Fresh Summer Corn Salad: A Simple Lowcountry Side Dish Recipe
From Scratch: Golden Harvest
Story + Photography by Alea Wilkins
Corn on the cob is almost as essential to summer meals as a pitcher of iced tea. Sweet, starchy and delicately earthy, it’s the seasonal vegetable that’s just as good plain as it is slathered in butter. In this salad LOCAL Life publisher Lori Goodridge-Cribb pairs locally grown corn with ripe tomatoes, red onion and fresh basil for a bowl built around summer’s bounty. A light dressing of basil-infused olive oil and white balsamic vinegar enhances its natural flavors, and when served with dinners hot off the grill, it’s a refreshing, colorful side that’s as beautiful as it is delicious.
Summer corn salad
In this salad LOCAL Life publisher Lori Goodridge-Cribb pairs locally grown corn with ripe tomatoes, red onion and fresh basil for a bowl built around summer’s bounty. A light dressing of basil-infused olive oil and white balsamic vinegar enhances its natural flavors, and when served with dinners hot off the grill, it’s a refreshing, colorful side that’s as beautiful as it is delicious.
Ingredients
- 8 ears sweet corn
- 1/2 red onion thinly sliced
- 2 cups grape tomatoes halved
- 1 bunch fresh basil chopped
- 3 tablespoons basil extra virgin olive oil from Hilton Head Olive Oils & Balsamics
- 3 tablespoons lemon cucumber white balsamic vinegar from Hilton Head Olive Oils & Balsamics
- Salt to taste
- Black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add corn and cook for 3 minutes. Immediately place in an ice bath to stop the cooking process.
- Cut corn off the cob. Slice red onion, tomatoes and basil. Mix together in a large bowl.
- Dress with olive oil, vinegar, salt and pepper to taste. Lori recommends serving with rosé from Rollers Wine & Spirits.
Video
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
A quick blanch brings out sweet corn’s golden yellow hue while maintaining its fresh snap. To Lori, it’s an extra step that makes all the difference in achieving a crisp, colorful bite. 
A quick pass with a sharp knife transforms sweet summer corn into the foundation of this colorful salad. Removing the kernels after blanching helps preserve their crisp texture while capturing the peak sweetness.
