Description
Barefoot Contessa’s fiesta corn and avocado salad brings zesty Mexican-inspired flavors to summer gatherings. Fresh ingredients and bold seasonings create a colorful, refreshing side dish you’ll crave at picnics and potlucks.
Ingredients
Scale
- 3 ears corn, shucked (or 320g / 2 cups frozen or canned sweetcorn, drained)
- 250g / 9 oz cherry tomatoes, halved
- 2 Hass avocados, ripe, diced
- 1 orange bell pepper, cored, deseeded & diced (½-inch / 1.2 cm pieces)
- ½ red onion, finely diced
- 2 jalapeño peppers, deseeded & finely chopped
- 1 tsp minced garlic (or 1 garlic clove, finely minced)
- 1 ½ tsps lime zest (from about 2 limes)
- 1 tsp kosher salt (plus more to taste)
- ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 60 ml / ¼ cup freshly squeezed lime juice (about 3 limes)
- 2 tbsps extra virgin olive oil
- ¼ tsp chipotle chili powder (or smoked paprika for a milder taste)
- Juice of 1 lemon (to prevent avocado browning)
Instructions
- Corn Preparation: Boil salted water and cook corn until tender-crisp. Drain and cool, then expertly slice kernels from cob. For frozen corn, briefly boil; for canned, rinse thoroughly.
- Vegetable Assembly: Combine corn kernels, cherry tomatoes, bell pepper, red onion, and jalapeños in a large mixing bowl, creating a colorful and vibrant base.
- Dressing Creation: Whisk lime zest, lime juice, extra virgin olive oil, minced garlic, chipotle chili powder, kosher salt, and black pepper in a small bowl. Generously coat vegetable mixture, ensuring even distribution of flavors.
- Avocado Integration: Gently fold diced avocado with a splash of lemon juice to maintain its pristine appearance and prevent browning. Carefully incorporate into the vegetable medley.
- Final Touches: Adjust seasoning with additional salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately, either chilled or at room temperature to showcase the fresh, zesty flavors of this vibrant salad.
Notes
- Corn Cooking Tip: Choose fresh corn for the best flavor and texture, ensuring kernels are sweet and crisp when boiled briefly to preserve their natural sweetness.
- Avocado Preservation Hack: Add a splash of lemon juice to diced avocados to prevent browning and maintain their vibrant green color and fresh appearance.
- Dressing Enhancement: Whisk the lime-based dressing thoroughly to blend chipotle chili powder and garlic, creating a zesty and balanced flavor profile that complements the vegetables.
- Serving Suggestion: Prepare the salad just before serving to keep the vegetables crisp and avocados looking fresh, allowing the flavors to meld without becoming soggy.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 7 minutes
- Category: Lunch, Dinner, Appetizer, Snacks
- Method: Boiling
- Cuisine: Mexican
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 6
- Calories: 210
- Sugar: 3g
- Sodium: 230mg
- Fat: 14g
- Saturated Fat: 2g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 24g
- Fiber: 7g
- Protein: 4g
- Cholesterol: 0mg