Grilled Shrimp Corn and Avocado Salad

A delightfully light and tangy Grilled Shrimp Corn and Avocado Salad.

This salad takes grilling to a new level! You’ve probably thrown skewers of shrimp and ears of corn on the grill before. But what about halved avocados or limes? Me neither. Being the culinary-curious person I am, I had to taste the addition of these ingredients to the outdoor flame. The result was an easy, healthy, and lovely summery meal.

Note – I made half the recipe. So that’s what is reflected in the photo below.

Grilled Shrimp Corn and Avocado Salad

Tweaks and Tips

Size and Quantity of Shrimp – This recipe calls for jumbo shrimp, which yields about 16-20 shrimp per pound. The original recipe called for two pounds of shrimp to serve four people. Based on the standard serving size and my experience, that’s twice as much as what’s needed. So I used one pound, which meant there were five jumbo shrimp per salad. But if you have a hearty appetite, you can opt for a pound and a half or two pounds. The original recipe used the same quantity of olive oil/lime zest for two pounds as what I used for one pound.

Avocados – It’s important to use just barely ripe avocados because they soften up as they cook. In the future, I would add a squeeze of lemon and a sprinkle of salt to the avocado before tossing it into the salad.

Corn – The fresher your sweet corn, the better! My other tidbit is to char the corn lightly. Don’t worry about getting it charred evenly all over. In my opinion, corn gets tough and chewy when it’s overcooked.

Limes – The jury is still out on whether I would grill the limes again. While the flavor was interesting, I found them to be a little on the bitter side. So, I added a little maple syrup to the lime vinaigrette to sweeten it. Honey would also work. You can grill or not grill the lime. Taste the dressing after you whisk it together, and then decide whether to add any sweetener.

Corn Cutting Technique

I like to use a large shallow bowl to keep the corn kernels corraled as I cut them off the corn cobs.

Reengaging in the Kitchen

If you’re a regular follower of Its Thyme2Cook, you’ve undoubtedly noticed the slowdown in recipes published in 2023. This past year was a hard one due to the progression of my husband’s ALS. After his heavenly homecoming in June, the kitchen still felt like a place that triggered sadness. But a girl’s gotta eat, so I am slowly getting back into the swing of things. I’m also learning how to cook for one and cater to my own preferences. So stay tuned as I reengage my passion for cooking and share new and tasty recipes for you to try.

Love Salad Recipes?

Here are a few of my other favorite main course salads. You can also head to my Recipe Index for additional delicious options.

Curried Cashew Chicken Salad

Tender chicken, crunchy cashews and celery and sweet grapes wrapped in a flavorful curry mayo dressing.

Check out this recipe

Pork and Fennel Salad

Seared and roasted pork with sauteed fennel, crisp apple slices and toasted pecans with warm bacon vinaigrette

Check out this recipe

Grilled Salmon Nicoise Salad

A hearty main course salad featuring grilled salmon, baby potatoes, green beans, eggs, olives, mixed greens, and basil vinaigrette.

Check out this recipe

Grilled Shrimp Corn and Avocado Salad

A light and tangy salad of grilled goodies – shrimp, fresh sweet corn, and avocado, tossed with cherry tomatoes and lime vinaigrette.

5 from 1 vote

Print Pin Rate

Prep Time: 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes minutes

Total Time: 40 minutes minutes

Servings: 4

Author: Adapted from The Outdoor Cook: How to Cook Anything Outside,” by America’s Test Kitchen

Ingredients

• 2 ripe but firm avocados halved and pitted
• 6 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil divided
• 3 ears corn husks and silk removed
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 1 lb. jumbo shrimp (16 to 20 per lb.) peeled and deveined
• 2 tsp. grated lime zest from 2 limes grate zest from limes, then cut limes in half
• 1 tsp. honey or maple syrup
• 10 cups chopped romaine lettuce
• 1 c. cherry tomatoes halved

Instructions

• Place 2 tbsp of olive oil in small dish and brush cut sides of avocados and corn with oil. Sprinkle corn with salt and pepper to taste.
• Pat cleaned shrimp dry with paper towels and thread onto skewers. Brush with remaining oil from dish and sprinkle to taste with salt and pepper.
• In a bowl large enough to accomodate the shrimp, place 1 tablespoon of olive oil and lime zest and stir to combine.
• Heat grill to medium high temperature.
• Grill corn until lightly charred, 10 to 13 minutes, turning as needed. Transfer to cutting board.
• Grill avocados and lime halves cut sides down, until lightly charred, about 2 minutes. Transfer to cutting board with corn.
• Grill shrimp for about 4-5 minutes, flipping halfway through. Remove shrimp from skewers and toss in the bowl with the olive oil and lime zest.
• Juice the limes in a large bowl. Whisk in the remaining 3 tablespoons oil, and salt and pepper to taste. If the vinaigrette is too tart, whisk in 1 tsp of maple syrup or honey. You can add more if preferred.
• Scoop flesh from avocado halves and cut into bite-sized pieces. Cut kernels from cobs. Add romaine, avocado, corn, tomatoes and shrimp to dressing and toss gently to combine. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Enjoy!