Tropical Charred Corn Avocado Salad (Printable Version)

Charred corn, ripe avocado and pineapple tossed with lime, honey and cumin for a bright tropical salad in under 30 minutes.

# What You Need:

→ Vegetables & Fruits

01 - 3 ears fresh corn, husked
02 - 2 ripe avocados, diced
03 - 1 cup fresh pineapple, diced
04 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
05 - 1/2 small red onion, finely chopped
06 - 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
07 - 1 small red chili, thinly sliced (optional)

→ Dressing

08 - 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
09 - Juice of 2 limes (approximately 3 tablespoons)
10 - 1 tablespoon honey or agave syrup
11 - 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
12 - Salt and black pepper to taste

# How To Make It:

01 - Preheat a grill or grill pan over medium-high heat. Place husked corn cobs on the grill and cook, turning frequently, until lightly charred on all sides, about 8 to 10 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool. Once cool enough to handle, stand each cob upright and slice the kernels off the cob.
02 - In a large mixing bowl, combine the charred corn kernels, diced avocados, diced pineapple, halved cherry tomatoes, finely chopped red onion, chopped cilantro, and sliced red chili if using.
03 - In a small bowl, whisk together the extra virgin olive oil, fresh lime juice, honey or agave syrup, and ground cumin. Season with salt and black pepper to taste.
04 - Drizzle the dressing over the salad mixture and gently toss to combine, being careful not to mash the avocado.
05 - Taste the salad and adjust seasoning with additional salt and pepper as needed. Serve immediately, or chill for 15 to 20 minutes to allow the flavors to meld together.

# Helpful Hints:

01 -
  • The char on the corn adds a smoky depth that makes people ask what your secret is, and the answer is just patience and a hot pan.
  • It comes together in under thirty minutes, which means you can pull it off on a weeknight without breaking a sweat.
02 -
  • Avocado oxidizes quickly once cut, so dice it last and add a squeeze of extra lime juice if you are not serving the salad immediately.
  • The salad is best eaten the same day because the pineapple releases juice overnight and waters everything down, turning your beautiful charred texture into a soggy mess.
03 -
  • Cut the avocado into slightly larger pieces than you think you need because they will break down a little when you toss everything together.
  • If your corn is very sweet and in season, skip the honey in the dressing entirely and let the natural sugars do the work.

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