Fresh Corn Salad Recipe with Blue Cheese and Tomatoes - Plain Everything (2024)

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This fresh corn salad is healthy and flavorful! It’s the perfect side dish for BBQs or picnics and makes a great topping for grilled fish or chicken!
Fresh Corn Salad Recipe with Blue Cheese and Tomatoes - Plain Everything (1)

Corn season is almost here, and I’ll be at the farmer’s market bright and early every weekend stocking up! There’s nothing quite like sweet, summer corn, and my fresh corn salad is my favorite way to eat it!

If you’ve never tried raw corn, trust me it’s delicious! It’s crisp, sweet, and perfect for salads, but it must be in season and as fresh as you can get it. The first time I tried it, it was at my local farmer’s market. For a few short weeks, they have super sweet corn and encourage you to sample it raw. It was a game-changer for me, and I’ve been eating it that way ever since. If you can’t get fresh corn, frozen will do. Put it in a strainer until it’s thawed, but don’t cook it.

This salad has no mayonnaise, which makes it perfect for outside get-togethers. Bring it to your next BBQ or tailgate gathering, and watch it disappear. It’s a guaranteed crowd-pleaser!

Peak corn season is July through September!

The ingredients are simple, and the dish takes about 15 minutes from start to finish! Serve it as a side dish alongside grilled meat or fish, add some protein to make it a meal, or serve it up as a dip with crunchy tortilla chips.
Fresh Corn Salad Recipe with Blue Cheese and Tomatoes - Plain Everything (2)

Tips for making the best fresh corn salad:

To make this salad even quicker,use a small chopper like this to prep your veggies. A small chopper is a kitchen necessity.

One ear of corn yields approximately 3/4 cup kernels, so you may need to adjust the recipe accordingly depending on the size of your corn.

The beauty of this salad is that it’s so versatile. Try adding avocado, jicama, different herbs, fresh spinach or kale, radish, peppers, olives, or jalapeno to change it up.

If you want to make it ahead of time, wait until just before serving to stir in the basil and tomatoes. The taste and texture of tomatoes goes downhill in the refrigerator.

If you prefer, you can blanch the corn first by trimming the kernels off the cobs, dropping them into boiling water for 90 seconds, draining, and plunging them right into an ice bath to stop the cooking. Most people blanch the whole cob, but trying to handle them hot seems silly to me. This is easier – and safer.

Fresh Corn Salad Recipe with Blue Cheese and Tomatoes - Plain Everything (3)

In a large bowl, stir together the corn kernels, tomatoes, carrots, and green onion.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the apple cider vinegar, olive oil, garlic, salt, and pepper.

Drizzle the dressing over the corn mixture, add the blue cheese crumbles and basil, and stir.

Fresh Corn Salad Recipe with Blue Cheese and Tomatoes - Plain Everything (4)

Taste and adjust the seasonings.If you prefer to make this in advance, hold off on adding the tomatoes and basil until just before serving. I actually prefer this salad at room temperature!

If you can get your hands on some fresh sprouts, sprinkle a few on top for an extra pop of crunch and nutrition! I tried sunflower sprouts for the first time last year, and now I’m obsessed!

Fresh Corn Salad Recipe with Blue Cheese and Tomatoes - Plain Everything (5)

Serve this with:

  • Copycat Chick-Fil-A Nuggets
  • Nashville Hot Chicken Tacos
  • Beef Barbacoa (like Chipotle)

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Fresh Corn Salad Recipe with Blue Cheese and Tomatoes - Plain Everything (6)

Fresh corn is the star in this light, healthy, flavorful salad! It's a perfect side dish for BBQs, tailgate parties, or picnics - or you eat it straight out of the bowl!

Print This Recipe

Prep Time: 15 minutes mins

Servings: 4

Ingredients

  • 3 cups fresh corn kernels
  • 1 cup quartered cherry tomatoes
  • 1/4 cup finely chopped carrots
  • 1 green onion thinly sliced
  • 3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 garlic clove minced
  • 1/4 cup blue cheese crumbles
  • 8 basil leaves thinly sliced
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon pepper

Instructions

  • In a large bowl, stir together the corn kernels, tomatoes, carrots, and green onion.

  • In a separate bowl, whisk together the apple cider vinegar, olive oil, garlic, salt, and pepper.

  • Drizzle the dressing over the corn mixture, add the blue cheese crumbles and basil, and stir.

  • Taste and adjust the seasonings.

Notes

One ear of corn yields approximately 3/4 cup kernels, so you may nee dot adjust the recipe accordingly depending on the size of your corn.

The beauty of this salads it at it's so versatile. Try adding avocado, jicama, different herbs, fresh spinach or kale, radish, peppers, olives, or jalapeno to change it up.

If you want to make it ahead of time, wait until just before serving to stir in the basil and tomatoes. I don't love the texture of tomatoes once they've been refrigerated, but that's just a personal preference.

If you prefer, you can blanch it first by trimming the kernels off the cobs, dropping them into boiling water for 90 seconds, draining, and plunging them right into an ice bath to stop the cooking. Most people blanch the whole cob but trying to handle them hot seems silly to me. This is easier – and safer.

Fresh Corn Salad Recipe with Blue Cheese and Tomatoes - Plain Everything (7)

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Fresh Corn Salad Recipe with Blue Cheese and Tomatoes - Plain Everything (2024)

FAQs

How to make a salad better? ›

How to Make a Salad You'll Actually Want to Eat
  1. 1: Think Beyond Lettuce and Greens.
  2. 2: Add Heft with Grains and Nuts.
  3. 3: Add Beans or Other Proteins.
  4. 4: Make Your Own Homemade Salad Dressing.
  5. 5: Make it a Flavor Party.
Jan 18, 2024

Can you eat raw corn in a salad? ›

"Most raw corn is found in salads and relishes, but you can add some to a smoothie to give it a unique sweetness," notes Tiner. Marz adds that raw corn is often used in salads, soups, salsas, dressings, or even as garnish for savory dishes. "It's sometimes even used in ice cream," she says.

How to make salads taste good at home? ›

Do This to Make Restaurant-Quality Salads at Home
  1. Use the freshest ingredients. Pre-bagged salads may make life easier, but they taste kind of blah. ...
  2. Choose the right lettuce. ...
  3. Add some crunch. ...
  4. Add color. ...
  5. Include protein. ...
  6. Give it some bulk. ...
  7. Mix sweet with savory. ...
  8. Add herbs.
Jun 27, 2023

What is the key to a good salad? ›

The secret to a good salad
  • Be gentle with lettuce. Balsamic dressing. ...
  • Serve up perfect avocado. Forget lemon juice or cold water – the only way to stop an avocado going brown in a salad is to peel and chop them right before serving. ...
  • Say goodbye to onion tears. ...
  • Adore your dressing. ...
  • Sprinkle in some protein.

What does fresh corn salad do for you? ›

Corn is high in carotenoids: Carotenoids are antioxidants in the vitamin-A family that eliminate free radicals from the body and help our cells stay strong and healthy. Corn is especially high in beta-cryptoxanthin, which could be particularly depleted if you're regularly exposed to cigarette smoke.

Does fresh corn have to be cooked? ›

You can cook corn in several ways, including grilling, roasting, steaming and boiling, and doing so brings out the natural sweetness of the corn. But you can also eat raw corn on the cob — and it is every bit as sweet as the cooked variety and retains more of the nutrients.

Why can't i eat raw corn? ›

Raw corn, straight off the cob, is perfectly healthy and ok to eat. Kids on the farm usually like eating young corn like that. If you decide to eat corn this way, make sure that it is young - you will be surprised at how sweet, tender and almost milky it is.

What can I add to my salad to make it nicer? ›

Seeds and nuts are a great salad topper. They add delicious crunch to a salad, and can be roasted with spices for extra flavour. Popular choices are almonds, sunflower seeds, pepitas, pine nuts and peanuts. Make a seed and nut mix that you can keep in a jar ready to toss into your next salad.

How can I jazz up my salad? ›

7 Ways to Spice Up Your Boring Salad
  1. 1) Get Creative with Dressings. Salad dressings can really make or break a salad. ...
  2. 2) Top It Off With Something Crunchy. ...
  3. 3) Throw in Some Fruit. ...
  4. 4) Mix in Some Grains. ...
  5. 5) Experiment with Different Proteins. ...
  6. 6) Try Some Different Veggies. ...
  7. 7) Add Some Cheese. ...
  8. The Bottom Line.
Feb 21, 2023

How do you make a salad not to be boring? ›

  1. Tip #1: don't be afraid to mix textures, temperatures, vegetables and fruits! When it comes to salads, mixing is key. ...
  2. Tip #2: the final garnish is the difference between a good and a great salad! Examples? ...
  3. Tip 3: seasoning, seasoning, seasoning! Use anything your heart desires. ...
  4. Tip 4: make your salads unique!

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