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Corn and Avocado Salad

If your family is anything like mine, you love sweet corn!  When I make it, I make a bunch since the hardest part of sweet corn is shucking it, and usually my kids help which makes it go quicker. In my house, leftover cooked corn gets cut off the cob and either frozen for those winter months when we need a reminder of the summer months to come, or made into a flavor-packed Corn and Avocado Salad.

Once you cook the sweet corn and make the Cilantro Pesto, this salad is super simple to throw together.  It tastes great with any kind of grilled meat or fish and is the perfect addition to any backyard barbecue potluck. Just make sure you make enough! 

The Cilantro Pesto adds a bit of heat to the salad, which is why I’ve made the crushed red pepper optional. If you like it spicy, go ahead and add it, but if you prefer things a bit milder, you’ll like it best without.

It’s hard for me to say which part of this salad is my favorite; every component is oh so good!  I hope you enjoy it as much as my family does!

Corn and Avocado Salad How-To Photos:

Cutting the fresh cooked corn off the cob

Cilantro pesto adds so much fresh flavor to this Corn and Avocado Salad. It's a great way to use leftover cooked sweet corn!

Cooked pepper with cumin added.

Cilantro pesto adds so much fresh flavor to this Corn and Avocado Salad. It's a great way to use leftover cooked sweet corn!

Avocado, pepper, and corn

Cilantro pesto adds so much fresh flavor to this Corn and Avocado Salad. It's a great way to use leftover cooked sweet corn!

Dressing mixture

Cilantro pesto adds so much fresh flavor to this Corn and Avocado Salad. It's a great way to use leftover cooked sweet corn!

Finished Salad

Cilantro pesto adds so much fresh flavor to this Corn and Avocado Salad. It's a great way to use leftover cooked sweet corn!

 

Corn and Avocado Salad

Yield:  4 cups (8, 1/2 cup servings)

Nutrition Info (per serving):  134 cals, 3 g pro, 16 g carb, 8 g fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 1 g sat fat, 3 g fiber, 174 mg sodium

Ingredients:
1 red sweet pepper, seeded and cut into thin bite-size strips
2 teaspoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 cup Cilantro Pesto (recipe)
3 tablespoons lime juice
2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives
1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper (optional)
3 cups cooked sweet corn
1 avocado, halved, seeded, peeled and chopped

Method:
1.  In a medium skillet cook red pepper in olive oil over medium heat for 5 minutes or until crisp-tender, stirring occasionally. Sprinkle with cumin. Cook and stir about 10 seconds or until cumin is fragrant. Remove from heat and set aside.

2.  In a large bowl whisk together Cilantro Pesto, lime juice, chives, salt, black pepper, and, if desired, crushed red pepper. Add sweet corn and cooked pepper. Stir to combine. Gently stir in avocado just before serving.

Tip:  If you don’t have fresh cooked sweet corn, substitute 3 cups frozen (thawed) corn kernels.

 

This fresh and simple Corn and Avocado Salad with brighten up any meal, whether you serve it with simple grilled chicken or burgers. It's a crowd-pleaser too, so take it to your next neighborhood grill-out or family get-together. It is dressed with cilantro pesto, which is quick to make and adds so much fresh flavor. The avocado and red pepper add a big boost of healthful nutrients.