Charred Poblano Corn Salad with Creamy Cilantro Dressing

Tender charred poblano peppers and sweet corn are tossed with a flavorful creamy cilantro dressing in this colorful poblano corn salad.

There’s something about a salad with lots of grilled components that always absolutely kills the side dish game.

In fact, forget side dishes, I’m about ready to make this charred poblano salad the whole dang event.

I’m starting to shift into Cinco de Mayo mode over here and this salad ticks every single box for that. It’s packed with just the right amount of heat, lots of fresh ingredients, and automatically elevates any meal.

This salad is a cinch to prepare and we love it dearly for that. You can grill the poblanos and corn alongside meat if you’re serving this salad with a protein and it comes together in only minutes after that.

Don’t be surprised if you find yourself eating it straight from the bowl after assembly. It seriously is that good.

This Corn Salad features…

• Smoky charred poblano peppers and sweet corn
• Silky avocado and sweet cherry tomatoes
• A creamy, flavorful cilantro dressing

Making the Corn Salad

(scroll down to the bottom of the post for the full recipe)

Ingredients You Will Need

• Poblano peppers
• Sweet corn
• Vegetable oil
• Cherry tomatoes
• Avocados
• Cotija cheese
• Cilantro
• Jalapeno
• Garlic
• Greek yogurt
• Lime juice

Stovetop Instructions

Don’t have a grill? You can still make this recipe! Follow these instructions for cooking the poblano and corn on the stovetop.

Heat 1 tablespoon vegetable oil over medium-high heat in a large cast iron skillet (or brush over a large cast iron grill pan) Working in batches, once pan is hot, add peppers and corn and pan sear several minutes until corn and peppers are slightly charred.

Tips for Perfect Corn Salad

1. Grill corn and poblano until charred – this will only take a few minutes over medium-high heat. Turn the corn cobs and peppers occasionally until corn is bright yellow and peppers are charred.
2. Remove skin from poblanos – the skin should peel off easily otherwise use a paper towel to rub them off.
3. Use a food processor or blender for dressing – we prefer a food processor as we find the wide surface area breaks down the dressing easier, but a blender will also work.
4. Serve salad immediately after dressing – this keeps all the ingredients fresh.

Recipe Variations

Try these ideas for a different twist on this salad.

• Use a different pepper – try anaheim, shishito, or sweet peppers in place of the poblanos.
• Try a different cheese – try using feta or goat cheese in place of the cotija.
• Add more vegetables – add diced cucumbers, baby spinach, red onion, or zucchini.
• Adjust heat level – skip the jalapeno in the dressing for a more mild salad.

Make Ahead Instructions

Follow these instructions for time-saving make ahead tips.

• Grill poblanos and corn – grill, chop, and store poblanos and corn in refrigerator up to 4 days.
• Make dressing – the dressing stores well in refrigerator up to 6 days.
• Assembly – when ready to serve salad, assemble the salad portion, toss with dressing, and serve immediately for best results.

Between you and me, it’s really the fresh cilantro dressing that seals the deal here. It’s so creamy, a little spicy from fresh jalapeno, and coats every inch of the charred veggies to perfection.

As always, don’t forget the extra cotija cheese on your personal bowl of this goodness!

Save this recipe using the ‘save to recipe box’ button below. If you make it, please let us know! Leave a comment + star rating below, or take a photo and tag it on Instagram with #wholeandheavenlyoven.

More colorful salads to make next!

• Italian Tomato Cucumber Salad
• Crispy Chickpea Artichoke Salad
• Asian Cucumber Avocado Salad