This grilled corn salad with a basil vinaigrette screams fresh! It’s the best summer salad to go alongside anything you barbecue.
I will probably eat this grilled corn salad every single day throughout the summer and not get sick of it. Sometimes I’ll keep it vegetarian and just eat it as is, since the corn makes it filling. Other times, if I’m hosting, I’ll serve it as a part of the bbq buffet. It has classic but wonderful flavors that go along with many different foods. But often I make this salad on a casual weekday and throw in my protein of choice: chicken, shrimp, salmon, steak, you name it!
I decided to use my insanely delicious Basil Vinaigrette for this recipe. I wanted to keep it light, instead of using a creamy dressing. It’s packed with fragrant fresh basil and chives, and blended with shallot, garlic, Dijon mustard, honey, lots of lemon, and oil until emulsified. If you’re vegan, feel free to substitute the honey with agave!
Ingredient Notes:
- Corn on the Cob – If you’re making this when corn isn’t in season, or you can’t get your hands on fresh corn on the cob, you can use canned corn! Just cook in a pan with a little oil over medium-high heat until lightly charred, putting on the lid if the corn begins to pop.
- Cherry Tomatoes – Marinating them is super important, because it adds flavor! If you can’t find cherry tomatoes, grape tomatoes are great as well. If you hate tomatoes, roasted red peppers are a delicious substitute.
- Sunflower Seeds – Buy them already shelled. You can get them toasted, but I usually toast mine myself quickly in a pan over medium heat for about 2 minutes. If you can’t find these, pepitas or pine nuts are wonderful as well.
- Romaine – You can also use green leaf lettuce or baby gems.
- Chives – I love the addition of fresh herbs in a salad. Feel free to substitute parsley or basil instead.
Grilled Corn Salad with a Basil Vinaigrette
Equipment
- 1 Outdoor Grill or Grill Pan
Ingredients
- 1 corn on the cob cleaned
- 18 cherry tomatoes cut in half
- Kosher salt
- Freshly ground black pepper to taste
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 3 tablespoons sunflower seeds toasted
- 10 oz. romaine lettuce about 1 head, cut into 1 inch strips
- Chives cut into 1 inch pieces, to taste
- ½ avocado thinly sliced or diced
- Basil Vinaigrette to taste
Instructions
- If using an outdoor grill, preheat to medium-high heat. If using a grill pan, preheat to medium-high heat.
- Grill corn on all sides until lightly charred. Let cool slightly then shave off the cobb.
- While corn is grilling, in a medium bowl, mix the tomatoes with ½ teaspoon Kosher salt (double this amount if doubling the recipe), freshly ground black pepper, and olive oil. Set aside to marinate.
- In a large bowl, stir together the grilled corn, cherry tomatoes with their juices, sunflower seeds, romaine, chives, avocado, and as much Basil Vinaigrette as you’d like. Season with Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste. Serve and enjoy.
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