Corn and Avocado Salsa

This vibrant and refreshing salsa is a blend of corn, avocado, red pepper, onion, jalapeno, and cilantro, tossed in a perfectly spiced lime dressing. Flavor-packed and ready in 15 minutes.

If you’re looking for appetizers to serve at your “Big Game” party this Sunday, I’ve got a good one – Corn and Avocado Salsa. Bright, fresh, and slightly spicy, this salsa is a definite crowd pleaser.

While salsa recipes can contain a wide variety of ingredients, there’s a pretty simple and basic formula to making this delicious dip. Most salsas consist of some type of produce (tomatoes, tomatillos, pineapple, mangos, peaches, jicama, cucumbers, corn, avocados), peppers, both hot and sweet (Anaheim, jalapeno, poblano, serrano, habanero, bell peppers), aromatics (onion, garlic, shallots), acidic ingredients (lime juice, lemon juice, vinegar), and herbs, spices and seasonings (cilantro, parsley, basil, coriander, cumin, chili powder, salt, and black pepper).

Let’s look at the components of today’s salsa recipe and how each ingredient contributes to the taste and texture of this delicious dip.

Corn – Since garden-fresh tomatoes aren’t readily available this time of year, a frozen vegetable like corn provides a nice alternative. It’s easy to thaw and works really well in salsa recipes. I find the taste and texture of frozen corn superior to canned corn. The sodium content of frozen corn is an added bonus, providing zero milligrams.

Avocado – This in-season fruit adds a wonderful, creamy texture to this salsa. Because you want the diced avocado in this recipe to hold its shape, avoid buying, mushy, overly ripe avocados. For help on how to pick the perfect avocado, check out my recipe post for Guacamole.

Red bell pepper and jalapeno pepper – Bell peppers bring the sweet and hot peppers bring the heat. Red bell peppers add crunch and color. You can substitute orange or yellow bell peppers if you like. Jalapeno peppers supply a little heat. If you’re looking for more heat, add the seeds from the jalapeno or use a serrano pepper instead.

Red onion and garlic – Onion and garlic are often referred to as aromatics. They add flavor and aroma, along with a subtle bite when used raw in recipes like salsa.

Fresh lime juice and red wine vinegar – An absolute must in any salsa recipe, acidic ingredients like lime juice, lemon juice, and vinegar enhance and brighten the flavors of all the ingredients. For best results, use fresh-squeezed lime or lemon juice, not the bottled stuff. I also find using both lime juice and vinegar provides a greater depth of flavor. Red wine vinegar or white distilled vinegar seem to work best in salsa recipes.

Olive oil – While it’s not necessary to add oil to salsa recipes, I find it helps to smooth out and tone down the bite of the lime juice and vinegar, creating a more balanced flavor.

Fresh cilantro – An essential herb in salsas that adds bold, fresh flavor and brilliant green flecks of color. If you’re not a cilantro fan, use Italian, flat-leaf parsley instead.

Ground cumin and chili powder – I like adding both of these spices to salsa recipes. Cumin provides a warm, earthy, and slightly sweet flavor. Chili powder is actually a blend of herbs and spices, including chili peppers, cumin, oregano, and garlic. Its flavor profile is similar to cumin, but with a little heat.

This salsa is best served shortly after it’s made, as the diced avocado will brown over time. When assembling this recipe, dice the avocado last so it has the least amount of air-exposure time. Immediately add the lime dressing to the diced ingredients. The citric acid in the lime juice helps to slow the browning process of the avocado. If you have to store this dip longer, place plastic wrap directly on the surface of the salsa. Seal the container with an air-tight lid and refrigerate.

As for what to serve this salsa with, tortilla chips are an obvious choice. If you’re looking for more creative ways to showcase this salsa, try it as a topping for tacos, fajitas, or burrito bowls. Use it as a condiment on black bean burgers, or a garnish on chili or chicken tortilla soup. It could also be served over fish, chicken or cilantro-lime rice. The possibilities are endless.

To your health,

Darlene

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CORN and AVOCADO SALSA

Yield: 14 servings

Serving Size: 1/4 cup salsa

Prep: 10 minutes

Ready: 15 minutes

INGREDIENTS

• 2 tablespoons olive oil

• 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice

• 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

• 1 clove garlic, minced

• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

• 1/2 teaspoon chili powder

• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

• 2 cups frozen corn, thawed

• 1/2 cup diced red bell pepper

• 1/3 cup diced red onion

• 1/4 cup finely chopped fresh cilantro

• 2 tablespoons finely chopped jalapeno pepper (remove seeds for less heat)

• 1 medium to large avocado, peeled, pitted and diced (about 1 1/4 cups diced avocado)

DIRECTIONS

1. In a jar with a tight-fitting lid, place oil, lime juice, vinegar, garlic, cumin, chili powder, salt, and black pepper. Shake to combine and set aside.

2. In a bowl, place corn, red pepper, onion, cilantro, jalapeno pepper, and avocado. Pour dressing mixture over corn mixture, gently stir to combine, and serve.

Nutrition Information per Serving

62 Calories, 4 g Total fat, 1 g Saturated fat, 0 g Trans fat, 0 mg Cholesterol, 69 mg Sodium, 6 g Total carbohydrate, 2 g Dietary fiber, 2 g Total sugars, 0 g Added sugars, 1 g Protein, 0 mcg (0%) Vitamin D, 3 mg (0%) Calcium, 0 mg (0%) Iron, 69 mg (2%) Potassium

Adapted from Allrecipes.com and tested by Darlene Zimmerman, MS, RD

© 2023 RECIPES MADE HEALTHY BY DARLENE ZIMMERMAN, MS, RD LLC

Corn and Avocado Salsa

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