Loaded with tender, sweet corn and fresh, crunchy veggies, this easy Corn Salad is the perfect addition to your next summer cookout. It’s tied together with a light lemon dressing and a smattering of feta. So good!
If you’re in the market for a light, bright summery salad that goes with just about anything, you’ve come to the right place. This quick and easy corn salad is loaded with fresh, crunchy veggies, tender, sweet corn kernels, and fresh herbs. As if that weren’t enticing enough, I incorporated a smattering of feta cheese to add a little tang. The whole thing is tied together with a fresh, flavorful lemony dressing with a hit of garlic and a kick of honey for sweetness. Serve it as a side at your next cookout or scoop it up with crunchy tortilla chips.
Why You’ll Love This Easy Corn Salad Recipe
- Crunchy and flavorful. This easy corn salad is full of crunchy veggies and lots of flavor. The tender, sweet corn, tart tomatoes, tangy feta, and creamy dressing are a match made in heaven. You’ll see.
- Quick and easy. Just microwave some corn, slice and dice some veggies, whip up a dressing, and toss it all together. It doesn’t get much easier than that. And all in just 20 minutes!
- Customizable. This summery corn salad recipe is super fun to play with. Stick to the original outline and add in your favorite veggies or mix up the seasoning. Check out the section below titled “Easy Variations” for inspiration.
Recipe Ingredients
Here’s what you’ll need to make this easy corn salad recipe. You’re find exact measurements in the recipe card below.
- Whole ears of corn – I like using smaller ears of corn because they tend to be more flavorful.
- Olive oil
- Red wine vinegar
- Fresh lemon juice – Fresh is best! The flavor of freshly squeezed lemon juice is so much better than the stuff in the bottle.
- Honey – You could use agave instead.
- Garlic
- Salt and ground black pepper
- Veggies – Grape tomatoes, English cucumber, and red onion.
- Feta cheese – Crumbled goat cheese would also work.
- Herbs – Fresh parsley and fresh basil.
Easy Variations
If you want to give this corn salad recipe a personal twist, feel free to experiment. Here are some fun ideas for you.
- Cook the corn a different way. Not a microwave person? You can boil the ears of corn for 10 minutes instead. Otherwise, fire up the grill! Grill the corn over medium-high heat until all sides are slightly charred.
- Mexican themed. Swap the parsley and basil out for chopped fresh cilantro, use lime instead of lemon, and add a dash of smoked paprika to the dressing. Finally, use crumbled Cojita cheese instead of feta, and you’ll have yourself a Mexican-themed corn salad!
- Add extra veggies. I love adding roasted bell peppers to this corn salad. It’s a little extra work but it’s worth it. Roasted zucchini or yellow squash would be good too.
- Creamy avocado. If you’d like to add avocado to this salad, go for it!
How To Make Corn Salad
Here’s a quick look at how to make this summery corn salad. Looking for more thorough instructions? Scroll to the recipe card below.
- Prep the corn. Remove the husks and silks from the corn.
- Cook the corn. Place 4 ears of corn between 2 layers of 2 damp paper towels (tuck in the sides) and microwave on high for 3-5 minutes. Transfer to a bowl of ice water to cool. Repeat with the remaining corn.
- Make the dressing. Whisk together the olive oil, vinegar, lemon juice, honey, garlic, salt, and pepper.
- Assemble. Cut the corn off the cob and add it to a large salad bowl with the veggies, feta, and fresh herbs.
- Dress the salad. Pour the dressing over the salad and toss to coat. Taste and season with salt and pepper if needed.
How To Easily Cut Corn Off The Cob
An easy way to cut the corn off the cob is to place a smaller bowl upside-down inside a large bowl. Stand each ear on its end on top of the smaller bowl. Use a sharp knife to slice downward over the cob. The kernels will come right off and fall into the larger bowl.
Tips For Success
Have a look at these tips and tricks before you tie on your apron.
- Save a little time. If you’re short on time, don’t be afraid to use frozen corn kernels here. Just thaw and pat them dry first.
- Keep it fresh. I highly recommend squeezing fresh lemons to get fresh lemon juice. Similarly, opt for fresh herbs rather than dried. The flavors are so much more vibrant.
- Serve immediately. This salad is best served ASAP. The flavors will be brighter and the corn and veggies will maintain their irresistible crunch. If you absolutely need to make it a few hours ahead of time, you can. Cover it well and place it in the refrigerator. Before serving, toss it with a dash of vinegar, salt, and pepper to rejuvenate.
What To Serve With Corn Salad
This would make an excellent side dish with any grilled meat. Spicy Bourbon BBQ Steak Kabobs or these Kentucky Bourbon Chicken Wings would be amazing. Add a side of Cheesy Garlic Bread or some Loaded Potato Salad, and you’ve got yourself a perfect backyard BBQ meal.
I also love serving it as an appetizer “dip” with some tortilla chips!
Proper Storage
If you find yourself with leftovers, seal them in an airtight container and store them in the fridge. They will keep for up to 4 days, but I highly recommend enjoying as soon as possible. The salad just loses its oomph the longer it sits.
I do not recommend freezing this salad. It won’t thaw well.
More Easy Side Salads
- Loaded Broccoli Salad (Low-Carb)
- Classic Waldorf Salad
- Avocado Salad
- Wedge Salad
- Healthy Broccoli Salad
- Watermelon Salad
Corn Salad
Ingredients
- 8 small ears of corn or 20 ounces of fresh corn
- ¼ cup of olive oil
- 2 Tablespoons of Red Wine Vinegar or more to taste
- 1 Tablespoon of fresh lemon juice
- 1 ½ teaspoons of honey
- 1 teaspoon of minced or pressed garlic
- ½ teaspoon of salt or more to taste
- ½ ground black pepper plus fresh cracked pepper for garnish
- 1 pint of grape tomatoes sliced in half
- 1 English cucumber diced.
- ¼ cup of diced red onion
- 2/3 cup of crumbled feta cheese
- 3 Tablespoons of minced fresh parsley
- 2 Tablespoons of minced fresh basil
- additional salt, pepper, and vinegar to taste if needed
Instructions
- Fully husk the corn and remove as much of the silk as possible.
- Place two moist paper towels on a plate, place 4 ears of corn on the paper towels, add two more moist paper towels and tuck in the side.
- Microwave on high for 3-5 minutes, or until the kernels are slightly tender, then remove to ice water to cool.
- Repeat the process with the remaining four ears of corn.
- To a small bowl, add the oil, vinegar, lemon juice, honey, garlic, salt, and pepper. Whisk to combine.
- Cut the corn off the cob and add to a large salad bowl.
- Add the grape tomatoes, cucumber, onion, feta, parsley and basil.
- Pour the dressing over the salad and toss to combine.
- Taste and add additional salt, pepper and vinegar as needed.
Last Step:
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