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This is one of our favorite summer salad recipes: an Easy Corn Salad with bacon, jalapeño and avocado. I’ve made it several times and everyone raves about the flavors. The sweet corn with the spicy jalapeño, the salty bacon with the creamy avocado; this is the perfect summer potluck salad recipe.

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corn salad in bowl

I rarely make any recipes more than once (except when I’m recipe testing). I find that I have so many ideas for new recipes that making the same dish for a second time wastes time. If I’m not going to post a recipe…why bother even making it? That’s why you know that we love this recipe: I’ve made it more than twice now and I will keep making it over and over. It’s become one of my go-to potluck dishes because it’s so darn delicious!

This salad is great as a potluck recipe, a side dish, or even a simple summer dinner when you don’t want to turn on your oven.

Corn is one of our favorite vegetables and we eat it often, all summer long. In fact, I add corn to just about everything all year long and I always have frozen corn on hand. You can make this salad with fresh or frozen corn, making it a great way to use leftovers too.

ingredients for corn salad

What goes in a corn salad?

A sweet corn salad has to have lots of texture in it, which is why I love adding lots of different ingredients. I always think of bell peppers when I think of corn – probably because we love Mexican food – so I added some red bell pepper to the salad, as well as some chopped red onion. I can’t eat corn without peppers and red onion because of a delicious corn and pepper stir fry recipe that I love to serve with grilled chicken. Some day I’ll share that recipe.

Corn and avocado go so well together and and bacon and avocado are total BFFs. In fact, whenever I eat one I practically require the other.

There are so many ways to make a salad like this. Mexican Corn Salad or Avocado Corn Salad are both fantastic, and this recipe mimics those. I added jalapeño for spice and cilantro for flavor along with the bacon and avocado.

corn salad with dressing being poured on

You can use either fresh or frozen corn in this corn salad recipe. I usually use frozen because I always have it on hand and I don’t have to cook it, just thaw it.

Tips for using Frozen Corn in a Corn Salad:

  • Be sure that your corn is thawed and drained before adding it to the salad.
  • Use a mix of yellow and white, if you prefer.

How to prepare fresh corn for a corn salad:

If you’re going to use fresh corn, then you’ll need to cook it first.

  • Cook corn cobs by shucking them, then cooking in boiling water for about 5 minutes.
  • Cut the corn off the cob and add to the salad once cooled.

Tip for cutting corn off the cob: 

  • Set a small bowl upside down inside a larger bowl.
  • Hold the corn vertically (upright) on the inverted bowl and use a knife to cut down the length of the corn. The larger bowl will catch the kernels.

Once you have your corn prepared you can add the other ingredients and make the last piece of the salad: the dressing.

corn salad in bowl

Chipotle Dressing for Corn Salad

The spicy chipotle dressing on this corn salad ties all the flavors together. Making your own vinaigrette for salad is simple and easy and allows you to control the ingredients. Here’s what I put in my chipotle corn salad dressing:

  • Lime Juice and white wine vinegar, for acid
  • Olive oil
  • Honey, for sweetness and balance
  • Garlic (fresh), salt and pepper
  • Chipotle Chili Powder for a smokey flavor 

Simply add all the dressing ingredients to a jar and shake, shake, shake until emulsified. Pour over the salad and serve.

Easy Corn Salad Recipe with bacon and avocado

I love making this salad a few hours before serving so that the flavors have time to meld. I love that it tastes good even as leftovers!

Other simple summer salad recipes:

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corn salad in bowl

Easy Corn Salad Recipe

5 from 2 votes
This simple easy corn salad recipe is made with jalapeno, bacon and avocado and is the perfect summer side dish salad recipe!
Prep Time 25 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes
Yield 8 servings
Serving Size 1 serving

Ingredients
 

SALAD:

  • 5 slices bacon
  • 4 cups frozen corn thawed
  • 1 red pepper diced
  • 1/2 red onion diced
  • 1 medium jalapeño diced
  • 2 avocados diced
  • 1 cup cilantro sliced

DRESSING:

  • 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
  • 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon honey
  • 1 clove garlic pressed
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon pepper
  • 1/4 teaspoon chipotle chili powder
  • 1/2 cup olive oil
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Instructions

  • Cook bacon until crispy. Drain then crumble.
  • Toss together bacon with corn, pepper, onion, jalapeno, and avocados.
  • Make the dressing: place all ingredients in a jar. Seal and shake until emulsified. Pour over salad and toss.
  • Store covered in refrigerator for up to 2 days.

Recipe Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 355kcal | Carbohydrates: 28g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 27g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 9mg | Sodium: 393mg | Potassium: 565mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 695IU | Vitamin C: 31.1mg | Calcium: 12mg | Iron: 1.1mg
Nutritional information not guaranteed to be accurate
Course Salad, Side Dish
Cuisine American

**Did you make this recipe? Don’t forget to give it a star rating below!**

corn salad collage photos



Dorothy Kern

Welcome to Crazy for Crust, where I share recipes that are sometimes crazy, often with a crust, and always served with a slice of life.

5 from 2 votes

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3 Comments

  1. My family LOVED this. I made exactly according to the recipe and would not change a thing. I made in advance and just added avocado and dressing when we were ready to eat. Yum!