Summer is all about the sweet corn, and the smell of the husks as you pull them off the cob brings back so many childhood memories.

Fresh sweet corn is so sweet and juicy when it’s freshly picked. My mind immediately jumped to the grocery store when I saw that fresh sweet corn was on sale this week, so I grabbed a few and made this super simple salad that is perfect for summer.

This recipe is very versatile, and I have a couple modifications for you below that can be used to make it more flavorful and satisfying.

It has a medley of colorful vegetables, a little pasta to bulk it out, and a fantastic lemon vinaigrette.

Apronese recommend you this dish, because it is really delicious and especially easy to make, if you have time, try it.

Make it Pasta-Free

This vegetarian salad is packed with vegetables such as bell peppers, carrots, cucumbers, and onions.

While I added pasta to mine for bulk, as I said earlier, you could totally make this vegetarian salad without pasta! Just double your vegetables, drizzle that lemon vinaigrette over top, and you’re good to go.

Make It a Meal by Adding Protein

This salad is simply delicious, and I recommend you dress it up or take it as a main dish instead of serving it as a side dish.

It’s a light, fresh dish that pairs really well with any “lighter” meats, such as chicken, salmon, shrimp, or rotisseries, while it’s also great for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

Raw Corn Is Safe to Eat?

The raw sweet corn is soooo sweet, crisp, and juicy; it’s an absolute delight that accentuates the sweet avocado in this salad and creates a sweet counterpoint to the tangy vinaigrette. It makes this salad an absolute feast to eat.

It would be better if you had fresh sweet corn on hand instead of frozen corn, but it is still 100x better to use fresh corn, so, if that is not possible, I would suggest you use frozen corn.

Avocados Don’t Turn Black, Do They?

The salad looked great after four days in the refrigerator, and I did not notice any change in the appearance of the avocado chunks.

On day two, there was no obvious difference in the appearance of the avocado chunks.

They started to look gray on day four, but by that time, they had stayed fresh. Lemon vinaigrette is an excellent addition to salads because it prevents the color change caused by oxidation.

Sweet Corn Salad: What to Serve with It

You can serve this salad alongside Quick BBQ Chicken, Cilantro Lime Chicken, Garlic Butter Baked Cod, Baked Spicy Chicken Sandwiches, Marinated Portobello Burgers, or BBQ Cheddar Baked Chicken.

Close up of a bowl of Summer Sweet Corn Salad with a wooden spoon in the middle

Salad of Sweet Corn in Summer

In this light and fresh Summer Sweet Corn Salad, colorful summer vegetables are combined with summer avocado, pasta shells, and a homemade lemon vinaigrette to create a delightful combination.

Author: Beth

Prep Time: 15 mins/ Cook Time: 15 mins/ Total Time: 30 mins

Servings: 8 (1 cup each)

Ingredients

Lemon Vinaigrette

  • 1 fresh lemon ($0.89)
  • 1/4 tsp dried basil ($0.03)
  • 1 tsp Dijon mustard ($0.04)
  • 1/4 cup olive oil ($0.64)
  • 1/8 tsp salt ($0.02)
  • 1/8 tsp pepper ($0.02)
  • 1/4 cup chopped parsley ($0.20)

Salad

  • 2 cobs sweet corn ($0.80)
  • 8 oz pasta shells ($0.63)
  • 1 avocado ($0.89)
  • 1 pint grape tomatoes ($2.50)
  • 2/3 lb zucchini ($0.89)
  • 1/4 cup diced red onion ($0.11)

Instructions

  • There will be 2 tablespoons of lemon juice and 1 12 tablespoons of lemon zest necessary to prepare the vinaigrette. Combine the lemon juice, lemon zest, olive oil, basil, dijon, salt, pepper, and chopped parsley in a bowl or jar. Mix the vinegar, lemon juice, basil, Dijon, salt, pepper, and parsley in a bowl or jar. Whisk it until it combines, and then set it aside.
  • During the boiling process, add two large pinches of salt to the pasta water and add it to the water. When the pasta is ready, add the pasta to the water. Continue to boil for about seven minutes, then drain in a colander and rinse again with cool water. Let the pasta drain well after rinsing it briefly with cool water.
  • Preparation of the other vegetables while the pasta is cooking. Slicing the corn kernels and halving the grape tomatoes, dicing the zucchini, finely dicing the onion, and dicing the avocado while the pasta is cooking and draining.
  • The pasta should be drained well and cooled before combining it with the cooked vegetables and drizzling in the dressing. Stir the dressing until the pasta and vegetables are evenly coated. When the pasta is cooled, add it to the large bowl with the vegetables and toss well.

You can add more or less of each vegetable if you want. If you would like, you can adjust the amount of each vegetable.

Nutritional

Serving: 1 cup ・ Calories: 255.84 kcal ・ Carbohydrates: 35.68 g ・ Protein: 5.95 g ・ Fat: 11.54 g ・ Sodium: 68.91 mg ・ Fiber: 4.28 g

The nutritional values shown here are only estimates. Please see our nutrition disclaimer.

Salad with Summer Sweet Corn: How to Make It – Step by Step Photos

A zested and juiced lemon on a cutting board
The lemon juice and zest will be enough for you to fill a bowl. You will need 2 Tbsp of juice and 1/2 Tbsp of zest.
Lemon Dressing in a jar
Using 1/4 cup olive oil, 2 tablespoons of lemon juice, 1/2 tablespoon lemon zest, 1/4 tablespoon dried basil, 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon pepper, and 1/4 cup chopped parsley, you are ready to make the lemon vinaigrette.

It would be best to mix the ingredients together in a bowl, or to combine them in a jar and shake until they are combined. You can do this in a bowl by whisking them together, or you could mix it up in a jar.
draining shell pasta in a metal colander
The pasta should be cooked in a large pot of water that has been brought to a boil before it is added to the pot.

After the pasta has boiled for a couple of minutes, add the salt, and the 8 oz. shells.

Continue to boil the pasta for about seven minutes, or until the pasta is tender.

Then drain the pasta in a colander and rinse it with cold water. Make sure the pasta is well drained.
Cutting corn off the cob
During the time that the pasta is cooking and draining, prepare the rest of the vegetables. Cut the kernels off two cobs of sweet corn.

I like the put the end of the cob in a bowl so that the kernels fall right off the cob into the bowl instead of getting rid of them all over the kitchen and killing everybody with those these kernels.
Chopped vegetables on the cutting board
Approximately 2/3 lbs of zucchini should also be diced, 1 pint of grape tomatoes should be sliced into half, one avocado should be diced and 1/4 cup of red onion finely diced.
Dressing being poured over the salad ingredients in the bowl
In a large bowl, combine the pasta, corn, zucchini, tomatoes, red onion, and avocado with the pre-drained, cooled pasta.

Pour the dressing over the pasta in the bowl, then mix well until everything is thoroughly combined with the dressing.
Seasoning the salad with a pinch of salt
Then, add a tiny pinch of sea salt on top, if you want.

I want to add a little bit of crystallized salt to the surface of the pasta and vegetables for a little creamy texture and an added pop of flavor.
Overhead view of a serving bowl of summer sweet corn salad with a wooden spoon on the side

Well, this is all that Apronese wants to introduce to you today. A refreshing summer treat from sweet corn that is delicious and flavorful.

The above recipe can vary depending on you and your family, it is not necessary to follow it completely. Remember to let us know the results you made with