Vibrant colors, flavors, and textures are what this Mexican Corn and Avocado Salad with Chipotle Ranch is all about. Potluck, outdoor, and casual entertaining friendly, this salad is perfect for your next get-together.
We celebrated Cinco de Mayo a couple of weeks ago with some friends coming over for Happy Hour. Cooking for health-conscious friends is sometimes a challenge. I wanted to come up with some dishes that everyone could enjoy. So, I made some street shrimp tacos, black bean and butternut squash empañadas, and this salad.
You can never go wrong with a salad. Right? This salad has a combination of smoky, crunchy, sweet, spicy, citrusy, and creaminess all in one bowl! Corn brings the sweetness to this salad. If you have time, char some corn on the cob, cut off the kernels and add to this salad, instead of using canned corn. Unsalted pepitas and chopped red pepper bring in the crunch. The fresh citrus flavor is from the lime. The creaminess comes from the avocado and the cotija cheese, and the smoky, spicy flavor comes from the chipotle. If you're wondering where the cilantro is, you find it here. My husband really dislikes cilantro, and I can't put it anywhere near his plate! You can add some if you like though.
My friends were practically licking their plates, going back for seconds and thirds! Love that! When I make something that is that good I couldn't be happier. What also makes me happy is how easy this is to make. First of all, you don't have to measure anything. It's one of those "take one of this and one of that" kind of recipe. The less measuring, the fewer dishes I have to do. All you need is a cutting board, a sharp knife, and your taste buds to guide you.
I hope you enjoy this salad as much as my guests did. Until next time, friends! XO
Mexican Corn and Avocado Salad
with Chipotle Ranch
Serves 6
Ingredients
2 cans corn, no salt added, drained, or grill 4 or 5 ears fresh corn and cut off the cob
1 large red pepper, diced
1 medium red onion, diced
2 large avocados, flesh cubed
1/4 to a 1/3 cup unsalted, roasted pepitas (shelled pumpkin seeds)
Juice of 1 lime
Kosher salt to taste
1 5 oz container of baby arugula (3 cups)
Cotija cheese, crumbled for topping
Chopped cilantro as a garnish on top (optional)
For dressing : Use your favorite ranch dressing (I like Marie's, found in the refrigerated produce section). Finely chop 1/2 to 1 or 2 (depending how spicy you like) canned chipotle peppers in adobo sauce (reserve the rest for another use), or use ground chipotle to your taste, and add to the ranch dressing.
Method
Combine corn, red pepper, red onion, and avocado with lime juice, season with Kosher salt. Set aside.
Arrange the arugula on a serving platter. Pour corn and avocado mixture on the top of the arugula, spreading it out. Sprinkle pepitas, crumbled Cotija cheese, and cilantro, if using, on top. Serve with chipotle ranch on the side.