This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.
This corn salad is the side dish that disappears first at the cookout table every single time. Golden corn, crumbled feta, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, and a honey herb dressing made with three fresh herbs. I have never once brought this bowl home.
I started making this for backyard cookouts and pool days when I needed something fresh that could sit next to burgers, grilled chicken, or sandwiches without feeling too heavy. My family loves the sweet corn paired with the salty feta and fresh herbs, and I love that I can throw it together quickly with ingredients I usually already have during corn season.
Most corn salad recipes lean creamy, spicy, or Tex-Mex. This one is lighter and brighter. The dressing is honey, fresh lime juice, red wine vinegar, and three fresh herbs, and it hits a sweet-tangy balance that keeps the corn front and center.
I also tested this with both fresh corn on the cob and thawed frozen corn. Honestly? Both worked great with no meaningful difference in flavor or texture. You can make this any time of year.
If you love corn all summer long, my Grilled Corn on the Cob and Elote Mexican Street Corn are two more I keep coming back to.
Key Ingredients
- Corn: Fresh corn on the cob is great when it is in season. Look for ears with silks that still seem moist. That said, I tested this recipe with thawed frozen corn and the results were just as good. No meaningful difference in flavor or texture, which means you can make this any time of year.
- Feta cheese: Crumbled feta is what holds this whole bowl together. It adds a creamy, salty bite that balances the bright, tangy dressing. Do not skip it or swap it for something mild. That contrast between the sweet corn and the salty feta is the whole point.
- Fresh lime juice: The lime juice, along with the red wine vinegar, is what makes the dressing taste alive. Bottled works in a pinch, but fresh gives you more zip and brightness in the final bowl.
- Honey: The honey adds a little sweetness and rounds out the acidity from the vinegar and lime. It also incorporates smoothly into the dressing when you whisk it properly. Whisk until the honey is fully dissolved before pouring it over the salad.
- Fresh herbs (parsley, basil, and dill): These three herbs are what make this salad smell and taste like summer. Together they bring a flavor you cannot get from dried herbs or from using just one. Do not skip the herbs. They are not garnish. They are doing real work here.
- English cucumber: English cucumbers have thin skin and small seeds, so you do not need to peel them. The crunch they bring to every bite keeps the texture interesting throughout the whole bowl. Mini cucumbers are a good swap if that is what you have.
How to Make Corn Salad
1. Cook the corn. Fill a 5-6 quart stockpot about two-thirds full with water and bring it to a boil over high heat. Add the 4 shucked ears of corn and boil for 5 minutes. Remove them from the pot and rinse under cold water until cool enough to handle. If you are using thawed frozen corn, skip this step entirely. The corn does not need to be cooked.
2. Cut the corn kernels. Once the ears of corn are completely cooled, stand each one upright over a large bowl and cut the kernels off the cob directly into the bowl. Let the corn cool fully before moving on.
3. Add the vegetables. Add the chopped English cucumber, quartered cherry tomatoes, finely diced red onion, and crumbled feta to the bowl with the corn. Give it a gentle toss to combine.
4. Make the dressing. In a small mixing bowl, add the 4 tablespoons olive oil, 3 tablespoons honey, 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar, 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice, chopped parsley, chopped basil, chopped dill, kosher salt, and black pepper. Whisk vigorously until everything is completely combined.
5. Dress and serve. Pour the dressing over the salad and toss to coat everything. Serve immediately.
How to Store
Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Give it a toss before serving since the dressing will settle. The vegetables will soften slightly after the first day, so this salad is at its best fresh.
Do not freeze this salad. Fresh vegetables and feta do not hold up after freezing and thawing.
What to Serve With
I bring this to practically every cookout. It goes alongside everything you would grill or smoke, and it holds up well if it sits out for a bit before people dig in.
My Smoked Baked Beans are always on the table at the same time as this salad. Grilled chicken, burgers, pulled pork sandwiches, and grilled fish all work great alongside it.
More Summer Salad Recipes You May Enjoy
If you love easy side dishes for cookouts and summer gatherings, these are a few more favorites worth making.
My Mexican Pasta Salad is a crowd favorite that travels well. My Creamy Pasta Salad is the classic everyone goes back for seconds on. And if you want even more ideas, check out my roundup of 20 Summer Salad Recipes.
Easy Corn Salad
Ingredients
Salad:
- 4 ears corn on the cob shucked and silks removed (or 3 ½ cups frozen sweet corn, thawed)
- 1 chopped English cucumber
- 1¼ cup quartered cherry tomatoes
- ¼ cup + 2 tablespoons finely diced red onion
- ½ cup crumbled feta cheese
Dressing:
- 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 3 tablespoons honey
- 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon fresh cracked black pepper
Instructions
- Fill a 5 – 6 quart stockpot ⅔ with water and heat on high. Once the water begins to boil, carefully add the ears of corn and boil for 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and rinse the ears under cold water. (If you are using thawed frozen corn, you can skip this step. You will not need to cook the thawed corn)4 ears corn on the cob
- Once the ears of corn are cooled, cut the corn off the cob and add to a large mixing bowl.
- Add the chopped cucumber, quartered tomatoes, diced red onion and crumbled feta cheese.1 chopped English cucumber, 1¼ cup quartered cherry tomatoes , ¼ cup + 2 tablespoons finely diced red onion, ½ cup crumbled feta cheese
- Add the olive oil, honey, red wine vinegar, lime juice, parsley, basil, dill, kosher salt and cracked black pepper to a small mixing bowl. Whisk to completely combine.4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil , 3 tablespoons honey, 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar, 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice, 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley, 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil, 1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill, ½ teaspoon kosher salt, ½ teaspoon fresh cracked black pepper
- Pour the dressing over the salad and toss to combine. Serve immediately.
Jenn’s Notes
- You can use fresh cooked corn, grilled corn on the cob, or thawed frozen corn for this recipe.
- For even more zing, you can add 1 tablespoon of lime zest to the dressing.
- You can substitute halved grape tomatoes for the quartered cherry tomatoes. You can even substitute the colorful medley tomatoes (red, yellow and orange cherry tomatoes)
- You can substitute chopped mini cucumbers for the English cucumbers. The mini cucumbers have small seeds compared the large salad cucumbers.
- You can substitute lemon juice for the lime juice. You can also substitute bottled for the fresh juices, although fresh adds that extra zip of flavor.
