Summer Corn and Tomato Salad Recipe

Close up of the summer corn salad in a large red bowl.

5 from 4 votes

Vibrant corn salad recipe that's light, fresh, and delicious! With a homemade oil and vinegar dressing, this is a perfect side dish to pair with all of your favorite summer foods.

Prep Time20

Cook Time10

Total Time30

Course: Salad, Side Dish

Cuisine: American

Diet: Vegetarian

Servings: Servings

Calories: 192kcal

Author: Meredith

Equipment

A Large Pot (Stock Pot)
Cutting Board
Chef's Knife
Measuring Cups
Measuring Spoons
Mason Jar (or Small Bowl + Whisk)
Large Serving Bowl
Salad Servers (or Spoons to Toss)

Ingredients

Salad Ingredients

4 ears of corn (shucked and silk removed)
water to cook the corn
1 Cup quartered English cucumber (about half of a standard-sized English cucumber)
1 Cup halved cherry (or grape) tomatoes
1 Cup chopped bell pepper (any color, about 1 medium pepper)
2-4 Tablespoons finely diced shallot*
¼ Cup chopped fresh basil
¼ Cup chopped fresh parsley (we prefer curly leaf)
½ Cup crumbled feta cheese

Dressing Ingredients

¼ Cup olive oil
2 Tablespoons red wine vinegar
2 Tablespoons lemon juice (fresh-squeezed preferred)
1 Tablespoon granulated sugar
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon pepper

Instructions

Cook the corn by bringing a large pot of water to a boil. Then turn off the heat and place the shucked and cleaned ears into the hot water. Cover and let the corn cook in the hot water for 10-minutes. Drain and rinse the corn cobs with cold water.
4 ears of corn, water to cook the corn
While the corn is cooking, chop all veggies and herbs and place into a large serving bowl. Add the feta cheese to the bowl as well.
1 Cup quartered English cucumber, 1 Cup halved cherry (or grape) tomatoes, 1 Cup chopped bell pepper, 2-4 Tablespoons finely diced shallot*, ¼ Cup chopped fresh basil, ¼ Cup chopped fresh parsley, ½ Cup crumbled feta cheese
Make the dressing by adding all dressing ingredients into a mason jar (or into a small bowl to whisk). Tightly seal the lid of the jar and shake to combine, then set aside.
¼ Cup olive oil, 2 Tablespoons red wine vinegar, 2 Tablespoons lemon juice, 1 Tablespoon granulated sugar, 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard, 1 teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon pepper
Carefully cut the corn off of the cob (it's helpful to have a flat end set onto a cutting board to do this), and place into the large bowl with the other salad ingredients.
Pour the dressing over the salad ingredients in the large bowl.
Toss to combine, coating all ingredients in dressing and dispersing the ingredients throughout the bowl.
Serve and enjoy!
*If not serving right away, place covered in the fridge until ready to serve.

Video

Notes

*Shallot Note: our family has strong (and varied) feelings on shallots... I recommend using 2 Tablespoons when making this for a crowd as it's a more approachable amount. If you LOVE a lot of punch from the shallots (like my husband), amp it up by using 4 Tablespoons.

Variation Ideas:

Grill the corn instead of cooking it on the stove.
Try different fresh herbs. If desired, try fresh dill in addition to or in place of one of the herbs noted. Alternatively, swap out the basil for cilantro.
Replace the shallots with a different aromatic. A red onion is a great alternative, or you can use green onions if desired (they're not as "punchy" as a shallot or red onion).
Use honey for a refined sugar free dressing. Replace the sugar one-to-one with a light clover honey.
Add chickpeas for a heartier, protein-rich salad.

Serving & Storage Note:

Corn salad taste best within a few hours of preparation. For best results, store in the fridge and serve within 2-3 hours of making it (tossing it before serving). However, you can store leftover corn salad in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Just note that the textures won't be as crunchy and the flavors won't be quite as pronounced the longer it sits.

Nutrition