This corn & avocado summer salad is a fantastic light side dish full of bright colors and delicious fresh ingredients. Make this for your next cookout and watch it disappear.

Corn & Avocado Summer Salad isn’t your average cookout side dish.

Let’s talk about the cookout staple side dishes. You’ve got your bbq beans, Mac & cheese, potato salad and coleslaw but all of those dishes can tend to be kinda heavy. This corn & avocado summer salad is a lighter alternative to those other side dishes that doesn’t lack in the flavor department. The combination of fresh local corn and creamy tender avocados along with tomatoes, cucumbers and other fresh veggies make this a favorite with my guests at every cookout. I love to watch my guests and see which sides everyone goes for. Everyone loves the classics but they get ex when they see something new and exciting.

Is fresh or frozen or canned corn better?

Obviously fresh corn isn’t available year round but when it is take full advantage. Living in Maryland I have access to fantastic local sweet corn in the summer and fall. If I see a roadside produce stand I almost always pull over to grab a dozen ears of corn. In the summer we eat corn on the Cobb a few nights a week and it’s not uncommon for my family to plow through a dozen ears in one meal..my 8 year old nephew is good for 3-4 ears himself.

If you can’t find fresh corn what are the best alternatives. This might sound crazy but I actually prefer canned corn over frozen corn. The kernels of canned corn are closer to fresh corn than frozen. I rinse the canned  corn and then use it just as I would fresh corn. Frozen corn is fine if it’s all you have but I prefer to use frozen corn in soups, stews and hot preparations because the liquid seems to rehydrate the kernels.

How to tell if an avocado is ripe?

We all know that the shelf life of a ripe avocado is about as long as an episode of Friends. If you have a few days it’s ok to buy under ripe avocados but if you want to use the avocados right away heat are a few things to look for:

• Look for a dark skin. Bright green skin is a sign of under ripeness.
• Feel for tenderness. The avocado should be firm but not feel mushy.
• Press your thumb against the stem nub. If it pops right off then the avocado is more right. If it doesn’t come off easily it’s not ripe yet.

How to prevent Avocados from turning brown

Oxygen is the enemy of avocados. If you are only using half of an avocado leave the pit in the side you’re not using. This will keep the inner flesh bright green. You can squeeze a few drops of lemon juice on the exposed flesh then wrap tightly in plastic wrap. Vacuum sealing is also an option that will help but I think that might be a bit of overkill. For dishes like this or fresh made guacamole take a sheet of plastic wrap and press it against the surface area of the entire dish so none of the ingredients are exposed to air. Then tightly wrap the container with a second layer of plastic wrap.

The myth of leaving the avocado pit in the guacamole only protects the avocado that the pit is touching. That’s why removing as much air as possible is a much better method.

More Summer Side Dishes

• Easy Cheesy Smoked Mac & Cheese
• Cast Iron Smoked Barbecue Beans w/ Sausage
• BBQ Grilled Spaghetti Squash Rings
• Broccoli Salad w/ White BBQ Sauce
• Low Carb Cauliflower Tabouli
• Low Carb Cauliflower “Potato” Salad
• Cheddar Bacon Ranch Broccoli Salad
• Black & Bleu Coleslaw

Corn & Avocado Summer Salad

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Course: Salad, Side Dish

Cuisine: American

Keyword: Avocado, corn, Salad, Summer salad

Prep Time: 25 minutes

Servings: 10

Calories: 233kcal

Ingredients

• 3 cups Corn about 6-8 ears
• 2 cups Seedless Cucumber
• 2 Diced Avocado
• 1/2 cup Diced Bell Peppers
• 1/2 cup Diced Tomatoes
• 1/2 cup Scallions
• 1/2 cup Celery
• 1/4 cup Diced Bacon
• 1/4 cup Diced Jalapeno Pepper

Dressing Ingredients

• 1/2 cup Mayonnaise
• 1/4 cup Sour Cream
• 2 tbsp Pickle Juice
• 2 tbsp Fresh Parsley
• 1 tsp Dill
• 1/2 tsp Granulated Garlic
• 1/2 tsp Granulated Onion
• 1/2 tsp Old Bay

Optional Topping

• 1/2 cup Crispy Fried Onions

Instructions

• Dice all veggies and shave corn and combine in a mixing bowl. In a seperate bowl combine all ingredients of the dressing and whisk until smooth.
• add half of the dressing to the veggies and toss to combine. Add more dressing as needed. you can always add more but you cant take it out.

Notes

serving size about 1/2 cup

Nutrition

Calories: 233kcal | Carbohydrates: 16g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 19g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 12mg | Sodium: 186mg | Potassium: 418mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 448IU | Vitamin C: 19mg | Calcium: 26mg | Iron: 1mg