Fresh sweet corn and a little bounty of fresh produce like cherry tomatoes, avocados and hearts of palm blend together in this simple to make corn salad that is brightened by a refreshing and simple dressing of lime juice, zest and cilantro.
Perfect for a summer evening, potluck or barbecue -- I always know that summer has truly arrived when the sweet corn grower's truck starts showing up at the local market on a daily basis. Back in business for the season with the most amazingly sweet and plump corn -- so good it can be eaten fresh right off the cob. (This corn salad is likely not the only recipe that will showcase it this season!)
Maybe you are familiar with hearts of palm. If not, they come from Latin countries and are harvested from palm trees. I like their slightly sweet and nutty flavor and their unique texture, that can be described as creamy with a bit of bite. Hearts of palm can sometimes be controversial based on the manner in how they are harvested. Measures are being taken to make their cultivation more sustainable.
They are a natural fit to show up in this corn and tomato salad given their origins in Mexico and Latin cuisine.
Serve my Corn, Tomato, Avocado and Hearts of Palm Salad:
- In a taco topped with with grilled shrimp.
- As a bed for a flavorful marinated skirt steak
- Alongside your favorite bucket of fried chicken!
- You can even serve it for dipping with a bowl of tortilla chips.
Ingredients
Lime & Cilantro Dressing:
- fresh cilantro
- extra-virgin olive oil
- large lime
- garlic cloves
- salt
- hot pepper sauce
Corn, Tomato, Avocado and Hearts of Palm Salad
- fresh cooked corn*, kernels
- multi colored grape tomatoes
- avocados
- hearts of palm
- green onions
- shallot
- queso fresco cheese
See recipe card for quantities.
Jump to RecipeInstructions
Gather Lime and Cilantro Dressing ingredients.
Combine the dressing ingredients in a blender or food processor
Process until smooth and emulsified.
Prepare corn on the cob.
Combine the salad ingredients in a large bowl
Toss with the dressing. Let sit at least 15 or 30 minutes before serving, or cover and refrigerate for up to 4 hours. (See note below.)
Hint: Much of this can be prepared in advance. Make sure to let it marinate for about a half hour before serving or store in the refrigerator for four or five hours. You can also make it further in advance -- for the best results, just make sure to wait until serving to add the diced avocados.
Substitutions
- Corn - Seasonal fresh sweet corn is optimal, but in a pinch use frozen (12 oz. bag) or canned (2 15-oz cans).
- Tomatoes - When tomatoes are in season, use fresh. They don't have to be multi-colored cherry. Nor do they even need to be cherry tomatoes. Core whole tomatoes and cut into 1 inch pieces to make about 3 or 4 cups.
- Shallot - Substitute 2 to 3 tablespoons diced red onion.
- Cilantro - If guests or family members adverse to cilantro. (Which is a very real thing.) If you can find thai basil, substitute that. For a milder flavor, use Italian basil or parsley -- or a mix.
- Hearts of Palm - They play into the Caribbean/Latin bent of this recipe; if you find yourself challenged to find them, artichoke hearts have a similar flavor profile. Simple drain a can and coarsely chop them.
- Queso Fresco - Instead consider Cotija or Feta cheese. Queso Fresco is more mild than Cotija or Feta, which are sharper
- Vegetarian/Vegen - It's vegetarian the way it is, but leave out the Queso Fresco and this is a perfect option for vegans.
Equipment
- stock pot or large pot for preparing the corn
- blender or food processor
- zester for the lime
Storage
This is best served about five hours after preparing. It can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days, but consider holding out the avocado and wait to add it until you are ready to serve it.
🍽️ Recipe
Corn, Tomato, Avocado and Hearts of Palm Salad
Equipment
- large pot for preparing corn
- blender or food processor
Ingredients
Dressing:
- 1 cup packed fresh cilantro plus more for garnish
- ⅓ cup good-quality extra-virgin olive oil
- juice and zest from one large lime
- 1-2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 5 dashes of hot pepper sauce or to taste
Salad:
- 4 ears fresh corn cooked* kernels removed (about 3 cups)
- 1 pound mixed color grape tomatoes halved (about 4 cups)
- 2 medium avocados diced
- 1 12 to 15 ounce jar hearts of palm sliced in ⅛” discs
- 3 green onions white and light green part, sliced.
- 1 medium shallot minced
- 4 ounces queso fresco cheese crumbled
Instructions
- Combine the dressing ingredients in a blender or food processor Process until smooth and emulsified.
- Combine the salad ingredients in a large bowl and toss with the dressing. Let sit at least 15 minutes before serving, or cover and refrigerate for up to 4 hours.
- To serve: Fold queso fresco into the salad, reserving crumbles for garnish. Garnish with 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro.
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