This is the most flavorful corn salad recipe I’ve ever made! We love the sweet crunch of the corn with the tangy lime juice and briny feta cheese!
I’ve fallen hard for this corn salad recipe. You’ll use fresh, raw corn to make it, which makes it quick and simple to prepare. Plus, the fresh corn stays crisp and sweet in the salad. It’s seriously delicious. I’ve served this salad to friends on a few occasions, and everyone is always amazed at how good it is. I also love this corn and black bean salad.
This salad is pretty much the epitome of summer salads! It’s perfect for your next cookout and would be amazing served next to our super tender ribs, these mouthwatering carnitas, and even my favorite bean burgers!
Key Ingredients
- Corn: When we originally shared this recipe, many of our readers didn’t know that you can eat raw corn. I’m here to tell you that you can and that it’s incredible! Try fresh corn in this recipe, and you’ll never look back. If you are not sure about raw corn, use grilled, boiled, or quickly sautéed corn, instead.
- Bell pepper and green onion: Add color and fresh flavor.
- Tarragon: I use a little fresh tarragon in this salad, which is delicious with the lime juice. If you have a hard time finding it, leave it out (there isn’t really anything similar to the flavor of fresh tarragon).
- Feta cheese: I use crumbled feta cheese in this recipe, which I love. However, you can try cotija cheese for more of a Mexican corn salad.
- Lime: Fresh lime juice is the base of our easy salad dressing. It’s zippy and wonderful with the sweet corn.
- Sour cream: Adds a little creaminess (I only use 1 tablespoon). You can substitute mayonnaise or plain yogurt.
Find the full recipe with measurements below.
Tips for Making Our Favorite Corn Salad
Tip 1: Use raw corn. We love using fresh raw corn this recipe. It’s so fresh and crisp. If you aren’t sure, substitute with boiled or grilled corn (like in our grilled avocado guacamole).
To remove corn kernels from the cob, use a corn kernel remover or stripper, or do what I do: hold the corn ear upright and carefully cut down with a sharp knife, allowing the kernels to fall away from the cob. Be sure to watch our video to watch me do it.
Tip 2: Add extra flavor and crunch. In addition to corn, we include red bell pepper, which adds sweetness and color, sliced green onion, and fresh tarragon. The tarragon brings a unique and delightful flavor that complements feta cheese and lime juice.
Tip 3: Don’t skip the sour cream. We only use 1 tablespoon of sour cream in the salad, but it helps the dressing adhere to the corn. You can leave it out for a dairy-free or vegan option, but I must admit they genuinely enhance the flavor of the salad. If you don’t have sour cream, Greek yogurt or mayo are possible substitutes.
Tip 4: Add crumbled cheese. This salad is loosely inspired by Mexican street corn salad, but instead of cotija cheese, we find feta works a bit better with the other flavors in this particular salad. I love crumbling the cheese into tiny bits so that every bite includes some feta (as opposed to keeping it in larger chunks like in Greek salad).
Tip 5: Let your salad sit. For the best flavor, I recommend allowing it to sit in the fridge for an hour or two before serving. This time allows the flavors to marinate, resulting in an even more delicious salad. It will also last a few days when stored in an airtight container in the fridge, making this a perfect summer make-ahead side dish!
More Side Salads
The Best Corn Salad
- PREP
- TOTAL
This easy corn salad recipe is a family favorite. This salad is crunchy, sweet, tangy, and just a little bit creamy. We love it! Once you’ve made the salad, refrigerate until ready to eat. Letting this salad sit in the fridge for a bit gives the ingredients time to mingle, making it taste even better.
Watch Us Make the Recipe
You Will Need
3 medium ears corn, kernels cut off the cobs, 1 ½ cups
Half large red bell pepper, finely chopped, 1/2 cup
3 green onions, thinly sliced, 1/2 cup
1 tablespoon chopped fresh tarragon
2 ounces (60g) crumbled feta cheese, 1/3 cup
1/4 cup (60ml) fresh lime juice, 2 medium limes
1 tablespoon sour cream
1 tablespoon olive oil
3/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
4 turns on a pepper grinder
Directions
1In a large bowl, add the salad ingredients. Gently toss them together, being careful not to bruise the herbs or smash the corn.
2Once combined, let the salad sit for about an hour to marinate. The flavors will come together during this time, making the salad taste even better.
3When ready to serve, give the salad another gentle toss and enjoy. Keep the corn salad in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three days.
Adam and Joanne's Tips
- Sour cream: One tablespoon of sour cream in the salad helps the dressing stick to the corn, resulting in a game-changing combination. If you don’t have sour cream, Greek yogurt or mayonnaise are possible substitutes.
- Storing: Fresh corn salad lasts up to 3 days when stored in an air-tight container in the fridge, making this a perfect summer make-ahead salad! I do not recommend freezing this salad.
- What to serve it with: Enjoy this easy corn salad as a side or topping (like salsa). It’s excellent added to tacos, rice bowls, and burritos. It’s also a perfect side dish and works well with grilled meats and veggies. I love it next to grilled steak and chicken. It’s also lovely with Cajun shrimp, baked salmon, and this grilled swordfish with coriander and lime.
- The nutrition facts provided below are estimates.
This is SO good! I make a double batch because it’s so popular and it’s great to have some leftover.
Ok… I LOVE this salad! Last minute decision to use the corn on the cob a different way. I cut the recipe in half, tasted it and went back to make the full recipe! Thanks for the new idea!
It was a huge hit! Typically my group prefers to go straight southern corn with tomatoes, and bacon if it’s a fact dinner. This is a keeper. And absolutely gets better by the hour. Keeping this one on rotation!
I made your fresh corn salad for the 4th of July and everyone loved it! I followed the recipe as written. At first I was concerned about the tarragon, as it has a very distinct flavor, but after letting the salad marinate for a couple of hours in the refrigerator, the flavors blended and mellowed and it tasted so good! Thank you for sharing this recipe!
So delicious with fresh corn and peppers from the farmer’s market! Love the crunch and fresh flavors. Thank you!
We do too! Glad you loved the recipe 🙂
Absolutely delicious! I didn’t have tarragon so I added some chopped cilantro instead. A huge hit at Thanksgiving dinner last night. Both my mom and nephew asked for the recipe and my food snob nephew asked that I leave the leftovers for him to finish off. I will be making this frequently!
This corn salad is AMAZING! I saw it six weeks before an annual dinner with friends and went to the garden center and bought a small French Tarragon plant because you said it was the best. By the time the dinner came around the plant was big enough for a double recipe. I’ll be keeping French Tarragon in my herb garden from now on. I’m going to make a big bowl of this to take to my CSA annual pumpkin pick and potluck. Usually, we print out recipe cards for folks but I’m just going to a larger one crediting Adam and JoAnne InspiredTaste.net THANKS FOR YOUR GREAT RECIPES!!!
You are so welcome! 🙂
I had my doubts but tried it anyway…this is delicious! Made it without the tarragon because I couldn’t find it in store. Had to stop myself from eating the entire bowl. Highly recommended!
3 words…fan-fu$%ing tastic! Fresh, tangy, surprising and delish. Thank you.Everyone loved it.
I could eat this till it comes out of my ears! I get corn fresh out of the field during the season, and I grow French tarragon and green onions. The fresh lime dressing – oh, goodness! I’ve been making this through the summer, and could never get tired of it. Thank you a million times for this recipe!