Skip the Lettuce and Make this Fresh & Easy Summer Corn Salad Recipe!
If you need a foolproof salad with lots of fresh veggies, this summer corn salad is a side dish dream!
Instead of boring lettuce, make this fresh corn salad recipe instead!
Take advantage of seasonal corn and make a summer corn salad that’s full of bright flavors and is also very easy to make. With this zesty olive oil & apple cider dressing and yummy feta cheese, you’ll be the hero of your next cookout! This cold corn salad is a perfect match to pair with summer grilling.
The result is a bright and fresh-tasting salad that has tons of flavor without lots of dressing. It’s so refreshing and all the textures work together for a brilliant combo of veggies, herbs, and feta!
Tips for making the best summer corn salad:
- This recipe for corn salad starts with four ears of cooked corn on the cob. How you choose to cook them is up to you. You can even cook them a day prior if you’d like as an easy prep-ahead idea! If desired, you can always just use a few cups of thawed and drained frozen corn instead!
- Using my Instant Pot is my preferred easy method for cooking fresh corn. To do this, set your Instant Pot to 3 minutes on high or manual mode. Just make sure to pour in a cup of water along with the corn. After cooking, I just let it cool and then cut the corn off the cob into the mixing bowl.
- My other favorite easy way to cook corn on the cob is to boil it. Here are my best tips for boiling corn and how long to do so.
- This fresh corn salad recipe makes it so easy to change up the veggies and add or subtract different ones. I think diced cucumbers would be a delicious addition and a can of black beans or chickpeas as well. If feta isn’t a favorite cheese, try fresh mozzarella balls instead.
- The dressing is very subtle since most of the flavor is in the veggies and basil. Taste it and if it needs more vinegar, feel free to add a little extra. You can also adjust the salt and pepper to taste.
- The leftovers were still yummy the next day, but the dressing did make the tomatoes a little soggy. If prepping this sweet corn salad ahead of time, reserve the dressing for right before you serve it!
Fresh & Easy Summer Corn Salad
yield: 6 SERVINGS
prep time: 15 MINUTES
total time: 15 MINUTES
This delicious corn salad with bright fresh flavors will be the highlight of your summer BBQ!
Ingredients
For the salad:
- 4-5 ears of sweet corn, cooked and cut from the cob
- 1 bell pepper, diced
- 1 cup grape tomatoes, diced (about 5 oz.)
- 1/2 a red onion, diced
- 1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped
- 1/4 cup feta cheese, crumbled
For the dressing:
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/8 teaspoon pepper
Directions
1
In a large bowl, combine corn, bell pepper, tomatoes, onion, and basil.
2
Whisk together dressing ingredients and toss with salad.
3
Toss with the feta cheese, and serve cold. Enjoy!
Additional Notes
Recipe adapted from Delish.com.
This easy-to-make summer corn salad is SO GOOD.
I mean, what’s not to love? Sweet corn and a lot of delicious flavors are happening here. The feta cheese and fresh basil throw it over the top! In fact, I could probably eat this whole bowl, but I’ll save some for my family. 😉
Over the weekend I made this sweet corn salad and served it alongside some grilled ribeye steaks and it was absolute perfection!
Here’s what my teammate Erica says about this summer corn salad recipe:
“Make this recipe for corn salad and then BRING IT TO EVERY SUMMER GATHERING! Your friends & family will be so impressed! It seriously has the best flavor, it’s so pretty, and it’s super simple to make. The feta cheese adds the perfect touch too! Love this salad!”
This Mexican street corn is another must-try corn-on-the-cob recipe to make!
I made this before but I dont care for tomatoes or onions so I replace it with cucumbers and bacon crumbled up. YUM
Wow! That sounds wonderful <3
Yummy! Think cilantro would be good in place of the basil?
Oh I think so! Yum.
Yes i baked grandma barb carrots cake for two Birthday this month my Granddaughter Gianna & my son i forgt how good it feel to see the ones you love with a smile on there faces .y Granddaughter Gianna it was priceless i baked carrot cake & cupcakes too joy on her favorite cake makes it a worth it i haven’t baked cakes in 30 yrs like from scratch i always baked for my kids now i am doing same w/ my Grandkids
Cilantro- my thoughts exactly! Thank you for this recipe, Lina. Even I can make this!
You’re welcome – enjoy!
I use cilantro in my nearly identical salad.
This sounds really yummy, I’ll be making this. I’m a salad lover.
Thanks for posting.
Do you think you could make this the night before?
Yes- however consider adding chopped basil right before serving.
I’d dress it before serving, if making it the night before. The dressing has acid which will break down the tomatoes and can make them mushy.
Oh good tip!
How many calories are in this
I’ve made it ahead of time and left out the basil and feta until right before I served it.
keep em coming love easy recipes!
Thanks for your feedback Jaci!
how many calories
That looks so yummy will definitely try. Trying to eat more whole plant based foods. Thank you
I adore your recipes! You should consider a publishing a cookbook; they truly are simple, delicious, and family friendly. ♥️
Yes! I’d snap that up in a heartbeat
Ah thanks Christina!
That’s such a nice comment – thank you! ❤️
Oh man I’ve got some corn to use up and I passed up on some cheap grape tomatoes at Aldi today.
Yummy! I can eat my share of it.
Thanks Penny!
What could you replace the feta with? I love everything else just not that.
Mozzarella pearls or marinated baby mozzarella
You can just omit it or replace with another type of cheese. 👍
Ricotta cheese is one of the most popular substitutes for feta. Being of Italian origin, ricotta is a perfect addition or topping for salads and pastas, or mostly everything else that calls for feta. You could opt for either ricotta salata, which is aged ricotta cheese, or the normal, creamier ricotta.
You can always enter Feta Substitutes in your Web Browser. For this there were about 2B responses.
I’m kind of thinking about making this with your chicken avacado cilantro recipe, either as a side or on the sandwich. Just went and got all the ingredients for all of it.
Oh 😋 YUMMM. Sounds great!
I made this last week and it was amazing! The only change I made was omitting the feta. We had it for a side one night and then snacked on it for a few days afterward. Thanks for the recipe 🙂
Awesome! Thanks for coming back to share 😀
If I added avocado do you think the dressing would prevent it from turning brown?
Yes, I have added avocado to this and the vinegar keeps it from turning brown. Also a good use for an avocado that isn’t quite ripe b/c overripe avocado can get mushy after a day or so. Didn’t use this recipe, but it is basically identical to Ina Garten’s corn salad. Another tip is to add the dressing when the corn is still warm and it really absorbs the flavor.
I make a variation of this all summer long! I add cucumbers and cilantro (black beans optional) … and do not put in basil, cheese or oil. I just add balsamic vinegar and S&P! It is always a huge hit at summer get togethers!
Yum! Thanks for sharing ❤️
I made this a lot last summer and it was a hit for everyone !!
Thank you !
Oh thanks for sharing Maggie!
Delicious!!!! A great summer side. Easy, a great way to use leftover corn on the cob, no turning in the oven and heating up the house. Plus, it’s all good-for-you stuff!
Oh hooray! Yes, love this salad too – thanks!
Made it for lunch today Didnt have green pepper, Feta or tomatoes I added red peppers and small pieces of mozzarella. Used fresh basil growning on my window sill. DELICIOUS!!!
Oh yum!! Sounds awesome 👏
I’m going to try this it sounds great. Instead of green bell pepper I’m going to us red and yellow,and avocado
I added zucchini. Phenomenal!!!
Oh yum! Thanks for sharing!
This salad was delicious. Perfect for summer dinners. Made it according to the recipe and found it perfect.
Oh awesome 👏 thanks for sharing!
If you don’t have corn on the cob hsndy, can you used frozen in the bag?
We used frozen corn, added cucumbers and a small chopped jalapeño for the pepper. Delish!
if using frozen kernel corn, do you need to cook it?
Hey Tracie! You wouldn’t need to cook it, however you may want to defrost and drain the water. OR, Lina suggested that you could char the frozen corn in a skillet for added flavor and then let it cool!
I’m using canned corn because that’s all I have, would that make a difference?
I have made this. But added chopped kosher dill pickles! Great salad!
I added cucumbers and used dill in place of the basil, but I love the idea of hitting both of those flavors with the pickles!
It was delicious! I made it using oven-roasted corn. I didn’t remove the husks, which were only partially there. I rubbed the exposed corn with olive oil and set the four ears on a foil-lined pan and threw them in the oven which was preheated to 400 degrees. I cooked them for 20 seconds on the convection setting. The rest of the ingredients were were added and heaven was ready to be eaten. This is a great recipe. My family loved it! I’ll be making it again!
Sorry folks! I cooked the corn for 20 minutes, not seconds!
Instead of feta I used mozzarella cheese
Yum! Thanks for sharing 🤗
My teen daughter made this tonight, it was delishous!
Yay I’m so glad Gwen!
My family loves this dish!!! The only thing I do differently is I use champagne vinegar and add avocado:).
Not a fan of Feta cheese, what other cheese would be a good substitution?? Want to try this asap!!!
Maybe mozzarella or crumbled goat cheese? Yes this is so yum! Enjoy!
Could you use balsamic vinegar in place of apple cider?
Yes I’m sure that yummy too!
This was an absolutely delicious salad. Everyone at the Labor Day BBQ 2020 loved it and wanted the recipe. Will continue to be a staple in my summer recipes.
Thanks Mary! That’s so great to hear 💕👏
Could you make this the day before
Yes, I would just toss the dressing on it right before serving.
If you want to make this in the middle of winter, canned white corn is a great substitute for fresh! This recipe is fabulous…thank you Lina 🙂
Oh great idea! Yay, thanks Bunny!
This is delish and you can make different variations of this easily!
Oh yay glad you love it also! Thanks Chrissy!
Wow I just made this and it’s SO good!! Thank you Lina for sharing this! It’s a must try salad!
Oh yay!! Thanks Kim! Glad you are enjoying it.