This grilled corn salad is sweet, colorful, and packed with flavor.
Grilled corn salad is packed with lightly charred kernels of corn, cherry tomatoes, crumbled feta cheese, and tossed in a tangy vinaigrette!
This salad can be made with fresh or leftover grilled corn on the cob or even canned or frozen corn.
A Great Way to Enjoy Fresh Summer Corn
- Grilled corn salad is great as a side dish or as a salsa for street tacos and it’s easy to make!
- You can also chop the tomatoes smaller and servce with a side of tortilla chips, or scoop some into tacos! It will be a favorite ‘house’ salad all summer long!
- Light and healthy, grilled corn salad holds up better than lettuce-based salads on a picnic table or at a potluck.
- Make this homemade corn salad recipe up to a day ahead! Just assemble, cover, and chill. Stir and garnish before serving.
Grilled Corn Salad Ingredients
Corn – Corn salad is noted for its slightly charred corn kernels that become sweet and smoky when they’re grilled. We love fresh corn if we have it but canned or frozen corn work too.
Frozen or canned can be tossed with the oil and placed under the broiler until they are just a little charred to get that smoky flavor. Cool completely before using.
Fresh Veggies – Cherry tomatoes and green or red onion add lots of flavor and color. Substitute cherry or grape tomatoes for any variety. Other veggies that will taste great are chopped cucumbers, red bell pepper, or diced avocados, .
Dressing for Corn Salad
The dressing for this salad is quite different than what we use for salsa, pico de Gallo, or even Cowboy Caviar. In this recipe, a simple combination of vinegar and olive oil with some fresh herbs is all that is needed. A splash of lemon juice can be added if you’d like. Season with salt and pepper.
We love white balsamic in this recipe but you can use any light flavored vinegar like white wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar.
If you’d prefer more of a Tex-Mex or Mexican style dressing, swap the vinegar for lime juice and add fresh cilantro and garlic (and a diced jalapeno if you’d like!). Sprinkle with cotija cheese.
How to Make Corn Salad
In this summer corn salad, we skip the heavy creamy dressing and opt for light and fresh.
- Grill corn over medium heat until the kernels are lightly charred.
- Cool completely & remove the kernels from the cobs (as per the recipe below).
- Toss all ingredients, including dressing, into a bowl & let marinate before serving.
- Garnish with sliced scallions or lime wedges.
Storing Grilled Corn Salad
Grilled corn salad tastes better the next day! Store it in a covered container for 3 to 4 days. Stir before serving. Add it to some fish tacos, top it onto crostini, or add it to garlic bread and make bruschetta.
More Corn Side Dish Recipes
- Frito Corn Salad – the perfect potluck dish
- Avocado Corn Salad – bright & fresh
- Black Bean and Corn Salad – so much flavor
Did your family love this Grilled Corn Salad? Leave us a comment and a rating below!
Grilled Corn Salad
Equipment
Ingredients
- 3 cobs corn shucked
- 1 tablespoon olive oil for brushing corn
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes halved
- 1 tablespoon fresh basil or parsley, chopped
- 2 tablespoons diced red onion or 2 green onions, thinly sliced
- ¼ cup feta cheese crumbled
Dressing
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon white balsamic vinegar or white wine vinegar
- salt & pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat grill to medium heat.
- Brush corn with olive oil and grill over medium heat for about 10-12 minutes, turning occasionally. Remove from heat and cool completely.
- Once cooled, place the corn in a bowl or on a cutting board. Use a paring knife to cut the kernels off of the corn running from top to bottom.
- Place the corn in a medium bowl and add all remaining ingredients. Let rest at least 15 minutes before serving.
- Garnish with additional feta cheese and fresh herbs if desired.
Notes
Nutrition Information
Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.
Course Salad, Side Dish
Cuisine American, Mexican© SpendWithPennies.com. Content and photographs are copyright protected. Sharing of this recipe is both encouraged and appreciated. Copying and/or pasting full recipes to any social media is strictly prohibited. Please view my photo use policy here.
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Wonderful! I like cojita cheese better than feta. How much frozen corn do you use if substituting?
Hi Melany, it’s about 2 ¼ cups of frozen corn.
Delish! My only substitute was fresh lime juice rather than balsalmic…just my taste preference.
Thanks.
You’re welcome Betsy, hope you enjoyed it!