Creamy Avocado and Corn Salad - Your new Favourite BBQ Side Dish

On Friday I did a post about how to make Delicious and Tender Ribs. As part of that meal, I made a really delicious Creamy Avocado and Corn Salad. I had originally planned on including that recipe in rib post, but the post was becoming a little too long so I decided to make it a separate post. Based on the number of requests I have gotten for the salad recipe, I think I made the right choice.

Years ago I went over to my sister's house for dinner. I made tacos and she made a really delicious salad with cherry tomatoes, avocado, and poblano peppers. It was this salad that I had in mind when I created the Creamy Avocado and Corn Salad for today's post. The salad we are going to look at today is a lot different than the salad my sister made for me all those years ago, but it has the same feel as a light and summery salad. Let's take a look.

This is how to make...

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Getting Started

The only part of this salad that needs to be cooked is the corn. So, to start I boiled 1 cup of corn niblets until they were tender. Once cooked, I drained the corn and rinsed it with cold water. With that, I was ready to get going on the rest of my salad.

Before we get going I want to talk for a second about the avocado in the recipe. It is really important that the avocado be very ripe. It should be just on the brink of being overripe. That softness is what gives the salad it's creaminess. If you can only find hard avocados cover them with flour and let them sit for a day or two. There is an enzyme in the flour that will speed up the ripening process. If you can't wait a day or two you can use a ½ cup of prepared Guacamole in place of the avocado.

Okay, let's get to it.

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Putting the salad together

To start the salad I cut 9 grape tomatoes into quarters and diced a half green pepper. Along with these ingredients, I added the cooked corn, 1 green onion that was thinly sliced, and the avocado as the base of the salad. The fresh vegetables give the salad a terrific texture and fresh flavour, while the avocado adds that creaminess once the salad is mixed up.

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Flavouring the salad

The dressing for the salad is made right in the bowl with all the other ingredients and provides a wallop of fresh summery flavour. To start the dressing I added in 1 tablespoon each chopped parsley and cilantro. Along with the herbs, I added red pepper flakes, coriander, lime juice and zest, honey, red wine vinegar, olive oil, and salt and pepper. You can find the quantities in the recipe below.

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Finishing the salad

Once all the ingredients were in the bowl, I mixed the salad very well, seasoned with salt and pepper, tasted and adjusted as needed. Mixing the salad mashed the avocado and made the dressing very creamy. With the salad all mixed up and ready to go, I covered it with plastic wrap and put it in the fridge for an hour. This resting period is very important in order to maximize the flavour of the salad. Letting the salad hang out in the fridge allows the spices time to open up, and for the other flavours to blend and mature. To better understand this change take note of how the salad tastes before and after it is put in the fridge.

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Conclusion

I am very confident that this salad is going to quickly find its way into your regular summer rotation. It is creamy and crunchy. It's got loads of flavour, and it comes together very quickly with basic ingredients. A definite must-try.

If you would like to change the salad a little it would be great with the addtion of cooked black beans, fresh jalapeno, and/or some red bell pepper. What other ingredients do you think would make a good addition to this salad?

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