Make grilled corn salad with fresh herbs this summer! With veggies and herbs growing in abundance, you need a fresh, herbed, cool summer corn salad to add to any meal. Easy to put together with optional cheese, this corn salad is flavorful and perfect for a warm day.
In truth, I’m not a corn lover by nature. Corn on the cob sticks in my teeth too much, and canned or frozen corn just doesn’t do it for me.
But, I’ve recently discovered that organic, locally grown or homegrown sweet corn tastes amazing! Mixing it up in this tasty summer corn salad with other fresh-grown garden vegetables is the tastiest way to eat it.
Grilled Corn Salad with Fresh Herbs
This grilled corn salad is my favorite way to eat corn. With radishes, cucumber, and fresh herbs, this salad is a flavor sensation even if corn isn’t quite your favorite food. Trust!
Ingredients
The fresh herbs are key here, and while I think the combination of mint, basil, and chives works really well, there are many other herbs you could use with similar results.
Sweet Corn: Either homegrown or from the market, I recommend organic for the best taste!
Cucumber: Homegrown or market-bought, any variety you have access to will taste great.
Radishes: I love the crunch and tiny bit of spice radishes add to this summer corn salad, it can’t be beaten.
Jalapeño: This is an optional ingredient, I personally prefer it but if you want it less spicy it is fine to omit. It can also be replaced with sweet bell peppers.
Fresh Mint
Fresh Basil
Fresh Chives
Fresh Lime: For juicing.
Extra Virgin Olive Oil: I like this organic olive oil, but you can substitute it with another light oil of your choice if preferred.
Salt
Pepper
How to Make Grilled Corn Salad
First, peel the corn down to a single layer of husk and soak them in water for at least 10 minutes.
While the corn soaks get the BBQ started because this is a grilled corn salad, baby!
Once the BBQ is hot, put the soaked corn on the grill.
Give it a turn every 4-5 minutes until it is nice and charred on all sides.
Let the corn cool until it is able to handled, then peel off the remaining husks and cut off the stem of the corn to make a flat base. Use a large chef’s knife to easily cut off all corn kernels.
To make this task easier, stand the corn upright on its flat base and slice it downwards.
As the corn kernels cool, gather the rest of the ingredients for the salad. Add the corn kernels, cucumber, radishes, and optional jalapeño to the bowl.
Add the fresh herbs to the bowl with the vegetables.
Squeeze in the juice from one lime.
Then drizzle the olive oil into the bowl.
Finally, add salt and pepper to taste.
Now, mix it all together and it’s ready to serve!
When you have fresh garden vegetables you really don’t need anything more for an amazing, lively, and bright flavor.
Summer Corn Salad Variations
An optional but super delicious addition is to top this fresh grilled corn salad with feta cheese or chèvre.
The one great thing about this recipe is that there is an unlimited number of variations on the same theme depending on what veggies and/or fruits you happen to have on hand.
Minced sweet bell pepper works nicely instead of the jalapeños or radishes, for example. I recently made this with corn, tomato, avocado, nectarine, and the same fresh herbs. It was really tasty!
Be creative and use what you have growing in your garden, what you get in your CSA veggie box, or what you can buy at the farmer’s market.
Store leftovers in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 to 5 days.
More Summer Garden Recipes
- Dilly Beans for Canning
- Fresh Peach Pie
- Roasted Cherry Tomato Sauce
- No Sugar Peach Jam
- Fermented Jalapeño Hot Sauce
Grilled Corn Salad with Fresh Herbs
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 ears organic sweet corn
- 1 small cucumber diced
- 3-4 radishes diced
- 1 jalapeno minced (optional)
- 2 Tbsp fresh mint minced
- 2 Tbsp fresh basil minced
- 1 Tbsp fresh chives minced
- 1 lime juiced
- 1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp pepper
Instructions
- Peel the corn so that one single layer of husk is remaining. Soak the corn in water for 10 minutes.
- While the corn is soaking, heat the grill.
- Place the corn on the grill. Cook the corn, turning every 4-5 minutes, until it is charred on all sides.
- Let the corn cool until it is able to be handled then peel the remaining husk and cut off the stem of the corn to make a flat base. Stand the corn upright on the flat base and use a large chef's knife to slice off the kernels.
- Add the corn kernels, cucumber, radishes, and optional jalapeno into a large bowl
- Add the fresh herbs, lime juice, olive oil, salt, and pepper. Mix together and serve.
Notes
- Minced sweet bell pepper works nicely instead of the jalapeños or radishes.
- Try it with tomatoes, avocados, and nectarine (with the corn, of course), using the same fresh herbs.
- Feta or goat cheese are other delicious topping options.
Yum! I love grilled corn.. The first time my hubby saw me cut corn off the cob he couldn’t understand what on earth I was doing, but in my family everyone does it lol – he continues to eat it off the cob.;)