Corn salad is a summer staple at my house. A simple recipe bursting with color and fresh flavors, this is a great side salad that compliments a variety of main dishes for backyard barbecues, pool parties and picnics. Not only is it delicious but it’s beautiful array of colors, like a shower of confetti, makes it so much fun! More importantly, it can sit out for hours without spoiling. Which are you digging into on a hot summer day: this corn salad or your aunt’s famous mayonnaise-dense tuna casserole?
Corn salad – an excellent make-ahead recipe
One of the great things about salads like these is they can be made ahead of time and stored in the fridge in an airtight container for a day or two. Just keep the dressing separate and add it just before serving because no one likes a mushy corn salad.
Introducing the Ingredients:
Each of the ingredients in this recipe has a signature flavor that in concert, creates a zesty, memorable dish. The inherent sweetness of the corn is intensified by sautéing the kernels in a pan. No, you will not get a pan full of popcorn (I tried). The sugars in the corn caramelize, adding extra depth to the dish.
Mango provides a citrusy sweet/tart flavor burst giving the salad extra heft with a fun flavor.
Avocado offers balance with a creaminess offsetting the bite of the red onion.
Red bell pepper, the sweetest of the bell peppers, adds a beautiful, lively crimson burst to the color palate.
The cilantro has a complex and pungent green herb-y flavor that I think enhances all the flavors of this corn salad recipe. If you’re not a cilantro fan then I’ve got you covered. Parsley or basil are a good stand-in but I heartily recommend trying it with the cilantro first.
Finally, the salad rests under the umbrella of the lime vinaigrette giving the corn salad a wonderful zingy burst with a bit of heat from the pinch of cayenne pepper.
I hope you enjoy this healthy and tasty recipe. Share it with friends and family far and wide. Most important, have fun with it!
The Perfect Corn Confetti Salad With Lime Vinaigrette
Equipment
- skillet
Ingredients
- 3 ears corn shucked and kernels cut off the cob
- 1 mango peeled and chopped medium (about 1 cup)
- 1 avocado diced
- 1 small red bell pepper chopped medium, about 1 cup
- 1 small red onion chopped medium fine, about 3/4 cup
- 2 tbsp cilantro chopped ***see note
Dressing:
- 1 lime juiced
- 1 tbsp red wine vinegar
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper (optional)
Instructions
- Cut the kernels off the cobs of corn. Heat up a skillet and add 1 tbsp olive oil. Add the corn and saute until lightly brown about 5 minutes. Cool in a medium bowl.
- Add avocado, red bell pepper, mango, red onion and cilantro to the cooled corn.
- Make the dressing: add the lime juice, red wine vinegar, olive oil, and 1/4 tsp, 1/2 tsp ground black pepper and cayenne pepper to a bowl. Whisk until emulsified.
- Add the dressing to the corn and mix the salad. Taste and add more salt if desired.
- ***Note: if you don't like cilantro, you can substitute either basil or parsley.
