Bacon, Corn and Avocado Salad

Combine three delicious things – crispy bacon, tender sweet corn, and savory avocado – and you have a fresh and totally addictive salad. Bacon, Corn, and Avocado Salad is great on its own (add some chopped chicken for something more substantial) or served as a side dish. 

I hope you had a relaxing long weekend. On Friday we went up to Weston, Missouri (about an hour north of Kansas City) for a walk along the river and picnic outside of the amazing Green Dirt Farm Creamery. It ended up being sort of rainy and gray, but was still so much fun, and made the weekend feel a little extra special. We also ate as many of our meals outside as possible. I’m hoping the steamy summer weather holds off long enough for us to continue that for a few more weeks. 

I spent most of last week going through piles and piles of old cooking magazines with dog-eared pages looking for summer inspiration. I made a special pile with grilling recipes that I can’t wait to put to the test. It looks pretty certain that our summer dinner formula will be grilled meat + pasta / grain salad + fruit + green salad.

This Bacon, Corn, and Avocado Salad will fill that green salad slot many times in the coming weeks. It takes a few minutes at the stove to prepare the bacon and corn, but it pays off with a salad that is unique and packed with flavor and texture.

Ingredients for Bacon, Corn, and Avocado Salad

• Bacon – Chop the bacon so that it cooks evenly. Cook it until deep brown and very crisp. You’ll saute the corn in a bit of this bacon grease which will give the salad tons of flavor. 
• Corn – Fresh corn, sliced off the cobs is the best here – it has the most flavor, especially when corn is in season in late summer. Frozen corn works great too though. (Defrost it before making the recipe as written.)
• Avocado – Look for a ripe avocado with a bit of give when you squeeze it.
• Green Onions – Chopped green onions give the salad a bit of tangy herbal flavor. If you don’t have green onions, chopped cilantro or even fresh basil would be great. 
• Salad Greens – I’m partial to a sweet, buttery lettuce like butter lettuce or Boston Bibb in this salad. Chopped romaine hearts or baby spinach both work really well too.
• Salad Dressing – I left this open so that you can use a favorite dressing or vinaigrette if you prefer, but hop on over and grab the recipe for Cilantro Lime Vinaigrette for a vinaigrette that goes really well here.

Possible Variations

• Add Chicken – Add some chopped chicken (rotisserie chicken is great) and this easily becomes filling enough for lunch or dinner. 
• Add Vegetables – Want to load this up with more fresh veggies? Chopped bell peppers, carrots, or cucumbers would all be great. 
• Change up Vinaigrette / Dressing – Try this salad with your favorite vinaigrette and salad dressing. It’s good with everything from balsamic vinaigrette to creamy ranch. I love it with Cilantro Lime Vinaigrette which gives it even more fresh flavor. 

More Fresh Summer Salads

• BBQ Chicken Salad – Crisp, fresh, and colorful, BBQ Chicken Salad is no ordinary salad. This dish has layers of flavor – sweet and tangy BBQ chicken, crunchy tortilla strips, and crisp vegetables, all tossed in creamy Greek yogurt ranch dressing.
• Spring Cobb Salad with Creamy Herb Yogurt Dressing – With a light, creamy herb yogurt dressing, spring vegetables and bacon (of course!), this Spring Cobb Salad is a fresh twist on the classic.
• Kale Salad with Chicken, Croutons and Soft Boiled Eggs – This salad is packed with protein, light enough for lunch and filling enough for dinner. And full of so much flavor you’ll want it for both!
• Slow Cooker Carnitas Taco Salad – Carnitas Taco Salad is a Monday-friendly solution to a Saturday-worthy taco craving. Pack the salads with any vegetables you like and finish them with crispy slow cooker carnitas pork and crumbled tortilla chips.

Favorite Tools

• Cast Iron Skillet – If you have a cast iron skillet, it’s great for cooking the bacon evenly until crisp. Any other type of skillet or saute pan would work too.

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