Grilled corn and charred poblano pepper give this summer salad a delicious smoky flavor. With fresh, juicy tomatoes, creamy avocado, cilantro, and a simple lime dressing, this salad is delicious with all of your favorite grilled dishes. (gluten-free, vegetarian)

grilled poblano corn salad in a grey bowl with a wooden spoon next to it.

Every year, when the first sweet, juicy ears of summer corn appear at the market, I make a grilled corn salad. More specifically, this grilled poblano corn salad. And I always forget just how darn good it is after months of having no fresh corn. I just can't get enough all summer long!

Why You'll Love This Corn Salad

There is something so delicious and so perfectly summery about grilled corn. And when you add grilled poblano pepper to the mix, something magical happens. Sweet, smoky and spicy magic. Adding creamy avocado, juicy summer tomatoes, fresh cilantro and a delicious lime dressing, this salad has a delicious contrast of warm and cool, crunchy and creamy, spicy and sweet. Trust me when I say that you NEED to make this as a side dish for all of your summer meals.

How To Make Grilled Poblano Corn Salad

six image collage chowing steps for making grilled poblano corn salad.

Remove the husks and silk from the ears of corn.
Grill corn and poblano over medium high heat, turning every few minutes, until the outsides are nice a charred.
Let the corn and pepper cool while you whisk the lime juice, olive oil, vinegar, salt, pepper and paprika. Chop cilantro and green onion, half the cherry tomatoes and diced the avocado.
Cut the kernels from the corn into a large bowl. Dice the poblano, discarding the seeds and stem.
Mix all of the ingredients to the bowl with the corn and gently stir to coat. Enjoy!

closeup of grilled poblano corn salad in a grey bowl.

Tips and Tricks

Poblanos are also called pasilla peppers and can be found near the jalapeño peppers in the produce section. When dried, the are called ancho peppers. If you can't find poblanos, you can use 2-3 jalapeño peppers.
When buying corn, look for ears that have fresh silks (the stringy part sticking out of the top). You want them to still look golden and damp, not black and dried out. This signals a fresher ear of corn.
If you don't have apple cider vinegar, you can also use red wine vinegar, white wine vinegar, or double up on lime juice.

Can This Salad Be Made In Advance?

Yes! This corn salad is delicious served hot or cold. You can make it up to 2 days in advance. Just leave the avocado out until just before serving so that it doesn't get brown.

overhead view of grilled corn and poblano salad in a bowl garnished with cilantro and lime wedges with a wooden spoon and white napkin next to it.

More Delicious Summer Salads You'll Love

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Smoky Grilled Poblano Corn Salad

overhead view of grilled corn and poblano salad garnished with cilantro and lime wedges.

Author: Kaleigh
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 25 minutes
Yield: about 6 cups 1x
Category: side dish
Method: grilled
Cuisine: American

Ingredients

Scale

4 ears of corn, shucked
1 poblano pepper
1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
1 medium avocado, diced
¼ cup cilantro leaves, chopped
2 green onions, chopped
¼ cup crumbled cotija or feta cheese
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
Juice of 1 lime
¼ tsp sea salt
¼ tsp freshly cracked black pepper
Pinch paprika

Instructions

Preheat grill to medium high heat. Place corn and poblano directly on the grill and cook, turning occasionally, until the pepper and corn are charred on the outside. Remove and let cool before handling.
Use a sharp knife to slice kernels off the corn cobs.
Dice the poblano, discarding stem and seeds.
In a large bowl, combine corn, poblano, tomatoes, avocado, cilantro, onions, and cheese.
Whisk together olive oil, lime juice, apple cider vinegar, salt, pepper, and paprika. Pour over salad and gently stir to combine.

Notes

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
If making ahead, dice add the avocado just before serving.
If you don't have a grill, you can char the corn and poblano in the oven under the broiler. Watch carefully and rotate corn and pepper every few minutes.

Keywords: grilled poblano corn salad, grilled corn salad with avocado, charred corn and poblano salad

This post was originally published July 2016 and has been updated.