Tomato, Mozzarella and Grilled Corn Salad

Name: Tomato, Mozzarella and Grilled Corn Salad
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 35 min
Yield: 8
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1 1/2 cups packed fresh cilantro; 1/2 cup olive oil; 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice; Kosher salt; 5 teaspoons olive oil; 5 large ears of corn, silks and husks removed; 1 1/2 pounds of grape or cherry tomatoes, halved or quartered (depending on size); 1 pound fresh mozzarella, diced; 2 large avocados, diced

by Anna | Jul 6, 2016 | All, Side Dishes

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Roasted summer sweet corn and ripe, juicy tomatoes join forces with fresh mozzarella and creamy avocado to make this Tomato, Mozzarella and Grilled Corn Salad one of my all-time favorite BBQ side dishes.

Now that the warm weather has officially arrived, my thoughts immediately turn to easy meals, mainly comprised of grilled foods and salads. (No turning on the oven if it’s not necessary!)

But not every salad has to be a traditional greens and dressing option. Take this Tomato, Mozzarella and Grilled Corn Salad recipe, for example.

This grilled corn salad recipe is hands down one of my favorite summer side dishes. Perfect for anything of the BBQ – and not a leafy green in sight.

What’s in this grilled corn salad recipe?

Love summer flavors? You’re going to adore this easy corn salad.

One of my favorite things about this BBQ side dish is you can grab many of the ingredients on a run to the farmer’s market: juicy summer tomatoes, fresh corn on the cob and fistfuls of fragrant cilantro. If you’re lucky enough, you can even grab the fresh mozzarella cheese and avocados there, too.

After roasting the corn on the cob on the grill, the corn, tomatoes, mozzarella and avocados are stirred together with a 4-ingredient, tangy cilantro lime dressing.

Yes, you need to like cilantro to enjoy this summer salad, but don’t be put off by the amount of cilantro in this recipe. A quick spin in the blender with lime juice, olive oil and a generous sprinkling of salt ensures the flavor is lively but still well-balanced.

Plus that vibrant green color is a real showstopper on the buffet table.

Silver bowl filled with Tomato, Mozzarella and Grilled Corn Salad with a cilantro lime dressing.

How do you grill corn?

Opinions abound for the best way to cook corn on the cob on the grill. Do you leave the husks on or off? Remove the silks or leave in place? Steam first and finish on the grill?

I personally love the bit of smoky char that corn on the cob gets when directly placed on the grill grates, so I almost always opt to remove the husks and silks from the cobs, rub them with olive oil and then pop them right on a grill that has been preheated to medium high heat.

Keep an eye on your corn when using this method. Cooking time can vary depending on the size of your corn and if you’re cooking anything else on the grill at the same time. Turn the cobs frequently so the kernels are evenly roasted.

Tip: No time to roast corn on the grill? Try this “grilled” corn hack. Simply add defrosted corn to a skillet with a little bit of oil. Cook until the corn kernels are roasted, stirring frequently.

Tomato, Mozzarella and Grilled Corn Salad on gray serving plate with cilantro dressing on the side.

Easy way to cut corn off the cob

Cutting corn off the cob can be a messy affair. The corn kernels fly everywhere and you end up spending a bunch of time trying to corral all the bits of corn.

My favorite method for taking corn off the cob couldn’t be simpler:

Grab two bowls; one larger and shallow than deep and another smaller bowl about the size of a ramekin.
Turn the ramekin upside down and place it in the center of the larger bowl.
Set one end of your ear of corn on the ramekin (the flattest side is preferable).
Use a sharp knife to cut down along entire length of the cob. Rotate the cob and continue cutting until all the corn kernels have been removed.
The kernels will (mostly) gather in the bowl rather than fly all over the countertop.

Can I make this grilled corn salad ahead of time?

This Tomato, Mozzarella and Grilled Corn Salad is one of my favorite BBQ side dishes. It never fails to make an appearance at our dinner table at least a few times a month during the warmer months, especially when summer produce is at its peak.

To save time the day of your meal or party, you can prep the cilantro lime dressing a few days in advance. Simply blend the dressing ingredients together and store in an airtight container until you are ready to assemble the salad.
You can also grill the corn earlier in the week and save the kernels for the salad. You can even chop the mozzarella ahead of time, too. But hold off on the tomatoes and avocado. The flavor and texture of both are best when freshly cut.
Stir together all the salad ingredients up to one hour before guests arrive. I prefer to serve this salad at room temperature, but you can also serve it chilled if you like.

However you serve it, this Tomato, Mozzarella and Grilled Corn Salad is certain to become one of your go-to BBQ side dishes, too. It never fails to please a crowd!

More Grilled Corn recipes:

Mexican Grilled Corn

Arugula, Goat Cheese & Corn Salad

Other Summer Sweet Corn recipes:

Copycat Chipotle Corn Salsa

Sweet Corn Soup Recipe with Crispy Pancetta

9 Summer Sweet Corn Recipes

Corn and Mushroom Tacos with Avocado Crema

Quinoa Salad with Corn, Tomato and Cotija Cheese

See all of our side dishes HERE!

Yield: Serves 8