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Why I Love This Sweet Corn Salad
In today’s food world, salads are becoming the main meal. But for me, while growing up, a salad often meant a boring side dish. I was lucky enough to have salads with homegrown lettuce, but we usually focused our attention on putting together a meal that consisted of meat and another side. The salad was nothing special, almost an afterthought.
Today, we have so many options. Meals are transitioning from meat and two sides to various bowl meals consisting of vegetables, protein, and add-ins. This is where salads can really begin to shine. The options are endless, but you need to start with good-quality lettuce.
I serve all my salads on large platters. The lettuce serves as a base, and the rest of the ingredients are layered on top as a garnish. It’s a great way to present a salad and allows everyone an equal opportunity at the toppings of their choice!
What is Chorizo?
Chorizo is an intensely seasoned pork sausage. Traditional Spanish chorizo is often cured or fully cooked. The cured chorizo is perfect for a charcuterie board, but not the best texture for a salad.
In this recipe, I used uncooked or raw chorizo and cooked it just as would be done with any other ground meat. The spices can vary depending on the butcher who made the chorizo. Make sure to buy from a quality source and stay away from what can be found in a plastic tube.
Why Does This Salad Work?
For a salad to function as a meal, it needs varying components. Oftentimes, I’ll opt for a meatless salad, substituting the traditional protein for beans or quinoa. But in this recipe, the chorizo felt appropriate and really helps to bring the salad to life.
For some sweetness and starch, I added sautéed sweet corn. In the summer, there’s nothing like fresh sweet corn, cooked just enough to bring out the sweetness and corresponding bright yellow color.
A salad needs to be balanced with good fat. For the dressing, I added Greek yogurt and avocado. The fats in both the yogurt and avocado add richness to the salad, which makes for a filling meal.
More Salad Recipes
- Grilled sweet corn salad
- Tex-Mex coleslaw
- Butternut squash salad with apple cider vinegar dressing
- Spicy pear kale salad
Watch How to Make This Salad
Have I Convinced You to Make This Recipe?
I hope you make this recipe and put some food on your table. Leave a comment and share a star rating so you can let others know how much you love this recipe. This helps show others that this is a recipe they, too, can make, enjoy, and love!
Chorizo & Sweet Corn Salad
Ingredients
- ½ cup diced onion
- ½ tsp kosher salt
- 4 ears sweet corn
- 1 lb chorizo
- 2 medium head lettuce (Buttercrunch, Romaine)
- ½ cup Cotija cheese
- avocado for serving
For the avocado dressing
- ½ whole avocado
- ⅓ cup plain Greek yogurt
- 1 tbsp pickled jalapeño juice
- 2 tbsp fresh lime juice
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp Mexican oregano
- ¼ cup neutral oil (avocado, grapeseed, safflower)
Instructions
For the salad
- With a sharp knife, cut the sweet corn off of the cob and set it aside.4 ears sweet corn
- In a large skillet, heat 1 tbsp oil over medium heat. Add onion and salt. Sauté until the onion is just soft, 3-5 minutes.½ cup diced onion, ½ tsp kosher salt
- Add the sweet corn to the onion and sauté until the corn turns bright yellow and is just cooked, 3-4 minutes. Remove from the heat and pour into a bowl and set aside.
- In the same skillet, cook the chorizo over medium heat. While cooking, break up with a spoon or spatula to make small, bite-sized pieces of chorizo. Continue to cook until browned and cooked through, 7-10 minutes. Remove from the heat and set it aside.1 lb chorizo
- To make the salad, spread chopped or large pieces of lettuce on a platter. Add some dressing (instructions below) and toss. Layer prepared chorizo and corn. Top with more dressing to taste, Cotija cheese, and sliced avocado. Serve immediately.2 medium head lettuce (Buttercrunch, Romaine), ½ cup Cotija cheese, avocado
For the avocado dressing
- In a large measuring cup or blender, combine the avocado, yogurt, pickled jalapeño juice, lime juice, smoked paprika, Mexican oregano, and oil. Blend until smooth, 1-2 minutes. The dressing can be made ahead of time and stored in the refrigerator for up to one week.½ whole avocado, ⅓ cup plain Greek yogurt, 1 tbsp pickled jalapeño juice, 1 tsp smoked paprika, 1 tsp Mexican oregano, ¼ cup neutral oil (avocado, grapeseed, safflower), 2 tbsp fresh lime juice
Video
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Did you make this? Leave a comment below!
Do I use plain or vanilla yogurt for the dressing?
Plain. This was the BOMB!! I absolutely loved it! I added some grape tomatoes to the corn mixture just to use them before our vacation and it was a good addition.
Plain.
Best salad ever!!! I felt like I was at a restaurant. It was sooooo good! Thanks so much for sharing. ❤️❤️❤️❤️
Such a complement, thank you!
I made this twice and it’s fabulous!! Flavorful and filling and so easy to make.