One of my favorite things to make on the grill in the summer is sweet corn. I can eat corn year-round, but I’m a big fan of charred corn. SO good!
I could easily eat a few cobs of corn right off the grill as long as they’re covered with a little salt and butter, but my favorite way to eat grilled corn is combining it with something else. Sometimes it’s Mexican Street Corn or something like this Frito Corn Salad, I love pairing it with other summery ingredients.
My latest favorite way to enjoy charred corn is this easy summer side dish: Cherry Tomato Corn Salad. Not only is this grilled corn salad super simple to throw together for a backyard barbeque or weeknight meal, but it’s also really light and healthy. It’s also perfect for the kids that seem to think corn is the only acceptable vegetable to eat because the other ingredients are easy enough to pick around.
Jump to RecipeTruth be told, I could probably eat this avocado cherry tomato corn salad as a meal on its own. It’s a delicious summer side dish to go with grilled meats, but it also works great with just about any other main course that you’d enjoy in the summer. That’s another reason this summer corn salad recipe is one of my favorites – it’s so versatile!
Cherry Tomato and Corn Salad Ingredients
This super simple grilled corn salad only needs seven ingredients:
- 2 large ears of fresh corn
- 1 Tbsp unsalted butter
- 1 medium red onion, halved and cut into thick slices
- 1 lb of cherry or grape tomatoes, sliced in half
- 1 large avocado, chopped
- 1/4 cup fresh parsley, roughly chopped
- 3 Tbsp lime juice
You also might want a little salt and pepper, depending on your
If you don’t have fresh sweet corn, don’t fret. It’s not as good (in my opinion), but you can easily make this easy cherry tomato corn salad with frozen sweet corn. Just prepare it according to the package directions and then follow the recipe.
Cherry Tomato and Grilled Corn Salad Steps
The first step is to grill the corn. Brush the ears of corn (husks and silks already removed) with butter and then place the corn and onion on a pre-heated gas grill over medium direct heat.
Rotate the corn 1/4 of the way until all sides are cooked. Cook until the corn is slightly charred on all sides. Flip the red onion 1x while cooking the corn.
After the vegetables are removed from the grill, remove the corn from the cob with a sharp knife. My favorite way to get corn off the cob is with two bowls – a large mixing bowl and a smaller bowl. Flip the smaller bowl over so the bottom side is up and place it in the bigger mixing bowl. Place the corn on it and cut downward to “saw” the corn off the cob with a sharp knife.
Discard the corn cobs and remove the small bowl from the mixing bowl. Place the red onions in the bowl with the corn. Add in the tomatoes, avocado, parsley, and lime juice. Season with salt and pepper (if using), toss, and serve.
A grilled corn summer salad that pairs perfectly with meats and poultry.
- 2 Large Ears of Fresh Corn Husks and silk removed
- 1 Tbsp Unsalted Butter Melted
- 1 Medium Red Onion Halved and cut into thick slices
- 1 Pound Cherry or grape tomatoes Halved
- 1 Large Avocado Chopped
- 1/4 Cup Fresh Parsley Roughly chopped
- 3 Tbsp Lime Juice
- Salt and Pepper To taste
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Brush the corn with melted butter before placing the corn and red onion slices on a pre-heated gas grill over medium direct heat. (You can also do this indoors on a grill pan sprayed with non-stick cooking spray set over medium-high heat.)
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Cook the corn until kernels are slightly charred, rotating every couple of minutes until each side is done. While you're cooking the corn, flip the red onion once.
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Remove the onion and corn from the heat and slice the kernels from the cobs with a sharp knife. Add the corn and the onions in a large bowl.
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Add the tomatoes, avocado, fresh parsley, and lime juice to the bowl. Season with salt and black pepper, to taste, and toss gently to combine. Serve and enjoy.
If you don’t have fresh sweet corn, don’t fret. It’s not as good (in my opinion), but you can easily make this with frozen sweet corn. Just prepare it according to the package directions and then follow the recipe.
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If you’re looking for other salad recipes that you might like, here’s a few I’d recommend!
If you prefer Southwestern flavors, try the Southwestern Bean Salad or Southwestern Quinoa Salad. Prefer fruity? try this Tropical Gelatin Fruit Salad. And another light salad option is this Ramen Noodle Salad recipe.
And if you’re in need of other recipes to prepare on the grill, I’d recommend browsing these over 80 grilling recipes!