My warm corn and red bell pepper salad is a super simple side dish that is great served with other Tex-Mex menu items like my Spice Crusted Top Sirloin. It is great warm or at room temperature and all the ingredients can already be in a bowl with a lid waiting for the grilled veggies making this a great prep-ahead side dish for BBQs and get-togethers. If you haven’t cut corn kernels off the cob, you should note that they can “fly everywhere”. A little tip is to have a clean dishtowel under the corncob when you are cutting off the kernels. This will actually catch the kernels so you can just pick up the corners of the towel and dump your corn in the bowl. If you like heat, adding a chopped grilled jalapeno would be perfect in this dish. You decide. Another tip: I love chives and use them in a lot of my dishes. Rather than chopping with a knife, I just snip them with kitchen scissors right into or onto my dishes. Faster and easier than chopping with a knife.
To get started heat your outdoor grill or your grill pan. Heat to medium-high heat. Spray the pan with cooking spray or oil your outdoor grill’s grates. Cook the ears of corn and he bell pepper turning every few minutes until charred on all sides. This will take 8-12 minutes.
When the vegetables are cooked and cooled enough to handle, cut the corn off of the cobs over a clean kitchen towel. Pour into a bowl. Remove the stem, membrane and seeds from the pepper, then chop into small dice and add to the bowl with the corn.
In a separate bowl, mix all the remaining ingredients. This is your dressing for the salad. Using a grater, zest in the lime, then juice the lime.
Add the cooked veggies to the dressing with the cheese, etc. Mix everything together and taste. Now is the time to adjust the seasoning. Add more salt or pepper if needed. Feel free to add more lime juice and/or zest to your liking. Sprinkle with extra chives. Serve the salad warm or at room temperature with wedges of lime. Enjoy.
If you like this side dish as much as I do, be sure to try some of my other favorites:
Elote Corn Ribs Recipe (Riblets)
Spicy Pineapple and Basil Coleslaw
Fig, Almond & Mint Quinoa Salad with Lemon Honey Vinaigrette
Warm Corn & Red Bell Pepper Salad
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Ingredients
- 4 Ears of fresh Corn, shucked and corn silk removed
- 1 Red Bell pepper
- 2 Tbsp. Butter
- 2 Tbsp. Mayonnaise
- 1/3 Cup Cojita cheese, crumbled
- ½ Tsp. Smoked paprika
- 1 Garlic clove, finely minced
- 2 Tbsp. Chopped chives
- 1 – 2 Limes, juiced and zested
- Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
Instructions
- Heat your grill or grill pan to medium high heat. Spray the grill or pan with cooking spray or rub a paper towel with oil and rub on grates before cooking. Cook the ears of corn and the bell pepper right on the grill/pan. Turn every few minutes until lightly browned or charred on all sides. (About 8-12 minutes.)
- Meanwhile, in a bowl and all the remaining ingredients and put to the side.
- When the vegetables are cool enough to handle, cut the kernels off the ears of corn and add to the bowl. Remove the stem, membrane and seeds from the pepper and cut into diced pieces about the same size as the corn kernels. Add to the bowl.
- Mix everything together and taste. Add more lime juice and/or zest to your liking. Taste again. Add more salt and pepper if needed and sprinkle with additional chopped chives. Serve with lime wedges as a side dish with your favorite meal and enjoy.
