This easy roasted corn salad recipe will remind you of your favorite Mexican sweet corn. Full of summer flavor, creamy cheese, and roasted corn…served warm OR cold, this is an easy recipe your whole family will love this summer!
In the summer, I love finding a side dish for grilled burgers and hot dogs that I can make up ahead of time, put into the fridge, and pull out when it’s time to eat. I want the side salad to be full of fresh summer flavor, be light, and make my family and friends want more.
This summer corn salad is a favorite. First, anything with fresh sweet corn is automatically going to be a crowd pleaser. You just can’t tire of sweet corn in the summer. SOOO Good!
Second, this corn salad can be served warm or cold. Which means it is fantastic for all sorts of occasions. I make this on a Friday night for Nate and I to have hot, with chips and beer. Or on Sunday when we go for a picnic with family. I’ll add tomato and avocado to it to stretch the recipe further, and serve it for family parties.
Being the oldest of 10, knowing how to stretch recipes is a must!! Parties are always at my house and, regardless of how great people are at bringing food to share (which they really are!), parties are on the spendy side. Stretching recipes has been a needed skill!
Try grilling extra ears of corn for this salad the next time you are making fresh sweet corn on the grill. You’ll love the smoky flavor of the grilled corn in this recipe! To use the grilled corn in the corn salad, you’ll simply add the grilled corn to the skillet after roasting the garlic, to heat. So, skip the whole part about putting the corn in the skillet until it’s roasted. You already did that on the grill. You’ll save yourself some time AND the grilled corn will make the flavor even more amazing, if that is even possible :)
But, to be honest, frozen corn works great for this recipe and means you can make this corn salad in the dead of a Minnesota winter.
I’m telling you guys, Minnesota winters are brutal and I need ALL the fresh summer flavors I can find!
I think this recipe is best with sliced radishes in it. But, I’ll be honest and say I don’t often have radishes on hand. This salad is still so good. And my kids prefer it without the radishes, anyways.
Try with and without the radishes and tell me what you think.
Try this corn salad for your next grilling session and let me know what you think and how you tweak it for your family. And, of course, use #NBRecipeChallenge if you make it…we want to see and feature you!
easy Roasted Corn Salad
Ingredients
- 4 large ears of corn or 3 cups frozen corn
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 cloves of garlic minced
- 3 radishes cut in halves, and then sliced thinly–optional
- ½ cup chives or green onion thinly sliced
- 1 jalapeno diced
- ½ teaspoon cumin
- ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- ¼ teaspoon smoked paprika can be omitted if needed
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- ½ cup sour cream
- Juice of 1 lime
- ¼ cup cilantro chopped
- 1 10 ounce package queso fresco
Instructions
- Shuck corn and remove kernels from cob, if using fresh corn. If frozen, don’t thaw first.
- Add oil to a cast iron skillet, heat over high heat.
- Add corn to skillet, stirring occasionally.
- In a small bowl, add mayo, sour cream, and seasonings. Stir until well mixed.
- Crumble cheese and add 3/4 of the package to the dressing mixture.
- When corn begins to brown, continue to heat on medium heat while stirring frequently, about 6 minutes total or until corn is roasted, add garlic and cook for 1 minute.
- Add corn to a mixing bowl, and stir in dressing while corn is still hot. Stir until corn is coated and cheese is starting to melt.
- Add radishes, chives, green onions, and jalapeno to salad and stir gently.
- Serve hot or chill and serve cold.
Notes
Nutrition
Other delicious summer salad recipes you should try:
I know you are totally freaking about this combo but guys, I’m telling you that this cold summer salad is SOOO easy and absolutely delicious. You’ll be hooked!
Instead of potatoes, you use cauliflower and it is seriously AS GOOD. Maybe even better than you traditional potato salad.
I’m not joking…read the comments on this one and you’ll be sold.
A classic. So easy, delicious, and fresh. Humble summer ingredients are combined to make this delicious summer salad!
