Tropical Charred Corn And Avocado (Printable)

Charred corn, avocado and pineapple with lime-cumin dressing—bright tropical flavors for a light lunch or colorful side.

# What You'll 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 2 tablespoons)
10 - 1 tablespoon honey or agave syrup
11 - 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
12 - Salt and black pepper to taste

# How To Cook:

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 completely before cutting kernels off the cob.
02 - In a large mixing bowl, combine the charred corn kernels, diced avocado, 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 and gently toss all ingredients together until evenly coated. Taste and adjust seasoning with additional salt, pepper, or lime juice as needed.
05 - Serve immediately at room temperature, or refrigerate for 15 to 20 minutes to allow the flavors to meld before serving.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • The char on the corn creates a smoky depth that makes people close their eyes when they take the first bite.
  • It comes together in under thirty minutes with zero cooking skill required, just patience and a hot grill.
  • The tropical sweetness from pineapple against the creamy avocado is the kind of contrast that makes you go back for thirds.
02 -
  • Do not dress this salad more than thirty minutes before serving or the avocado will oxidize and the pineapple will start leaking juice until everything swims in a sad puddle.
  • The charred corn kernels will hold their texture far better if you cut them off the cob while the corn is still slightly warm rather than refrigerator cold.
03 -
  • Grill one extra ear of corn and freeze the charred kernels for a future batch because you will absolutely want to make this again on short notice.
  • The single biggest flavor upgrade is using really good olive oil and truly fresh lime juice, never the bottled stuff from the grocery store juice aisle.

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