Perfect for when corn is in season, this Grilled Corn Salad is an easy summertime side dish. Filled with flavor from grilled corn, there is also a hit of smokiness and heat from chipotle peppers.
I love a good summertime side dish! Some of my other favorites are this Herbed Tomato Salad, this Avocado and Tomato Salad, Korean Cucumber Salad, or one of my very favorites – this Tomato and Basil Bake.
There is nothing like all of the fresh produce that is abundant during during the summer. Especially when corn starts hitting the stands during summer. The corn, tomatoes and zucchini are abundant, and the garden dinners are a regular occurance.
As much as I love corn on the cob, I do like to switch things up, and this Grilled Corn Salad is the perfect way to do that. Especially if you are already grilling up dinner.
Ingredients
- Fresh Corn. Shuck the corn and remove any fibers.
- Red Bell Pepper. You can really use any color, but I think the red peppers are a little sweeter than the green.
- Tomatoes. Either grape or cherry work great here. But if you have some other garden fresh tomatoes, feel free to just chop them up and use them instead!
- Green Onions. Just a little bit of onion flavor is a great addition.
- Chipotle Chile. You are looking for canned chipotle chiles in adobo sauce. You can usually find these with the Mexican food at the grocery store. Remove one of the chiles from the can and mince it. I like to remove the seeds from the chile (before I mince it) to remove some of the heat.
- Lime Juice. Fresh is best!
- Olive Oil. I like to use extra virgin olive oil, but you can use a more neutral oil, like vegetable oil or avocado oil.
- Sugar. This helps to bring out some of the sweetness of the corn.
- Salt. Salt is always important to enhance all of the flavors. You can add this to taste, as well.
- Cumin. This brings in just a bit more smokiness.
How to Make Grilled Corn Salad
STEP 1: Make the dressing in a large bowl by whisking together the lime juice, olive oil, chipotle chile, sugar, salt, and cumin.
STEP 2: Heat a grill, then grill the corn until it is charred, turning as needed. This will take about 15 minutes. Let the corn cool.
STEP 3: Once the corn is cool, cut the kernels from the cobs. I like to do this by placing a small bowl upside down in a large bowl. The take the cob and place the end on the small bowl, using it as a holder for the corn cob. Use a sharp knife to cut the kernels, and the larger bowl catches all of the corn.
STEP 4: Place the corn in the large bowl with the dressing, along with the pepper, tomatoes, and onions. Stir together, then chill for at least 30 minutes.
Tips and Tricks
If you don’t care for the charred corn, you can boil your fresh corn, or even make the salad with frozen corn that has been thawed. If using frozen corn, you’ll need about 2 cups of corn.
Always taste your salad and adjust the salt or other seasonings before serving.
You’ll want to make this at least 30 minutes in advance, but it’s also a good one that can be made even further in advance. I probably wouldn’t make it more than 1 day in advance, though.
More Fresh Corn Recipes
Cheddar Corn Fritters
Mexican Corn Salad
Corn Dip Recipe with Green Chiles
Grilled Corn on the Cob with Smoky Butter
Potato Salad Recipe with Corn and Poblanos
Stuffed Poblano Peppers with Chicken and Corn
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Grilled Corn Salad
Ingredients
- 4 ears corn shucked and cleaned
- 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- 1/2 to 1 canned chipotle chiles minced (seeds removed for less heat)
- 1/4 teaspoon sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/2 cup diced red bell pepper
- 3/4 cup halved cherry or grape tomatoes
- 2 tablespoons thinly sliced green onions
Instructions
- Preheat a grill to medium-high heat.
- Once hot, add the corn and grill until charred, turning occasionally, about 15 minutes. Cool the corn completely.
- In a large bowl, combine the lime juice, olive oil, minced chile, sugar, salt, and cumin. Whisk to combine.
- Cut the kernels from the corn cobs, and add them to the bowl with the dressing. Add the bell pepper, tomatoes, and green onion.
- Mix everything to combine, making sure it is all coated with the dressing.
- Refrigerate 30 minutes before serving.
Thalia @ butter and brioche says
loving the look of these corn salad, definitely perfect for summer!
Colleen says
This looks fabulous – corn is one of my favorite summer foods!
Barbara says
I love your recipe; we make so many things with corn..but never tried it this way. Thanks!
Grace says
i love corn in any preparation, but grilling is a favorite. 🙂
Spryte says
Yum! That looks so good!
MeetaK says
i love corn and this looks really nice and simple. hope you and the baby are doing well? it's been ages since i came around!