Charred Corn Salad
Are you hosting a backyard barbecue? Are you looking for a quick side for dinner? This Charred Corn Salad is the perfect way to enjoy Summer corn at its best and brightest, and it is the side dish you didn’t know you needed! As a busy Mom with a busy family, even Summer does not slow things down. If you’re busy like me, I’m sure you’re in search of an easy recipe like this one. Let’s get cooking!
I love seasonal cooking and letting what I make each week ebb and flow along with whatever fresh fruits and vegetables are in season. A grilled corn salad like this does a great job of showcasing what’s in season at the moment!
If you’ve had my broccoli recipe on the site before, you know I like a good charred veggie!
This salad is actually a great way to use up any leftover corn on the cob you may have from a cookout!
You’ll love this with baked beans, burgers, and chocolate cake. The perfect Summer spread!
Ingredients For An Amazing Corn Salad
This salad is full of fresh ingredients and flavors. The recipe card has a full list of what you’ll need for this dish, but I wanted to highlight a few of them here.
Fresh Corn- You can use whatever fresh corn you can find at the grocery store or roadside stand. I prefer yellow corn for this recipe, it lends a really nice color contrast.
Queso Fresco- This milky and slightly tangy crumbling cheese from Mexico has a nice mild flavor!
Cherry Tomatoes- Before cutting them, make sure to discard any that are soft or feel squishy or have brown or black spots.
How To Pick Fresh Corn
Whether it’s fresh from your garden, CSA box, or a morning market run, corn is versatile. It can take you from savory to sweet, and sometimes straddling the line between both. It’s important to know what to look for when buying fresh corn, and I wanted to give you some tips!
husks
First, look at the husks. They should be green and sit tight around the corn cob. If the husks are loose or feel dry or are starting to brown, the corn has been sitting around a while and is likely old!
weight
Feel the weight of an ear of corn in your hand. It should have a little heft to it for its size. The heavier it feels, the juicier it is. If it feels light, the kernels are probably a bit dried out due to age.
silk
Take a look at the corn silk. It should not be dark brown or black which indicates it is on the older side, but white, light yellow or light brown colored silk means the corn was picked pretty recently which is what you want.
kernels
Don’t husk the corn to look at the kernels! Instead, pull back a little bit of husk at the top to take a tiny peek at what’s inside to avoid removing husks. The kernels should be plump and smooth, not shriveled.
Amy’s Tips For Making The Best Charred Corn Salad
I can’t leave you without any tips and tricks! These suggestions will set you up for success and make this easy recipe even easier!
As I said before, this salad is a great use for any extra ears of grilled corn you have, but you can also grill the corn in advance. You don’t have to do it the same day you make the salad.
Wait to cut the cherry tomatoes and chop the cilantro until you assemble the salad if you decide to grill the corn in advance.
Want a little heat? Dice up a jalapeno or two and toss those in!
If you want extra zing, zest the limes and add the zest to the dressing along with the juice!
Grill the corn. Cut the kernels from the ears. Add to a bowl.
Chop the cilantro. Slice the cherry tomatoes. Break the queso fresco into crumbles. Add the ingredients to the salad.
Add dressing ingredients to the blender cup. Blend dressing until smooth.
Charring Corn Without Using A Grill
Grilling the corn brings out its natural sweetness and adds a smoky depth that pairs beautifully with the other elements in this salad. I’m sure you may be wondering how to make charred corn on the stove, and I’m going to tell you how!
You’ll need a cast iron skillet (don’t add any oil) set to medium high heat. Add your ears of corn, being careful not to overcrowd the pan (you may have to do only one or two at a time).
Cook on all sides until they get a nice char!
Seasonal cooking doesn’t have to be complicated! All you need to do is start with what’s fresh and let the ingredients do the talking.
If this recipe inspired you, I’d love to have you join my email list. You’ll get more fresh from-scratch recipes, tips for using your farmers market finds, and a little seasonal inspiration delivered straight to your inbox! Happy Cooking!
Grilled Corn Salad
Take your Summer corn to the next level with this easy to make Charred Corn Salad! It is fresh, smoky, and tossed with a tangy dressing you’ll crave all season long.
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 6 Servings 1x
Ingredients
4 ears of Fresh Corn
1 Pint of Cherry Tomatoes
1 cup of chopped Cilantro
4 ounces of crumbled Queso Fresco cheese ( about 1/2 cup)
Juice of 2 Limes
1/4 cup of Avocado Oil
1 1/2 teaspoons of Salt
1/4 teaspoon of Black Pepper
1 1/4 teaspoons of Cumin
1 Tablespoon of Honey
Instructions
- If you are grilling the corn, heat up your charcoal or gas grill.
- Remove the husks from the ears of corn.
- Grill the corn for a minute or two on all sides until some of the kernels are a dark golden brown.
- If you are using a skillet, heat a cast iron skillet on medium high and brown the ears on all sides, the same you would do if you were grilling the corn.
- Once the corn is charred, cut the kernels from the ears using a sharp knife, staying as close to the cob as possible as you cut.
- Add the cut corn to a bowl.
- Slice the pint of cherry tomatoes in half and add to the bowl with the corn.
- Chop the cilantro until you have one cup (does not have to be exact) and crumble the queso fresco until you have half a cup.
- Add the cheese and the cilantro to the bowl with the corn and tomatoes.
- Make the dressing. In a large cup, combine the juice from 2 limes, 1/4 cup of avocado oil, 1 1/2 teaspoons of salt, 1/4 teaspoon of pepper, 1 1/4 teaspoons of cumin, and 1 Tablespoon of honey and use an immersion blender to blend until smooth.
- Pour the dressing over the salad ingredients and stir well to combine. Now its ready to serve at your next Summer gathering. Enjoy!
Notes
You can grill the corn in advance and refrigerate it for a couple of days until ready to use if needed.
If you don’t care for cilantro, you can swap it for basil.
Feta can be used in place of queso fresco.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Sides and Salads
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 260
- Sugar: 12 g
- Sodium: 743.2 mg
- Fat: 15.1 g
- Carbohydrates: 30.2 g
- Protein: 7.4 g
- Cholesterol: 13 mg
