Tomato Corn Salad with Basil Vinaigrette

5 from 2 votes

This Tomato Corn Salad is fresh and flavorful! It's made with sweet corn, grape tomatoes, avocado, and peppers tossed in a basil vinaigrette.

Prep Time10

Cook Time20

Total Time30

Course: Salad

Cuisine: Italian

Diet: Gluten Free, Low Lactose, Vegan, Vegetarian

Keyword: corn tomato salad, tomato corn avocado salad, tomato corn salad basil

Servings:

Calories: 106kcal

Start by bringing a large pot of water to a boil.
Remove and discard the corn husks and silk from 3-4 large ears of sweet corn. Cut both the top and bottom portion of the cob off with a knife and discard (this helps to allow the cobs to fit nicely into the cooking pot and provides a flat surface with which to cut the kernels from the cob with a knife).
Once the water is boiling, carefully use tongs to place the cobs of corn into the pot and make sure that they are evenly submerged in the water.
Cook for 5-6 minutes.
After cooking, remove the cobs of corn from the pot with the tongs and place into a strainer to drain. Allow the corn to cool before cutting the kernels from the cob with a knife.
Once the corn cobs are cool to the touch, place the bottom end of each cob onto a flat surface and slice the kernels off with a knife. Set the corn kernels aside (yields 3 cups of sweet corn kernels).

Peel 2 cloves of garlic. Once peeled, roughly chop the garlic into chunks.
Peel 1 small shallot and cut into chunks.
Roughly chop 1 cup of fresh basil leaves.
Place the basil, garlic, and shallots into a small food processor along 1 Tbsp. of white wine vinegar (or red wine vinegar), ½ tsp. Dijon mustard, 1 tsp. maple syrup (or honey), ½ tsp. of kosher salt and ⅛ tsp. of pepper.
Pulse all of these ingredients until chopped.
Slowly pour ¼ cup of extra virgin olive oil into the basin on top of the food processor while pureeing at the same time. Continue for 1-2 minutes, or until the vinaigrette has emulsified and is smooth and easily pourable.

Dice 10 oz. (equals 1 dry pint) of grape or cherry tomatoes into halves or quarters, depending on your preference.
Dice 1 red, yellow, or orange bell pepper, discarding the seeds and membranes.
Cut 1 ripe avocado in half and remove and discard the pit. Score the avocado with a knife.
Place the 3 cups of cooked sweet corn kernels into a large mixing bowl. Add the diced tomatoes and bell peppers to the bowl. Spoon the scored avocado into the bowl as well.
Slowly drizzle the basil vinaigrette over the salad and carefully combine with a large spoon. Continue with the remainder of the dressing, carefully stirring until all of the ingredients are completely combined.
Sprinkle ¼ tsp. of kosher salt and ⅛ tsp. of pepper over the salad and stir until combined.
To Serve: Serve with tortilla chips for dipping or crostini or toasted bread. Alternately, serve as a salad or side dish with roasted or grilled meats.

Frozen corn may be used in place of fresh corn, but the flavor will likely not be as robust.