Corn Salad – sweet corn, bright cherry tomatoes, creamy avocado and fresh basil in a tangy-sweet honey lime dressing. Easy, make ahead side salad – add a protein to make it a meal!
This Corn Salad gives me all the summer feels – starting with sweet corn, cherry tomatoes and fresh basil. I’m also adding creamy avocado and briny feta cheese.
It’s all tossed in a tangy-sweet honey lime dressing and the flavor balance is absolute perfection.
Toss in your favorite protein (grilled shrimp, steak or rotisserie chicken) and make it a meal. It’s the salad of summer I’ll be turning to all season.
Why this Corn Salad is a winner:
- Goes with anything – this really is one of those sides that go with anything – grilled chicken, steak, shrimp – even hot dogs!
- Quick and easy to whip up from the best of summer’s flavors.
- No mayonnaise – pack it up and take it anywhere – a picnic, backyard bbq or potluck.
Ingredients needed to make Corn Salad:
Salad:
- fresh sweet corn
- cherry tomatoes halved
- red onion
- avocados cubed
- fresh basil leaves
- feta cheese chunk
Dressing:
- olive oil
- red wine vinegar
- salt and black pepper
- garlic powder
- honey
- whole lime
How to cook fresh corn:
There’s 3 ways to cook corn (did you know you can eat it raw too?) – on the stovetop, microwave or outdoor grill until it’s lightly charred.
Cook the corn any method you like, then cool it until you’re able to handle it. Slice kernels off the cob and add to a large bowl.
Boil:
Shuck corn and remove silk. Place in a large pot of boiling water 3-5 minutes or until tender and bright yellow. Remove immediately after it’s cooked to prevent overcooking.
Microwave:
Microwave 3 minutes per ear in the husk. Remove from the micro, cut the stem end and slide the corn out of the silk.
Grilled:
Preheat the grill to about 400 degrees. Remove husks and silk. Lightly brush with olive oil then place directly on preheated grill grates. Cook 10-12 minutes turning routinely until charred on all sides.
How to make Corn Salad:
Add dressing ingredients: olive oil, red wine vinegar, salt and pepper, garlic powder, honey and lime juice to a large mixing bowl. Whisk to combine then taste and adjust for salt, garlic powder and honey to your preference.
Add halved tomatoes and minced red onion to the same bowl.
Cook the corn (see how-to above) and slice it off the cobs. Transfer corn kernels to the bowl and stir to combine. Cover and chill in the fridge for 30-60 minutes. Note: This salad can also be served right away at room temp.
Just before serving, add feta cheese, basil and avocado. Gently stir to coat everything then taste and adjust salt and black pepper.
Optional: give it a light pinch of sea salt before serving.
How to make Corn Salad a meal:
To enjoy this salad as a meal, just add your favorite protein (hello – Costco rotisserie chicken!) – or any of these ideas:
Subs and variations:
- Swap cotija cheese or goat cheese for feta
- Can sub white wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar (same amount)
- Try other fresh herbs, like cilantro or mint would also be delicious in this salad
- Add other vegetables like diced cucumbers, bell peppers or thinly sliced green onions instead of red onion.
Storage:
This salad is best served fresh as the avocado will start to brown. If you have leftovers, store in an airtight container in the fridge up to 2 days.
What to serve with this Corn Salad:
This salad literally goes with anything – including a grilled hot dog! Here are a few other ideas:
Tips for making this salad:
- Use ripe avocado – but not overly ripe. If they’re too ripe (perfect for guac), they’ll get mushy in this salad. You want them a little on the firmer side.
- Wait to add avocado, basil and feta until just before serving.
- Taste and adjust salt and lime juice before serving.
More easy summer salads:
Zesty Italian Tortellini Salad
Grandma’s Old Fashioned Potato Salad
Chick fil-A inspired Kale Crunch Salad
Panzanella Bread Salad with seasonal vegetables
Ready to try this fresh corn salad recipe? Full details in the printable recipe card below.
Enjoy!
Best Corn Salad
Ingredients
Salad:
- 4-5 ears fresh sweet corn depending on size
- 10-12 ounce package cherry tomatoes halves (about 2 cups)
- 1/4 small red onion minced
- 2 medium avocados cubed
- 1/4 cup fresh basil leaves small handful – torn in bite size pieces
- 3-4 ounces feta cheese cubed in small bite size pieces
Dressing:
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
- 1/4 teaspoon salt or more to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 1/2 teaspoons honey or to taste
- 1/2 fresh lime juiced – or to taste
Instructions
- Add dressing ingredients: olive oil, red wine vinegar, salt and pepper, garlic powder, honey and lime juice to a large mixing bowl. Whisk to combine then taste and adjust for salt, garlic powder and honey to your preference.
- Add halved tomatoes and minced red onion to the same bowl.
- Cook corn and once it cools enough to handle it, slice it off the cobs and transfer corn kernels to the bowl. Stir to combine. Cover and chill in the fridge for 30-60 minutes. Note: This salad can also be served right away at room temp.NOTE: corn can be microwaved, grilled or boiled (see body of post for how to's.
- Just before serving, add feta cheese, basil and avocado. Gently stir to coat then taste and adjust salt and black pepper.Optional: give it a light pinch of sea salt before serving.