This is the kind of salad that feels like summer on a plate: sweet corn with a little char, creamy avocado, crisp cucumber, and a lime dressing that’s punchy without being sharp. The finishing touch is Sticky Balsamic Lemon Pearls — they add little bursts of bright flavour and make the whole thing feel instantly “special” (without any extra effort).
Serves
4 as a side, or 2 as a main
Time
20 minutes (or 10 minutes if you’re using pre-cooked corn)
Ingredients (metric)
- 3 corn cobs (or 2 1/2 cups / 375 g corn kernels)
- 1 tbsp olive oil (for charring)
- 1 large avocado, diced
- 1 Lebanese cucumber (or 1/2 English cucumber), diced
- 1/4 small red onion, finely sliced
- 1/2 cup (15 g) coriander/cilantro leaves
- 2 tbsp pepitas (pumpkin seeds), toasted
- 2–3 tbsp Sticky Balsamic Lemon Pearls (to finish)
Dressing
- Zest of 1 lime
- 2 tbsp lime juice (about 1 lime)
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tsp honey or maple syrup (optional, to round it out)
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
- Black pepper, to taste
Optional add-ins
- 1 small jalapeño, thinly sliced (or a pinch of chilli flakes)
- 100 g feta, crumbled (or grilled halloumi on top)
- 1/2 cup (75 g) cherry tomatoes, halved
Method
- Char the corn. Brush corn with olive oil. Char on a BBQ grill, grill pan, or hot frying pan over high heat for 6–8 minutes, turning until you get dark golden spots. (If using kernels, dry-toast them in a hot pan with a little oil until lightly blistered.)
- Cut the kernels. When cool enough to handle, stand each cob upright and slice kernels off with a knife.
- Make the dressing. In a small bowl, whisk lime zest, lime juice, extra virgin olive oil, honey/maple (if using), salt, and pepper.
- Assemble the salad. In a serving bowl, combine charred corn, avocado, cucumber, red onion, coriander/cilantro, and any optional add-ins.
- Dress gently. Pour over dressing and toss carefully so the avocado stays chunky.
- Finish with crunch + pearls. Sprinkle over toasted pepitas, then spoon Sticky Balsamic Lemon Pearls across the top right before serving.
Serving ideas
- Serve alongside grilled chicken, prawns/shrimp, steak, or tacos.
- Turn it into a main: add black beans, shredded roast chicken, or grilled halloumi.
Notes
- Make-ahead tip: Char the corn and mix the dressing up to 24 hours ahead. Dice avocado and add pearls right before serving.
- Heat level: Jalapeño makes it pop — but it’s still delicious without.