It’s true this is the quintessential summer salad. When fresh corn, tomatoes, and lettuce are plentiful and full of sunshiny good flavor and the cilantro is bursting out of the herb garden this salad just can’t be beat. But it turns out it’s a flexible little salad, and as the weather grows cold, it pairs wonderfully with a hearty bowl of beef or chicken chili. It has garlic, lime, chili powder and jalapeno for spice and tartness, plus salty Cotija cheese crumbs and creamy avocado chunks for more tastiness. Try adding some chili-lime powder from Trader Joe’s for an extra kick!

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Ingredients
- 4 ears fresh corn kernels cut from cobs
- 2 tbsp. olive oil
- salt and pepper
- 1/2 cup red onion diced fine
- 1 jalapeno pepper minced
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 6 oz Cotija cheese crumbled
- 4 cups romaine lettuce chopped
- 3 tbsp. lime juice
- 2 tsp. chili powder
- 2 avocados chopped
- 2 tbsp. cilantro chopped
Ingredients
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Instructions
- Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add corn, plus salt and pepper to taste. Cook, stirring occasionally until corn is brown and fragrant. You may even hear some popping!
- Remove from heat and cool.
- Combine all ingredients in a large bowl. Serve immediately.