This quick Easy Corn Salad recipes uses frozen corn as a shortcut to deliver delicious corn salad flavor in a fraction of the time. Corn, green chilies, green onions, tomatoes, and a creamy, tangy dressing combine to create this summer BBQ favorite!
A fresh corn salad is a delicious addition to nearly any menu, but we sure do love it during the warm summer months, served alongside grilled pork chops, BBQ chicken, and burgers.
This version combines sweet corn, tangy green chilies, sliced green onion, diced tomatoes, and a tangy, creamy dressing to create a super simple but crazy delicious recipe that’s the perfect summer side dish.
This shortcut recipe calls for using frozen corn to make the prep super easy and quick, but I’ve given you the options and measurements below so you can use fresh corn or even canned corn.
How to Make Easy Corn Salad
Make the dressing in a small bowl by combining the mayo, vinegar, salt, pepper, and garlic powder.
In a larger bowl, combine the corn kernels, onions, chilies, and tomatoes. (Be sure to see the note in the recipe if you want to substitute fresh corn or canned corn for the frozen.)
Stir to get everything all combined.
Add the dressing and toss to coat. Place in the refrigerator for about 2 hours to allow all the flavors to blend and get happy together. Served chilled.
Can you eat raw corn?
You’ll notice that the instructions for both the frozen and fresh options for the corn in this recipe don’t call for you to cook it before adding it to the salad. I often get questions about eating raw corn.
The answer is… Absolutely! You can eat raw corn, and it’s a delightful experience, especially when it’s perfectly ripe and at the peak of its season. Fresh, sweet corn has a tender, crunchy texture and a sweet, almost milky taste that many find irresistible. Eating corn raw helps preserve all of its natural flavors and nutrients, including its fiber, vitamins, and minerals.
When choosing corn to eat raw, look for ears with bright green husks and moist, sticky tassels. The kernels should be plump, shiny, and snug in their rows, which indicates freshness and sweetness. Give the corn a good rinse, and it’s ready to enjoy!
Raw corn adds a fantastic texture and sweetness that can elevate the freshness of any dish.
What kind of corn should I use in corn salad?
For corn salad, you want corn that’s sweet, crisp, and bursting with flavor. Fresh, sweet summer corn cut off the cob is your best bet, especially in the peak of its season during the summer months. When you pick fresh corn, look for ears with bright green husks and silk tassels that feel slightly sticky – that’s a sign of freshness! You’ll need the kernels cut off of 4 to 5 ears for this recipe. When choosing a variety of fresh corn, I’d opt for a sweet corn and avoid field corn.
If fresh corn isn’t available, don’t fret. Frozen corn is a solid backup option, and that’s why I’ve included it in this recipe. It’s picked and frozen at the peak of freshness, so it retains much of its sweet flavor and crisp texture. Just thaw it properly and drain it well.
Canned corn can work in a pinch, but it’s not my top choice because it tends to be softer and less crisp. If you do use canned, drain and rinse it well to get rid of the salty brine, which could affect the salad’s overall taste. For this recipe, you’ll need approximately 2 (11-ounce) cans of corn.
How should I store corn salad?
Storing your corn salad in the fridge right after preparation helps keep it fresh. Place it in an airtight container to prevent it from soaking up any unwanted fridge odors and to maintain its crispness.
Generally, a dressed corn salad will stay in good condition for 1 to 3 days when refrigerated. If you want to extend its shelf life, consider keeping the dressing separate and only mix it in when you’re ready to serve. This way, the salad can stay fresh for about 3 to 5 days.
It’s important to rely on your senses to judge if the salad is still good to eat. If it looks wilted, smells off, or has a slimy texture, it’s time to let it go.
By following these simple storage tips, your corn salad can remain a delightful addition to your meals for a few days, ensuring that nothing goes to waste.
Recipe Swaps & Additions
- Once you’ve got the base, you can get a little creative with other flavors. I often like to add smoky bacon, like in this recipe.
- Add flavor and texture by adding cheese! A drier, firm, tangy cheese like feta or blue cheese works great.
- Fresh herbs are a great way to amp up the flavor, too. Chopped cilantro, basil, and parsley all will make delicious additions!
- Veg it up! Add in chopped green bell peppers, red bell peppers, or even cucumbers! Diced avocados are a delicious mix-in, too!
- You can swap the red wine vinegar for white wine vinegar or some fresh lemon juice or lime juice for a flavorful tang.
Recipe Card
Easy Corn Salad
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 3 cups frozen corn, thawed and drained*
- 4 green onions (thinly sliced)
- 1 (4-ounce) can chopped green chilies, drained
- 2 Roma tomatoes (seeded and chopped)
Instructions
- In a small bowl, make the dressing by whisking the mayo, vinegar, salt, pepper, and garlic powder together. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, combine the corn, onions, chilies, and tomatoes. Add the dressing and stir to combine. Refrigerate for an hour or 2 to allow the flavors to develop. Add additional salt and pepper to taste. Served chilled. Store in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
Notes
Nutrition
* If nutritional values are provided, they are an estimate and will vary depending on the brands used. The values do not include optional ingredients or when ingredients are added to taste. If calorie count and other nutritional values are important to you, I recommend grabbing your favorite brands and plugging those ingredients into an online nutritional calculator.
My thoughts from June 6, 2015:
Though the fury seems to be cooling now, I’m sure if you’ve been on any form of social media in the last few weeks, you’ve seen the story of “Chewbacca Mom” and her ride on the fame train.
She’s been on national television, her entire family was awarded college scholarships, and she even got a vacation to Disney World due to her video. Seeing all this, one thing that’s stuck with me is that in each story or video, people constantly talked about her cheerful disposition and love for life.
Watching a video from her trip to Disney World, she ended by saying this… “When you have a heart filled with joy, it will change everything.” “Wow,” I thought. How true! A joy-filled heart really does change everything.
Imagine if we took a more joyful look at things in our own lives. Suddenly, the things we despise most don’t seem so bad. Unloading the dishwasher means I was able to feed my family. Ironing clothes means we have nice things to wear. Dusting means we have a home filled with things that make it cozy.
There is always something in your life that you can be joyous about. Despite your aches and pains, did you wake up today? Be joyous! Despite the scratches and dents, did you have a vehicle to get you to work? Be joyous!
What in your life can you take another look at with a joy-filled heart?
LisaBeth
I make a similar salad using D.M’s Summer Crisp Mexican Style corn with red and green bell peppers. For the dressing I use 50/50 mayo/sour cream and lime juice instead of vinegar, with a little chili powder. Sprinkle crumbled cotija or queso fresco cheese over the top. We call it “mock street corn salad”.
Sounds great!!
Ammie Joseph
I love, love, love the way you cook simple and i love that. I have tried several of your recipes and they wonderful. Keep them coming .
Thank you, Ammie!
Sandra Hurt Norris
I’m using this recipe for our upcoming family reunion. The picture has me licking my chops!
Hope everyone loves it!
Michelle C.
This is soooo good! We have made it 2 days in a row, we used tomatoes out of our garden. This is a great summer side dish and would be great for cookouts and potluck dinners. A big hit here!
Yours is so vibrant and pretty! Glad to hear you’ve enjoyed it!
Carrie
Made this for my bunco group tonight. Lots of compliments.
So glad everyone enjoyed it!
Debbie E
I made it for our family reunion & it was delicious! I used Hellman’s Light Mayo to cut some calories. Made it the night before & off we went the next morning. Thank you for sharing this recipe 😊
So glad everyone enjoyd it!
Brenda Budd
Hoping to make this for a family reunion. Can you make it the night before?
Brenda, I don’t see why not because we are always eating leftovers the next day!
JWood
Super easy salad! It was delicious and is so versatile; you can add your preferences as available. I added cucumber, orange sweet pepper, fresh basil and omitted chili peppers. The dressing is a good balance. Thank you!
So glad to hear you enjoyed it and thanks for sharing how you made it your own!
Sherry
Do you use Miracle Whip or Hellmans Mayonnaise?
I actually prefer Duke’s, but you’ll want to use a mayo, not a salad dressing like Miracle Whip.
Sue
I think some black beans and some bacon would take it over the top.
Sounds GREAT!
Karen Chastain
Very good; roasted the corn and added a half teaspoon of sugar…It really added a lot of depth to the salad!
Yum!
Cynthia Greenfeather
Thanks for the recipe! There don’t seem to be many online of this type. We sometimes eat at a Mennonite buffet, and once they had corn salad, and I couldn’t find a recipe anything like it. They don’t put tomatoes or green chilies in theirs, but I think it had diced green bell peppers in it. Otherwise it looks about the same. Thanks!
Hope you’ll enjoy it!
Diane Cole
Are you not doing the Cooking School at All South anymore?
Hi Diane! Yes, I’m working with them to schedule a few classes this Fall. Hope you can join us!
Rhonda D
Family loved this salad first time I made it. Second time around I added a bit of cumin and fresh from garden cilantro and got the Wow oh my goodness remarks. Had no leftovers for my lunch the next day.
Way to make it your own!! 🙂
Lynn
If using fresh corn should it be cooked first? This looks and sounds delicious!
I prefer it raw in this salad, but you are welcome to steam it if you wish.
Aunt J
Try this one with grilled roasting ears. Oh my!
YUM!!!!!
Sarah
The salad is very good! I didn’t have the can of green chilis so I used some salsa verde instead, which worked out pretty well. I also added a minced red pepper because I had it on hand. Might try an orange pepper next time for color variety.
Sounds great, Sarah!!
Anne
This salad looks so yummy! I can’t wait to try it out 🙂
Hope you’ll enjoy it!!!
Carrie Lowe
Cant wait to make this corn salad it sounds out of this world.
Hope you enjoy it!!
Karl
Dear God, there is fresh corn everywhere. Why would you use canned in this. And nobody wants this in the Winter when you can’t get fresh corn. The only canned thing I’d put in it would be half a dozen diced sweet pickles. And half a dozen cold diced eggs too. Pretty much potato salad with corn as a base. And don’t forget some mustard.
I made it just last weekend with fresh corn, but I often make it this way because my mother made it this way. And I hope that in the future you’ll be a little more thoughtful in the way you comment. This feels super judgmental. I think you certainly could have said the same thing without making it sound so rude.
Sandra
It sounds pretty good to me even with the convenience of canned corn. I agree that comment bordered on rude and thoughtless.
Becca
Wow! I agree with you Stacey! Karl needs to shut the F up! People are too comfortable with being nasty these days!