Place a large pot (big enough to boil the corn) over medium high heat. Place the jalapeno in the dry pan and keep moving it around until you have some black and brown spots all over the exterior. Once done, remove jalapeño from the pot and turn off the heat.
Remove the stem, seeds, and any excessively charred skin from the jalapeño and place it in an upright blender. To the blender, also add the smoked paprika, garlic, apple cider vinegar, Tamari, maple syrup, oil, water, salt, and pepper. Blend on high until completely smooth. Set aside.
Fill the large pot with enough water to cover the corn cobs. Cover the pot and bring it to a boil over high heat. Add a good pinch of salt to the water and then add the corn cobs. Boil the corn cobs until just tender, about 3-5 minutes. Remove the cobs and let them cool slightly on your cutting board.
Once cool, cut the kernels off of the corn cobs with a knife. Place the kernels in a large bowl. Chop the cherry tomatoes in halves or quarters and add them to the bowl. Peel, pit, and dice the avocados and add them to the bowl. Add most of the chives. Pour in the dressing, add a good couple pinches of salt and pepper, and then gently toss to coat.
Transfer the salad to your serving platter and top with the remaining chopped chives, corn nuts, and extra pepper. Serve immediately!
Equipment
Blender
Recipe Notes
I have you char the jalapeño in the big boiling pot because you’re already going to use that for the corn. Of course, if you have a gas stove and you’d like to char the jalapeño on the open flame, feel free to do so!
I personally love corn nuts and think that they work perfectly here, but if you’re not a fan, I recommend using chopped roasted pistachios, almonds, or pumpkin seeds
Because of the avocado, I do not recommend making this salad ahead of time. You can make the dressing and pre-boil/cut the corn up to 5 days ahead of time. Just keep both in sealed containers in the fridge.
This vegan corn, tomato & avocado salad comes together with only 5 minutes of active cooking on the stove and 20 minutes of prep. A smoky and garlicky jalapeño dressing perfectly compliments the sweet and juicy corn, creamy avocado, and tangy summer tomatoes.