Fresh Corn Salad
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Capture the essence of summer with this easy, make-ahead fresh corn salad——simply toss it together, and it’s ready to serve whenever you are!
You can never go wrong with simple boiled corn on the cob as a side dish, but the need to cook it right before serving makes it less than ideal for entertaining—unless you relish the idea of sweating over a hot stove indoors while your guests kick back outside sipping summer cocktails. When it comes to corn for a crowd, I prefer to whip up a fresh corn salad. Not only is it best made in advance, but it’s also served at room temperature. Be sure to cook the corn briefly—just a few minutes is all it takes. And consider tossing a few tablespoons of sugar into the cooking water to ensure that the corn is sweet—a little insurance never hurts!
“I brought this salad to a potluck lunch. People kept telling me how wonderful it was and asking how I made it. It made me feel like a star!”
What You’ll Need To Make Fresh Corn Salad
- Fresh Corn: The star of the salad, providing sweetness and crunch. Select ears with bright green husks and moist silk. To check for plump kernels, gently feel through the husk. Store in the fridge with husks on until ready to use. For best results, do not use frozen or canned corn.
- Scallions: Add a milder onion flavor than red onion and a pop of color, enhancing the overall freshness of the salad.
- Vegetable Oil: Forms the base of the dressing, adding moisture and helping to marry the flavors together. You can also use a combination of vegetable oil and extra-virgin olive oil (the flavor of olive oil alone may be too strong).
- White Wine Vinegar: Provides acidity to balance the sweetness of the corn and add brightness to the salad. Mix it up by replacing the vinegar with fresh lemon juice.
- Fresh Basil: Infuses the salad with a fragrant flavor and adds a pretty color contrast. For variations, you could also use fresh mint, fresh cilantro or fresh parsley.
- Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements
Step-by-Step instructions
Begin by bringing a large pot of salted water to a boil. I also usually throw a few tablespoons of sugar into the water to ensure that the corn is sweet (definitely sacrilege with fresh farm-picked corn, but when you buy it at the grocery store you never know how fresh it is).
The key is to barely boil the corn to keep it super crisp — a few minutes is ideal. Refresh the corn under cold water to stop the cooking process.
Place the corn on a clean dish towel set over a cutting board, then use a serrated knife to cut the kernels of the cobs. The dish towel both dries the corn and prevents it from bouncing all over the place.
Try to keep the chunks of corn intact—it looks pretty and shows that you used fresh corn. Use the dish towel to transfer the kernels to a large bowl.
Add the white wine vinegar, vegetable oil, scallions, salt and pepper.
Toss well.
Right before serving, toss in the fresh basil.
Toss well, then transfer to a serving bowl.
Make-Ahead Instructions
Corn salad can be made entirely a day or two ahead of time. Another option is to do all the prep in advance and then put everything together right before serving (but wait to cut the basil to keep it from browning).
Frequently Asked Questions
This is definitely best with fresh corn. That said, frozen will work; just keep in mind that frozen corn won’t have the same crisp texture that fresh does. (You don’t need to cook it prior to adding it to the salad.)
Sure! You can get creative with it. Feel free to add a handful of diced bell peppers or cherry tomatoes for extra color and sweetness. If you’d prefer a salad that incorporates beans, this black bean salad with corn will hit the spot.
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Fresh Corn Salad
Capture the essence of summer with this easy, make-ahead fresh corn salad——simply toss it together, and it’s ready to serve whenever you are!
Ingredients
- 5 ears of corn, shucked
- 2 scallions, white and green parts, finely sliced
- ¼ cup vegetable oil
- 2½ tablespoons white wine vinegar
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- ⅓ cup finely sliced fresh basil leaves
- Sugar, optional
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil (see note). Boil the corn until tender-crisp, 3 to 4 minutes. Do not overcook. Drain the corn and immerse it in very cold water to stop the cooking process. Place the corn on a clean dish towel set over a cutting board, then use a serrated knife to cut the kernels of the cobs. (The dish towel both dries the corn and prevents it from bouncing all over the place.)
- In a large bowl, combine the kernels with the oil, vinegar, scallions, salt, and pepper. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve. Just before serving, toss in the fresh basil. Taste and adjust seasoning, if necessary. If the salad tastes too tart, add a bit more oil; if it tastes bland, add a bit more vinegar or salt and pepper. Try adding a ¼ teaspoon of sugar if the corn isn't as sweet as you'd like. Serve the salad cold or at room temperature.
- Note: When boiling corn on the cob, be sure to add enough salt that the water tastes like the sea. Try adding a few tablespoons of sugar to the water as well -- it will enhance the corn's sweetness.
Pair with
Nutrition Information
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- Calories: 267
- Fat: 14 g
- Saturated fat: 1 g
- Carbohydrates: 38 g
- Sugar: 6 g
- Fiber: 5 g
- Protein: 5 g
- Sodium: 245 mg
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
Gluten-Free Adaptable Note
To the best of my knowledge, all of the ingredients used in this recipe are gluten-free or widely available in gluten-free versions. There is hidden gluten in many foods; if you're following a gluten-free diet or cooking for someone with gluten allergies, always read the labels of your ingredients to verify that they are gluten-free.
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This is easy and delicious!
My family has stopped requesting corn on the cob since I served this. This Corn salad with scallions and basil is the choice. The colors and taste really make a delightful addition to the BBQ table. Actually I always hope for leftovers – I like the day old salad after it has melded all the flavors. Fresh corn is the way to go – but I must admit I have used frozen/canned in a pinch. Didn’t want to disappoint the family!
This is an easy peasy fresh ( or frozen or both) corn recipe that I love!! Made it when company was visiting and it was a hit! I added a can of mixed beans to stretch it and that worked perfectly.
Could you add the nutritional values, please? Would also be helpful if for these if you could include the weight of a serving if values are provided on that basis. Thanks!
Hi Ann, I just added the nutritional information and I suspect each serving should be just shy of 1 cup. Hope that helps!
Had in laws visiting for my daughter wedding shower, we made this one night after having corn on the cob. It was delish! Added a can of mixed beans to make it go farther. Loved the fresh basil, great use of the delicious herb!! Thanks 🙂
Love this side dish. I made it for two potlucks and I’m making it again this weekend for dinner guests. So easy, so delicious. So glad I discovered your blog!
Delicious! Great flavors and a good alternative to corn on the cob.
I had store bought corn on the cob and did not add any sugar but prefer things less sweet and thought the corn was just sweet enough. The corn came out perfectly cooked. Really fresh tasting. Great way to use summer produce.
Hi Jen,
Im having a party on a sunday afternoon and I always prep days in advance. The last thing i want to do is shuck corn before the guests arrive when i have 100 other things to do that day. what would you do? would you shuck the corn a day before, do all the prep work in advance and combine everything a few hours before the guests arrive? I dont wnat this to be too pickled mixing it all the day before and i dont want the shucked corn to get dried out! please need some help!
side note, making a bunch of your other recipes too for the party!
Hi Claire, I think it’s fine to shuck the corn a day in advance and wrap it in plastic wrap or put it in a ziplock bag so it doesn’t dry out. It’s fine to make the salad a day or two ahead, but if you’d prefer, you can do all the prep in advance and throw everything together shortly before everyone arrives. (Wait to cut the basil, though, as it will brown.). Hope the party is great!
I made this recipe last night to go along with the Mexican lasagna recipe and it was delicious. I used Trader Joe’s frozen organic corn since fresh is not in season and it was still amazing. This morning, I added the leftovers to a green salad that my daughter brought to school for lunch. All your recipes make preparing dinner easier and my family is impressed with what is for dinner. Thank you!