Corn Salad Recipe

In a small jar or container with a tight-fitting lid, combine avocado oil or olive oil, lime juice, red wine vinegar, honey, Dijon mustard, salt, dried parsley, black pepper, cumin, garlic powder, and chili powder. Secure the lid and shake vigorously until well combined. Place in the refrigerator to chill while you prepare the rest of the salad ingredients.

Wash and dry all produce. Dice the bell peppers into small, uniform pieces, halve the cherry tomatoes, dice the English cucumber (peeling not necessary), finely dice the red onion, and roughly chop the fresh cilantro. For extra crispness, place the cut vegetables on paper towels to absorb excess moisture.

Fill a large pot with water and bring to a boil over high heat. Add about 2 tablespoons kosher salt once boiling to enhance sweetness. Carefully add the corn cobs and boil for exactly 4 minutes. The corn should remain tender-crisp and not mushy.

Immediately transfer the boiled corn to a colander and rinse under cold running water until completely cooled to stop the cooking process and maintain crispness. Pat dry with paper towels.

Stand each cooled corn cob upright on its flat end on a cutting board. Using a sharp knife, carefully slice downward along the sides to remove the kernels. Rotate the cob as you go until all kernels are removed, taking care to keep kernels intact and not cut too deeply into the cob.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the corn kernels, diced bell peppers, halved cherry tomatoes, diced cucumber, diced red onion, and chopped cilantro. Gently toss to distribute ingredients evenly throughout the salad.

Remove the dressing from the refrigerator and shake again if ingredients have separated. Pour dressing over the salad and toss gently but thoroughly to coat all ingredients. Add crumbled Cotija cheese and fold it in carefully to avoid breaking it up too much.

Serve immediately for the freshest texture or cover and refrigerate for up to 3 days. If preparing ahead, consider adding dressing and cheese just before serving to maintain optimal freshness and texture.