTIONS
Remove the husk and silks from the corn on the cob. Place corn on a hot grill for 20 minutes, turning once halfway through.

Remove corn and allow it to cool for a couple of minutes.
While the corn cools, add oil, honey, lime juice, salt, pepper, and garlic to a bowl. Whisk well to combine and set aside.

Stand corn up inside a large bowl. Using a sharp knife cut the kernels off of the cob, and discard the cob.

Add tomato, red onion, red peppers, avocado, and cilantro to the corn. Pour dressing over the mixture, and stir to combine.

MAKE-AHEAD, SERVINGS, AND LEFTOVERS
MAKE-AHEAD INSTRUCTIONS
- Up to one day ahead: make the dressing and prep all the vegetables except the avocado up to one day ahead. Store in separate containers in the fridge
- An hour ahead: Combine all the vegetables, including avocado. Dress the salad and combine
SERVING OPTIONS
I’ll normally serve Corn Tomato Avocado Salad as a side dish or a light meal. It’s a great complement for grilled meats, and you could also add blackened salmon or shrimp for a delicious complete meal.
It’s also great as a salsa! We tested it with Ritz crackers, but the buttery flavor of the crackers was a little overpowering. However, we couldn’t stop eating it with Tortilla Chips.
LEFTOVERS
I recommend eating Corn Tomato Avocado Salad within one day. After that, the dressing weighs down the vegetables and the avocado starts to turn brown.

MORE DELICIOUS SUMMER SALADS
- Grilled Romaine Cobb Salad
- Broccoli Salad with Homemade Dressing
- Funfetti Macaroni Salad
- Bacon Cranberry Chicken Salad
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Corn Tomato Avocado Salad
Corn Tomato Avocado Salad is the perfect way to enjoy sweet summer corn. Light and delicious, this vegetarian and gluten free salad is a perfect complement to grilled meats, as a light meal or even a salsa
Ingredients
- 2 ears fresh sweet corn
- 12 grape or cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1 avocado peeled, seeded and diced
- 1/2 cup red or yellow bell pepper, diced
- 1/2 cup red onion, diced
- 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
- 1 tablespoon Avocado Oil
- 1 tablespoon Raw Honey
- Juice of 1 lime
- 2 cloves garlic, roasted or raw (SEE NOTES)
- 1 teaspoon coarse sea salt
- 1 teaspoon fresh-cracked black pepper
- 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Instructions
- Remove husks and silks from the corn. Grill over high heat for about 20 minutes, turning once halfway through. Remove corn from the grill and cool for a few minutes
- While the corn cooks, add avocado oil, honey, lime juice, salt, black pepper, cayenne pepper, and garlic in a medium bowl. Whisk well to combine and set aside.
- Stand the corn on the flat end in a large bowl. Using a sharp knife, cut the kernels off the cob. The bowl will catch all of the kernels. Discard the cob
- Add tomatoes, avocado, bell pepper, red onion, and cilantro to the corn. Stir together lightly
- Add the dressing and fold together to combine well.
- Taste and adjust salt and pepper, if necessary
Notes
GARLIC:
- Roasted garlic adds an amazing depth of flavor, and I highly recommend it
- If you use raw garlic, mince it very finely or use a Garlic Press
RAW OR COOKED CORN? It's really personal preference. If it's the height of summer and the corn is super sweet, you could use it raw. Otherwise, I grill it for about 20 minutes to give it a light char
Make-Ahead Instructions
- Up to one day ahead: make the dressing and prep all the vegetables except the avocado up to one day ahead. Store in separate containers in the fridge
- An hour ahead: Combine all the vegetables, including avocado. Dress the salad and combine
Serving Options:
- Perfect as a side dish or a light meal
- Great complement for grilled meats
- Add grilled salmon or seafood for a complete meal
- Serve with Tortilla Chips as a salsa
Leftovers: I recommend eating Corn Tomato Avocado Salad within one day
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 10 Serving Size: 1/2 cupAmount Per Serving: Calories: 80Total Fat: 5gSaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 214mgCarbohydrates: 10gFiber: 2gSugar: 4gProtein: 1g
Nutrient values are estimates only. Variations may occur due to product availability and food preparation. Nutrition may vary based on methods of preparation, origin and freshness of ingredients, etc
Adapted from For the Love of Cooking
Renee
Saturday 20th of April 2024
One of my favorite new salads. Can’t eat corn on the cob anymore, but still love the taste of fresh corn off the cob. Added some feta cheese. Love the dressing. Such a light and healthy salad.
amy liu dong
Monday 31st of July 2023
I love this recipe! It is an easy yet delicious salad recipe to make. Perfecto!
Jamie
Monday 31st of July 2023
First of all, this is such a great-looking salad! It looks amazingly delicious! I love the combination of Corn, Tomato, and Avocado for such a salad recipe! Thanks for sharing this with us!
Anita
Wednesday 18th of January 2017
This looks so delicious! Thanks for sharing.
Karyl
Thursday 19th of January 2017
Thanks Anita! I appreciate it. Thanks for stopping iby
Kim~madeinaday
Tuesday 5th of April 2016
[* Shield plugin marked this comment as "trash". Reason: Failed GASP Bot Filter Test (comment token failure) *] Sounds like a great summer recipe! Thanks for linking up to Merry Monday! Shared on Yummly & stubled ! Have a great week! Kim
Karyl
Tuesday 5th of April 2016
Thank you so much Kim! It really is, especially when you can use fresh sweet corn and tomatoes. You have a great week as well!!