Corn Salad
Corn Salad: A sweet summer corn salad recipe that can be made with fresh or frozen corn that makes for the perfect easy side or appetizer. This sweet corn salad incorporates the best balance of flavor with the use of fresh mint, basil, and cilantro, accompanied with all the best veggies and a complimentary, easy to make, light flavor dressing.
Serve with potato salad, fruit salad, and baked beans for the ultimate collection of summer sides along with a bucket of fried chicken.
To say I am obsessed with delicious sweet corn is an understatement. I love it fresh roasted on the cob all summer long, in delicious corn casserole or Baked Creamed Corn during the holidays, and corn dip during football season.
This fresh corn salad can be prepped and ready to enjoy in no time at all, making this Mexican corn salad the perfect dish to bring to a social gathering or enjoy in the comfort of your own home. Don’t miss out on what will be your new favorite dish.
I love to eat this fresh corn salad with tortilla chips. It makes for a great snack when I want something easy to whip up, but not something that is store bought or full of processed ingredients.
How To Make Corn Salad:
This recipe really is so easy, yet so tasty.
Steps:
- Stir to combine corn, tomato, green and red onion, English cucumber, radishes, jalapeno, and spices.
- In a separate bowl combine all the ingredients for the dressing, except salt and pepper.
- Pour dressing over the corn mixture and toss.
- Add avocado and toss, making sure not to smash avocado.
- Adjust flavor as desired and serve.
That’s it. It is just that simple.
This salad is really just comprised of chopping your veggies and mixing them together with spices. Then preparing your dressing and mixing. Lastly, just adding your sliced avocado.
Can I Use Frozen Corn For Corn Salad?
What is so great about this corn salad is that you can make changes based on your preference or what’s convenient.
For example let’s talk about corn. I personally prefer fresh corn. I just love the taste so much more.
However, maybe you want to make this when corn isn’t in season, or perhaps you have frozen corn on hand. Believe me I get it.
Go ahead, don’t look back, use frozen corn. This corn salad will of course still be so flavorful and good.
Just make sure to defrost the corn. While I love to eat things like snickers and grapes frozen, corn unfortunately does not fall into that same category. Defrost please.
Do I Cook Corn For Corn Salad?
Simply put, no. There really is no need to and given that it is a cold salad, I like the corn to be cold as well.
Now, usually when you think of corn on the cob, you think of eating corn that has been grilled or steamed, or cooked etc.
News flash though, corn does not have to be cooked. You can eat corn raw!
If you didn’t know this before, I realize that this is mind blowing and you may need to take a minute and process that new, enlightening information. Great news right?!
Well I will even add to the great news. Corn still has a deliciously, sweet taste even without being cooked and you prevent yourself from losing some nutrients by eating it raw, rather than cooking it.
So, with all that great info, it seems like there really is no need or reason to add the additional step of cooking the corn for this recipe.
4 Reasons Why Not To Cook Corn:
- Corn can be eaten raw
- Consume more nutrients uncooked
- Still maintains a sweet flavor
- Eliminates an additional step
So, don’t even worry about cooking the corn for this salad. That is one task you can take off your plate.
How To Choose Fresh Sweet Corn?
This salad just knocks it out of the park for me, flavor wise. However, given that corn is the main star of the dish, I mean its name is in the title, I want to make sure that you pick a good ear of corn.
This is a super easy recipe. Don’t let this fresh corn salad suffer by not picking a good ear of corn.
Don’t worry I have some easy tricks to ensure corn picking success.
Tips For Picking A Good Ear Of Corn:
Color Of The Husk Matters.
Look for corn with an outer husk that is vibrant green and isn’t loosely wrapped around the ear of the corn.
Avoid Husks With Brown Holes.
Husks with holds indicate worms or insects.
Pay Attention To The Tassels.
A good, fresh ear of corn will have tassels at the end that are brownish in color, not black. They should also be a little bit sticky, rather than dry.
Black and dry indicates an older piece of corn.
Touch And Examine The Corn.
Gently clasp the corn from top to bottom, taking notice if any kernels are missing. You don’t want that.
Also, note whether the corn is firm or soft. You want the corn to be firm.
Follow these tips and you should do just fine picking the best corn for this corn salad recipe.
How to Make Corn Salad Dressing:
Truthfully there is not much to it, just assemble the ingredients and mix it together.
The two keys are:
- Mince your garlic fine so you do not end up with a mouthful of garlic.
- Chiffonade the garlic. The way you do this is roll basil leaves up, and finely chop so you end up with thin shreds.
Making Corn Salad Tips:
Tip 1: How To Cut Corn Off The Cob:
Get out your cutting board and let’s get cutting. Place corn on the board, holding it straight up, vertically, and start at the top and carefully cut along the sides to the bottom.
Tip 2: It Matters When You Add The Salt And Pepper In This Dish.
You want to add the salt and pepper at the end. This way you can taste all the flavors first and know what kind of flavor profile you are working with. Once you know that, then you can add the salt and pepper to further enhance the flavor, if needed.
Tip 3: If Making Ahead, Don’t Add The Avocado Just Yet.
You can make this sweet corn salad ahead of time. Isn’t that just great?
However, you don’t want to add the avocado. Avocados can get mushy and brown, no thank you.
So add all other ingredients to the salad and add the avocado just right before you are ready to serve.
Tip 4: How To Lessen The Heat Of The Jalapeño.
Now you will notice that the jalapeño in this recipe is optional. That is because everyone has a different level of spicy that is enjoyable.
However, it doesn’t have to be all or nothing. You have more than just the option of either using the jalapeño or not.
There is a third option. You can minimize the spice in the jalapeño.
Strip the membrane and seeds to diminish the level of heat.
Another option or additional measure is to soak the jalapeño in lemon lime soda for about a half hour or so and then rinse with water and dry.
So, if you don’t want the all the heat and spice that jalapeños are notorious for, but you still want a little kick or spice of flavor in the salad, try one or both of these methods.
Note: If you are really sensitive to spice, then just leave the jalapeño out, of course.
Try these tips and enjoy!
Serving Suggestions:
Eat this sweet corn salad as an appetizer or side with tortilla chips.
Or, make it a complete meal and serve along side of Sheet Pan Flank Steak Fajitas, followed by Super Creamy Mint Chip Ice Cream. You will be so happy with your choice.
What Are You Waiting For? Try This Corn Salad Immediately!
This fresh corn salad is the perfect appetizer, side, or snack. Loaded with yummy, healthy ingredients, you will want to make this treasure again and again.
More Summer Salads You’ll Love:
- Peach Burrata Salad
- Caprese Pasta Salad
- Summer Fruit Salad
- Cucumber Radish Salad
- Seared Watermelon Salad
How to Make Corn Salad Video Tutorial:
Corn Salad
Ingredients
- 3 cups raw corn kernels about 4 large cobs
- ½ cup tomato chopped
- 1/2 cup green onion chopped
- ¼ cup red onion diced
- 1 cup English cucumber quartered and sliced
- 1/4 cup cilantro chopped
- ¼ cup basil chopped
- 1 Tablespoon fresh mint chopped
- ½ cup radish thinly sliced and quartered
- 1 jalapeño very thinly sliced (optional, adjust to heat preference)
- 1 avocado ripe, diced
Dressing
- ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 2 Tbs basil chiffonade
- ½ teaspoon salt
- Fresh ground black pepper to taste
Instructions
- In a large bowl, add the corn, tomato, green onion, red onion, english cucumber, cilantro, basil, mint, radishes, and jalapeño. Stir to combine. Set aside.
- In a separate bowl, combine all ingredients for dressing except salt and pepper, whisk until blended. Taste, and adjust flavor with salt and pepper as needed.
- Pour dressing over the corn mixture, and use a spoon to toss.
- Add avocado and gently toss, so as not to mash.
- Taste, and adjust flavor as desired.
- Serve immediately.
Notes
Nutrition
Our recipe card software calculates these nutrition facts based on averages for the above ingredients, different brands, and quality of produce/meats may have different nutritional information, always calculate your own based on the specific products you use in order to achieve accurate macros for this recipe.
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Kim says
Oooh, I am saving this for when Corn on the cob is in season! Thank you!
wilhelmina says
This corn salad is full of flavor and crunch! It is delicious!