Fresh Corn Salad

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Fresh Corn Salad with black beans, avocado, tomatoes and a zesty chili-lime dressing. This corn salad recipe is one of the best summer side dishes!

This corn salad is one of my all-time favorite summer recipes! When I was first testing this recipe, I was hoping that it would turn out to be a delicious and easy side dish for summer meals.

This corn salad recipe turned out to be even better than I had hoped! It’s so tasty that it immediately became one of my family’s very favorite recipes. Now I look forward to fresh corn season just so I can make this summer corn salad.

Why you’ll love this corn salad recipe:

It is really easy to make.
It’s full of fresh and flavorful ingredients.
You can make it ahead. (Tips for that below.)

Fresh sweet corn, tomato, avocado and black beans are tossed in a homemade chili-lime Mexican dressing. Cilantro, cheese and red onion add even more flavor to this summer salad.

Cold corn salad is the best after it chills in the refrigerator for a day. The flavors blend together and it’s hard to resist eating the whole bowl!

Serve this black bean and corn salad as a side dish with slow cooker ribs, grilled chicken, grilled pork chops or turkey burgers. Or, enjoy it as an appetizer, with tortilla chips for scooping up the salad.

How to make corn salad

There are three simple steps to making this salad: cook the corn, make the dressing and assemble the salad. Here’s a quick overview of each step. You’ll find the full recipe below.

Cooking the Corn

This recipe starts with fresh sweet corn on the cob. I prefer to cook the corn on the grill, because grilled corn adds so much flavor to the salad.

If you don’t want to head outside to the grill, you can cook the corn for this corn salad recipe in your Instant Pot using my Instant Pot corn on the cob recipe. You can also boil the corn on the cob for 5 to 8 minutes, until the kernels are tender.

Corn Salad Dressing

The dressing for this salad is a simple combination of lime juice, olive oil, chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, salt and pepper. To make the dressing, whisk all of the ingredients together in a small bowl.

Combine the Ingredients

Before assembling the salad, be sure to allow the cooked corn to cool completely. Then, slice the corn kernels off the cob and place them in a large bowl. Add black beans, tomatoes, red onion, and cilantro.

Pour the dressing over the salad and gently stir until everything is well coated. Finally, stir in Cotija cheese and avocado. If you can’t find Cotija, feta cheese is a good substitute.

Make Ahead Tips

This corn salad tastes best if it is chilled in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours before serving. This time allows the flavors of the salad to blend together.

The salad will stay fresh for up to two days in the refrigerator. It is best to add the avocado right before serving, to prevent the avocado from browning.

More Summer Salad Recipes

Italian Pasta Salad
Macaroni Salad
Classic Potato Salad
Red Potato Salad
Instant Pot Potato Salad
Berry Fruit Salad
Greek Pasta Salad
Southwestern Pasta Salad

5 from 4 ratings

Servings: 6 servings

Prep Time: 25 minutes mins

Cook Time: 15 minutes mins

Total Time: 40 minutes mins

Fresh Corn Salad with black beans, avocado, tomatoes and a zesty chili-lime dressing. This easy corn salad recipe is one of the best summer side dishes!

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Ingredients

For the salad:

▢ 4 ears corn on the cob
▢ 15 ounce can black beans, rinsed and drained
▢ 8 ounces cherry tomatoes, halved
▢ ½ cup chopped red onion
▢ ½ cup chopped fresh cilantro
▢ 3 ounces Cotija cheese, crumbled*
▢ 1 large avocado, chopped

For the dressing:

▢ 3 tablespoons lime juice, about 3 limes
▢ 3 tablespoons olive oil
▢ ¾ teaspoon chili powder
▢ ½ teaspoon ground cumin
▢ ½ teaspoon garlic powder
▢ ½ teaspoon kosher salt
▢ ⅛ teaspoon black pepper

Instructions

Preheat grill to medium-high heat. Trim off any silks hanging out of the top of the corn husks. If the husks have loose outer leaves, remove them. If there are many layers of husk, you can pull off the outermost layer. Place corn on the hot grill and grill for 10-15 minutes with the lid closed, turning the corn every 2-3 minutes, until corn is tender. You may hear a few popping sounds from the corn as it cooks, but if it is popping a lot turn down the heat. Let the corn rest until cool enough to handle.
While the corn cools, make the dressing. Whisk together all dressing ingredients in a small bowl. Set aside.
Once corn is cool, remove the husks and silks. Use a sharp knife to slice the kernels off the cob. Place corn kernels in a large bowl.
To the bowl with the corn, add the black beans, tomatoes, red onion, and cilantro. Pour the dressing over the salad and toss gently to combine. Stir in the Cotija cheese. If serving the salad within 2 hours, you can stir in the avocado now. Otherwise, wait and add the avocado right before serving. Salad is best if chilled for at least 2 hours before serving.

Notes

We like this salad best with grilled corn, as directed in the recipe. You can also cook the corn in your Instant Pot or boil the corn on the cob for 5 to 8 minutes, until the kernels are tender.
I used to grill the corn wrapped in foil, after removing the husks and silks. Now I prefer to skip the foil and grill the corn right in the husks.
If you can't find Cotija cheese, feta is a good substitute.
Salad will stay fresh for 1-2 days in the refrigerator. If you plan to make the salad ahead, it is best to add the avocado right before serving.

Serving: 1/6 recipe, Calories: 286kcal, Carbohydrates: 30g, Protein: 10g, Fat: 16g, Saturated Fat: 4g, Cholesterol: 13mg, Sodium: 646mg, Potassium: 669mg, Fiber: 9g, Sugar: 6g, Vitamin A: 570IU, Vitamin C: 22mg, Calcium: 106mg, Iron: 2mg

Nutrition information is an estimate.

Cuisine: American

Course: Side Dish

Tried this recipe?Mention @kristines_kitchen on Instagram or tag #kristineskitchenblog.

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posted by Kristine Rosenblatt on Jun 19, 2020

23 comments Leave a comment »

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23 comments on “Fresh Corn Salad”

Gayle @ Pumpkin 'N Spice — June 15, 2016 @ 4:55 am Reply
I don’t blame you for eating this entire bowl in two days! I know I would do the same, too. I just can’t resist corn salads, and it’s a dish that I make all the time in the summer! This grilled version sounds just perfect, Kristine! I love the black beans and cotija cheese in here. Definitely my kind of meal!
- Kristine — June 15, 2016 @ 6:07 am Reply
  See Also
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  Thank you, Gayle! Grilled corn is my new addiction! 😉
Renee - Kudos Kitchen — June 15, 2016 @ 6:10 am Reply
This looks wonderful. I love how colorful it is and the addition of the Cotija cheese is just perfect!
- Kristine — June 23, 2016 @ 2:10 pm Reply
  Thank you, Renee! The Cotija was delicious in this salad!
Ashley - The Recipe Rebel — June 15, 2016 @ 8:47 am Reply
This is such a gorgeous summer salad! I am anxiously waiting for the first fresh corn to be popping out of the ground here and then I definitely want to try grilling it!
- Kristine — June 23, 2016 @ 2:09 pm Reply
  Thanks, Ashley! I hope that fresh corn arrives soon!
marcie — June 15, 2016 @ 10:12 am Reply
I honestly think I would eat this whole bowl myself because I live for grilled corn! This looks like THE perfect side dish, Kristine, although I know I could make a meal out of it!
- Kristine — June 23, 2016 @ 2:09 pm Reply
  Thank you, Marcie! We had the leftovers for lunch and this was just as good if not better the second day!
Jess @ What Jessica Baked Next — June 16, 2016 @ 5:55 am Reply
Loving grilled corn at the moment! This salad looks delicious, Kristine! Love all the beautiful colours and flavours. 🙂
- Kristine — June 23, 2016 @ 2:08 pm Reply
  Thank you, Jess! I’ve recently discovered grilled corn and I’m hooked!
Medha — June 16, 2016 @ 2:19 pm Reply
This grilled corn salad looks so fresh and delicious! I would love it plain, on top of tacos, or on a salad 🙂 So yummy and full of flavor!
- Kristine — June 23, 2016 @ 2:07 pm Reply
  Thank you, Medha! Putting this on tacos is such a good idea! I’ll be trying that soon. 🙂
Katherine H. — June 20, 2016 @ 10:14 am Reply
Thank you for this wonderful recipe! I made it over the weekend and it was delicious — two thumbs up! However, I live in Toronto and apparently Cotija cheese is not available in Canada. (As the shopkeeper of the local cheese shop explained to me, it has something to do with dairy import/export laws and taxes.) As an alternative, the cheese shopkeeper pointed me to Manouri, a Greek sheep cheese that is firm and slices/crumbles well like Cotija, yet has a soft, smooth texture and mild yet distinctive taste. The Manouri worked very well as an alternative — for your Canadian readers!
- Kristine — June 23, 2016 @ 2:05 pm Reply
  I’m so glad you enjoyed this salad, Katherine! That is interesting about the import/export laws. Thanks for sharing your tip about using Manouri cheese!
mike — July 4, 2017 @ 10:36 pm Reply
I just made this again, by far my favorite recipe. It is better when is sits for half a day if time permits.
- Kristine — July 5, 2017 @ 6:41 am Reply
  I’m glad you enjoy this recipe so much! Thanks for adding the tip about letting the salad sit for half a day in the fridge before serving.
Jan Walker — June 18, 2018 @ 6:02 pm Reply
I love this salad! Not only is it pretty to look at, it’s so flavorful and the different textures are amazing. It’s very satisfying on its own and the flavors blend even more when it sits overnight. Thanks so much for sending the leftovers home with me.
- Kristine — June 19, 2018 @ 6:07 am Reply
  This is one of my favorites, too! Grilling the corn really makes a difference. I’m happy that you enjoyed the leftovers!
June — June 4, 2019 @ 2:01 pm Reply
Delicious! I was stuffed but wanted to keep eating. I added a little sliced steak on top to satisfy my hubby but it didn’t need it. The dressing was great too. Thanks for the recipe!
- Kristine — June 5, 2019 @ 9:10 pm Reply
  Haha, that is a wonderful compliment! I’m so happy that you enjoyed this. It is one of my favorites!
Linda — August 3, 2019 @ 3:37 pm Reply
Absolutely delicious!
Veronica — April 3, 2022 @ 2:57 pm Reply
I made this salad for 4th of July last year and it was a hit! I got lots of compliments from everyone! ?
Paula Ostlund — July 31, 2023 @ 7:54 pm Reply
So awesome for hot day in AZ ( w crazy heat wave) !! My friend loved it so much, she making for her daughter who just had her first baby!!!!❤️ thank you !!!

Fresh Corn Salad - Best Easy Recipe! (2024)