Go Back
Print

Charred Corn Slaw with Peanut Butter Lime Dressing

Charred corn slaw with peanut butter lime dressing is an excellent BBQ side and or packed up as a salad for a picnic. Smoky, sweet and fresh!
Course Salad, Sauce, Side Dish
Cuisine American, BBQ, Dairy-free, Egg-Free, Gluten-Free, Oil-Free, Plant-Based, Potluck, Special Diets, Vegan, Vegetarian
Diet Gluten Free, Vegan, Vegetarian
Keyword agave nectar, all seasons, bbq, bell peppers, cabbage, carrots, corn, cumin, fall, garlic, ginger, green onions, grill, lime, mint, peanut butter, peanuts, spring, summer
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Servings 8
Author Laura Wright

Equipment

Ingredients

Peanut Butter Lime Dressing

  • ½ cup smooth natural peanut butter
  • 2 cloves garlic, finely grated or minced
  • 1 inch piece of fresh ginger, peeled and finely grated or minced
  • ½ teaspoon lime zest
  • 3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
  • 1 teaspoon agave nectar, or to taste
  • ½ teaspoon ground cumin
  • sea salt and ground black pepper, to taste
  • 6 tablespoons ice water, plus extra

Charred Corn Slaw

  • 3 ears of corn, husks and silks removed
  • 1 small head green cabbage, (about 2 ½ lbs), cored and finely shredded
  • 1 large carrot, peeled into ribbons
  • 1 red bell pepper, cored and finely sliced
  • 4 green onions, finely sliced
  • ¼ cup fresh mint leaves, finely sliced
  • ⅓ cup roasted and salted peanuts, roughly chopped

Instructions

  • Make the peanut butter lime dressing: In the bowl of a food processor fitted with the “S” blade, combine the peanut butter, garlic, ginger, lime zest, lime juice, agave nectar, cumin, salt, and pepper. Pulse the food processor’s motor a couple of times to combine.
  • Then, with the motor running, pour the ice water in through the feed tube. The dressing should pale in colour, slightly fluid, but still creamy. Add more water by the teaspoon if necessary. Once it’s at the proper consistency, check the dressing for seasoning and adjust. Set aside.
  • Bring a medium-large pot of water to a boil over medium-high heat. Add the corn to the water and place the lid on top. Boil the corn until tender, about 8-10 minutes. Carefully remove the corn from the pot with tongs and place on a plate.
  • Preheat a grill to high. Place the corn directly on the grates and grill, rotating cobs here and there, until char marks appear on all sides, about 6-7 minutes. Remove corn from the grill and place back on the plate, allowing it to cool slightly.
  • Assemble the slaw: In a large bowl, combine cabbage, carrot ribbons, red bell pepper, green onions, and mint. Carefully cut the charred corn kernels off of the cobs and add them to the large bowl as well. Pour the peanut butter lime dressing over the vegetables. Add big pinches of salt and pepper and toss to combine the charred corn slaw. Garnish the top of the slaw with the chopped roasted peanuts, green onions and mint.

Notes

  • You could prepare all of the ingredients up to 2 days in advance. Cut everything except for the mint, place it all in your serving bowl and cover the top. Place the dressing, mint, and chopped peanuts in separate containers. Then, just thoroughly toss everything with a good pinch of salt and pepper at your destination!
  • If you don’t have a grill, you can char the corn in either a grill pan or a cast iron skillet.
  • My grill grates are well-seasoned cast iron, so I didn’t need to apply any oil to the corn before grilling. If you have regular steel grates, you may have to give them a spritz of oil.