Grilled Corn Salad with Vegan Chipotle Ranch Dressing (30 Minutes!)

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Picking up a platter of our Grilled Corn Salad drizzled with Vegan Chipotle Ranch Dressing for a refreshing summer side

There’s something about a Mexican-style salad that just speaks to our souls.

Crunchy, fresh, colorful, so customizable, and usually contains grilled corn, which is basically a universal love language.

Let us show you how easy it is to make this Grilled Corn Salad with our (freshly made) Vegan Chipotle Ranch!

Fresh vegetables for making our gluten-free Grilled Corn Salad recipe

This salad is simple, requiring basic (customizable) ingredients and 30 minutes to prepare!

Start by preparing your dressing if you haven’t already (I also include a super simple vinaigrette option in the recipe if you’d rather not whip out your blender).

Next, prep your veggies, roast your sweet potatoes, and grill. that. corn.

Plate of diced vegetables for making our vegan Grilled Corn Salad recipe
Freshly roasted cubed sweet potatoes on a parchment-lined baking sheet
Two ears of grilled corn on a wood cutting board

Friends, it’s as easy as that. We hope you LOVE this salad. It’s:

Crunchy
Fresh
Customizable
Satisfying
Flavorful
& Seriously delicious

This would make a delicious weeknight side, especially paired with other Mexican-inspired dishes, anything barbecued, or as a main served with your choice of protein (such as Vegan “Barbacoa” for a vegan option, hard-boiled eggs for a vegetarian option, or grilled chicken or fish for a meat option).

Into salads? Be sure to check out our Loaded Kale Salad, Chickpea Caesar Salad, Arugula Salad with Crispy Shallot and Lemon Vinaigrette (a.k.a. our go-to “house salad”), and our Garlicky Kale Salad with Crispy Chickpeas!

If you try this recipe let us know by leaving a comment, rating, and tagging a photo @minimalistbaker on Instagram! Cheers, friends.

Close up shot of delicious Grilled Corn Salad made with fresh vegetables

Grilled Corn Salad with Vegan Chipotle Ranch Dressing (30 Minutes!)

Easy, 30-minute grilled corn salad perfect for summer gatherings. Pair with just about any main and top with our Easy Vegan Chipotle Ranch Dressing!
Author Minimalist Baker
Print
Vegan Chipotle Ranch Dressing drizzled over our fresh Grilled Corn Salad recipe
4.95 from 20 votes
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings 4 (Servings)
Course Salad
Cuisine Gluten-Free, Mexican-Inspired, Vegan
Freezer Friendly No
Does it keep? 2-3 Days

Ingredients

  • 1 small sweet potato, cubed
  • 1 Tbsp avocado oil
  • 2 whole corn cobs
  • ~5 cups chopped fresh lettuce (we used a mix of green lettuces, but spinach, kale, or romaine will also work)
  • 1/2 medium red bell pepper, diced
  • 1 cup cherry tomatoes, quartered (or halved if small)
  • 1/2 cup chopped cilantro
  • 1/2 cup diced red onion
  • 1 ripe avocado, cubed (optional)
  • Jalapeño (optional)

FOR SERVING

Instructions

  • If you haven’t prepared dressing, do so now. Alternatively you can dress your salad with a healthy squeeze of lime juice, drizzle of olive oil, and salt and pepper to taste just before serving.
  • Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (204 C) and add cubed sweet potato to a parchment-lined baking sheet. Toss with a little oil and bake for 20 minutes or until tender. Set aside.
  • In the meantime, heat a grill or grill pan. Once hot, remove the husks from the corn and place directly on the grill. Grill, turning occasionally, until blackened on all sides — about 5-8 minutes. Set aside to chill. 
    NOTE: If you don’t have a grill or grill pan, you can also carefully cook these on a gas range over an open flame, turning frequently with tongs until blackened on all sides.
  • Let the corn cool to the touch, then carefully slice the corn off the cob with a sharp knife. Set aside.
  • Assemble salad on a serving platter by adding lettuce and topping with bell pepper, cherry tomatoes, cilantro, onion, avocado (optional), jalapeño (optional), sweet potatoes, and grilled corn. Optionally, you can also top with crushed tortilla chips.
  • Serve with Vegan Chipotle Ranch Dressing or a generous squeeze of lime juice, drizzle of olive oil, and salt and pepper to taste. Best when fresh, though leftovers will keep stored in the refrigerator up to 2-3 days (store dressing separately for freshness).

Video

Notes

*Nutrition information is a rough estimate calculated with a half batch of the Chipotle Ranch Dressing recipe and without optional ingredients.

Nutrition (1 of 4 servings)

Serving: 1 serving Calories: 223 Carbohydrates: 26.7 g Protein: 7.2 g Fat: 11.8 g Saturated Fat: 1.8 g Sodium: 210 mg Potassium: 632 mg Fiber: 4.7 g Sugar: 7.4 g

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My Rating:




  1. Amy says

    Delicious! I used the vegan chipotle “Bitchin” sauce to save some time. Definitely will be making this again. :)

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      We’re so glad you enjoyed it, Amy. Great idea to use that sauce for a quicker option! Thank you for sharing! xo

  2. Laura says

    I really really enjoyed this salad and the dressing that goes along with it- great dish to kick off summer!
    As I was busy chopping veggies, I was able to air fry the sweet potato and corn cobs for a more hands-off process.
    I added an avocado, but since there are so many other ingredients, I didn’t really notice it so I won’t add it the next time to help keep calories lower. I also added in some Trader Joe’s soyrizo which kicked it up a notch imo.

  3. Kaitlyn Wileman says

    This is now in my rotation of recipes, its great!
    I could not find chipotle chilies for the dressing so subbed with powder, I also blended in soft Tofu for extra protein and you could not taste it.
    It does make a lot of dressing so I would have extra greens next time.

  4. Deborah says

    Another winning recipe! Your site is my “go-to.” Even my non-lentil eating friends loved it. Left out the maple syrup in the Chipotle dressing, as trying to cut back on sugar/sweeteners Will make again and again!

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Yay! We’re so glad you and your friends enjoyed it, Deborah. Thank you for the lovely review! xo

  5. Lindsay says

    This salad is amazing! It’s very filling for dinner, and it comes together so quickly. We didn’t get a grill pan until recently, so we would put corn under the broiler for a few minutes. Works just as well, as long as you watch it.

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Yumm! So glad you enjoyed, Lindsay. Thanks for the lovely review and for sharing your tips! xo

  6. Jennifer says

    This is just wonderful! I made the chipotle dressing which is just amazing. I wasn’t able to roast the corn, but cooked frozen corn was really wonderful too. Thanks so much for all your great recipes. This one is a keeper!

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      We’re so glad you enjoyed it, Jennifer! Thank you for the lovely review! xoxo

  7. Katherine says

    Loved this recipe! It made a lot of dressing so I put some in an ice cube tray and froze it to thaw weeks later, worked great! Delicious salad.

  8. Emily Weiss says

    Really solid summer lunch option. Be a good option to take to a BBQ or backyard gathering. I had leftover Chiptole from the black bean soup on this blog (which I adore). Good way to use some of the rest of the can. I don’t have a grill or grill pan so I threw the corn in husk in the over with the sweet potato then de-husked and finished off on the gas range. Worked well. Was pretty fun too! I ended up having to adjust for taste the dressing a lot but I do normally hate raunch so maybe it’s on my palate.

  9. Laura says

    Made this tonight and it was really good! Kind of reminded me of a taco salad. I added in black beans to up the protein, used romaine, and blackened the corn on the gas stove burners as directed.

    The dressing was good but I couldn’t get it to be “just right,” I always seem to struggle with cashew ranches lacking a certain sharpness or sourness that they get with mayo, in spite of adding more vinegar and lemon juice, but I also appreciate that it’s healthier and it still tasted good (my four year old really liked it!).

    Will definitely keep in my recipe collection and make it again! Thank you!

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Thanks for sharing, Laura! On the cashews, we wonder if trying a different brand might help? We’ve noticed some have a stronger flavor than others- perhaps due to sourcing and freshness. Hope that helps!

  10. Hope says

    What a great salad! I didn’t feel like using the grill so I just roasted some frozen corn on the same sheet as the sweet potatoes and it came out perfect! I also left out the bell pepper and added some leftover baked tempeh I had. The dressing is absolutely delicious!!

  11. Alexandra Sevlie says

    WOW!!!

    This was incredible!! I made this as a dinner side for my boss and it ended being our main entree with how much we had, lol! I also made the Vegan Chipotle Ranch with it (I added some Siracha to that) and it gave it a nice kick.

    Definitely one of my favorite recipes I’ve made so far:)

  12. Gordana Rufer says

    Wow! This was so delicious! What flavorful salad and so easy to make. I didn’t have any dill for the salad dressing but I didn’t miss it. I will definitely be making the salad and dressing again!

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Thanks so much for the lovely review, Gordana. We are so glad you enjoyed it! Next time, would you mind leaving a rating with your review? It’s super helpful for us and other readers. Thanks so much! Xo

  13. Lisa Peters says

    I used a mix of romaine and red leaf lettuce, omitted the avocado and jalapeño, and topped with crushed tortilla chips. Also used the vegan chipotle ranch dressing (minus the dill, which I didn’t have). It was DELICIOUS! What a perfect summer salad full of great flavor!

  14. Michelle says

    Made this…hubby said it was the best salad he’s ever had! I forgot to put the red bell pepper in even though I bought it for this!
    I made a large amount hoping for leftovers but here were none. I used a combo of romaine and leaf lettuce for the greens and a drizzle of chipotle lime crema on top of the vegan ranch.

  15. Rachel says

    Delicious! I made two changes. I used black beans in place of sweet potato, just my own preference. I also didn’t have corn cobs so I roasted frozen corn in a hot, dry, nonstick pan. Everything else was made exactly as described, including the dressing. I prepped everything in different containers so I could just throw it together for lunch the next few days. It came together quickly, was very satisfying and the dressing is wonderful!

  16. Mindy Thompson says

    Best salad I have ever had in my life. And I haven’t always been vegan. I ate until I could eat no more. Absolutely amazing. I was worried about the heat in the dressing from the pepper in adobo, but it was actually perfect. Fed it to my kids without complaint. I actually used a can of corn (drained and patted dry), heated a skillet on high and threw the corn on there. My 8 yr old was in the kitchen with me and we had a blast trying to catch all the corn that popped out of the pan. Haha. I can’t wait to share this recipe with my family when we visit for thanksgiving.

  17. Rachel says

    This was so good! Such a brilliant mix of flavours and didn’t take long at all. I loved it! Will definitely be making it again.

  18. Isabella says

    Delicious! Made it with the cashew Mexican ranch dressing, and added some chicken breast I roasted in the oven. I made it pretty much Identical to the original recipe, except I didn’t grill the corn on a grill. I boiled it in a skillet and then drained the water, then put it back on the burner and kept it on high for a few minutes turning the corn regularly to get a nice char. All in all delicious meal.

  19. Brooke LaPrade says

    The recipe never mentions the sweet potatoes again after giving directions to roast them. It’s easy to figure out but… my husband was confused. Thought you might want to fix that part. :)

  20. Trina Young says

    I made for a BBQ we went to this afternoon. I doubled the recipe. I had these ingredients on hand. There were lots of compliments, I had to confess I got the recipe from Minimalist Baker! Thank for an easy and fabulous recipe.

  21. Anne says

    This looks great! I just bought the grill pan, not sure if it will arrive by Labor Day, would love to make this with some simple barbecue grilled tofu on the side. Would love to enjoy summer fresh vegetables while they are available! I think this would work for casual entertaining too…..