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Wooden spoon in a white bowl of corn salad next to a yellow checkered napkin
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5 from 4 votes

Grilled Corn Salad

Grilled corn, bacon, peppers, black beans, queso fresco, and cilantro tossed in a creamy, yet perfectly spicy dressing!
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time15 minutes
Resting Time For Peppers5 minutes
Total Time30 minutes
Course: Salad, Side Dish
Cuisine: Southwest
Keyword: Corn Salad, Grilled Corn Salad, Summer Salad
Servings: 6
Calories: 266kcal
Author: Niki Medlin

Ingredients

  • 4 strips of bacon
  • 1 tbsp oil
  • 4 ears of corn
  • 1 poblano pepper
  • 1 red pepper
  • 1 jalapeno
  • 1 15 ounce can black beans
  • 3/4 cup queso fresco
  • 1/4 cup cilantro chopped
  • 2 tbsp sour cream
  • 1/4 cup mayonnaise
  • 1/2 tsp chipotle powder
  • 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
  • 1 lime
  • 1 tsp salt

Instructions

  • Heat the grill to 350-400 degrees
  • While the grill heats up, fry the bacon, then cut into small pieces
  • Remove the husks and silk from the corn
  • Brush the corn, poblano pepper, and red pepper with oil
  • Put the corn, poblano pepper, and red pepper on the grill and cook until charred but not burnt (10-15 minutes), turning every 2-3 minutes 
  • While the corn is cooking, mince the jalapeno pepper
  • Drain the black beans
  • Crumble the queso fresco
  • Chop the cilantro
  • In a medium size bowl, mix together the sour cream, mayonnaise, chipotle powder, smoked paprika, the zest and juice of the lime, and the salt to make the dressing
  • When the peppers are charred, put them in a small paper bag and fold it closed to steam the peppers so that the skin will come off easily
  • Remove the charred kernels from the cob
  • After the peppers have steamed for about 5 minutes, remove the skin with your fingers or a small knife
  • Seed and dice the peppers
  • In a large bowl, mix together the bacon, corn, peppers, beans, 1/2 cup of the cheese, and most of the cilantro, saving some for garnish
  • Add the dressing and toss together until the salad is thoroughly mixed
  • Garnish with the remaining cheese and cilantro

Notes

  • The most fresh corn will have some weight to it, will have tight green husks, and the silk will look fresh rather than dried out
  • Place a small bowl upside down in a larger bowl, stand the corn upright, and cut off the kernels so that they will fall into the bowl
  • If you don't like spicy food, omit the jalapeno and the chipotle powder

Nutrition

Calories: 266kcal | Carbohydrates: 16g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 21g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Cholesterol: 26mg | Sodium: 676mg | Potassium: 299mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 1156IU | Vitamin C: 52mg | Calcium: 96mg | Iron: 1mg