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About This Recipe
Beautiful, bright, healthy, and delicious, this Rainbow Corn Salad is one of my favorite healthy summer recipes!
But seriously! This salad is a great way to get your veggies in and is perfect to bring to a cookout. Fresh corn, tomatoes, red onion, and bell pepper…there’s so much in there! I love it paired with a turkey burger, chicken sandwich, or some grilled balsamic chicken.
Instead of serving it as a side, you can also add protein directly to the salad itself to build a complete meal. Add some salsa verde chicken, chopped grilled chicken or plain rotisserie chicken. It’s yummy on top of a huge salad, too!
If you’re looking for more refreshing summer salads be sure to check out my go-to tomato cucumber salad, healthy broccoli salad and street corn pasta salad!
Why You’ll Love This Rainbow Corn Salad
- Made with lots of fresh veggies!
- Brought to life with a slightly tangy, slightly sweet flavor-packed dressing.
- Quick and easy to prepare!
- Literally the PERFECT summer side dish.
- Less than 100 calories per serving
- Dairy free, gluten free and can easily be made vegan
- Corn – I used corn on the cob. Frozen or canned work too!
- Bell pepper – Any color works. I used an orange one to keep with the rainbow theme.
- Onion – I used a red onion, but you could sub for a yellow onion, too.
- Mayo – I used light mayo. I like the taste of mayo in this but if you prefer you could use greek yogurt or sour cream.
- Tomatoes – cherry and grape tomatoes hold up best, but you could definitely use Roma tomatoes too.
- Olive oil – or avocado oil.
- Red wine vinegar
- Lime
- Basil
- Seasonings – Grab some salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning!
How To Make
The full printable recipe is below, but let me walk you through the process so you know what to expect when you’re making it!
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or spray with cooking spray. Shuck the corn and add to the baking sheet.
2. Roast for about 25 minutes.
3. Let cool. Then, slice the kernels off.
4. Whisk together the mayo, olive oil, vinegar, and lime juice.
5. Add the corn, diced pepper, onion, tomatoes, basil, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper to a bowl.
6. Add the dressing and toss together well. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed.
Store leftover corn salad in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days.
Tips for Best Corn Salad:
- Use fresh vegetables. Because this is a chilled salad, the fresher the vegetables, the fresher this salad is going to taste. Save skeptical looking fruits and vegetables for a recipe where we’re cooking or baking with them.
- Use a vegetable chopper to finely dice the red onion and bell pepper. I don’t know the magic behind it but the smaller they are the better this salad tastes. Not to mention it saves time!
- Grill your corn. I’m all about connivence and use frozen and canned corn for this recipe plenty! But of course when we take the extra step and grill the corn it’s gonna be elite! If I’m cooking for a crowd i’ll usually take this extra step.
- Let chill. This is one of those salads that tastes BEST once the flavors have had time to come together! Ideally, let corn salad chill in fridge for a minimum of a few hours, up to 1-2 days.
Can I use frozen corn?
I LOVE fresh corn with this recipe since it is the star of the dish! But frozen corn works too, just make sure to defrost before using to remove any excess water. You could also use canned.
Can I cook the corn in a different way than roasting?
Grilled corn would be delicious for a nice charred touch! To do this, grease grill grates and preheat to medium-high heat. Cook for 10-15 minutes turning every couple of minutes.
Another option is boiling in salt water.
Can I make this vegan?
You can easily make this vegan by completely omitting the mayo or using a vegan friendly mayo.
Can I add cheese?
Yes, I love adding some crumbled feta cheese to this rainbow corn salad. Cotija cheese would also be perfect!
Can I make this healthy corn salad in advance?
You definitely can and I actually think it tastes better if it’s been made in advance since the flavors have had time to meld together more! Go ahead and make completely 1-2 days in advance. Wrap tightly with saran wrap or store in an airtight container.
If it makes it easier, you can also prepare in parts by going ahead and cooking and shucking the corn (if using ears) and cutting the pepper and red onion.
Did you make this? If you snap a photo, please be sure leave a review, tag me on Instagram or TikTok at @LaurenFitFoodie or hashtag #LaurenFitFoodie so I can see your creations!
Rainbow Corn Salad (Dairy-Free)
Ingredients
- 4 ears of corn shucked, or 2.5 cups (300g) canned or frozen*
- 1 orange bell pepper (130g) finely diced
- 1/2 medium red onion (120g) finely diced
- 2 cups cherry tomatoes halved
- 2 Tbsp light mayo (30g) Greek yogurt or sour cream
- 1 Tbsp olive oil (15g)
- 1 Tbsp red wine vinegar (15g)
- 1 lime (20g) juiced
- 1/2 cup basil chopped
- 1/2 Tbsp Italian seasoning
- Pinch of salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste
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Instructions
- To roast corn: Preheat oven to 350℉. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and add ears of corn. Roast for 25 minutes. To grill corn: Preheat a grill (or grill pan) to medium-high heat. Brush the corn with olive oil and grill for 2 minutes per side, or until charred to liking. Let corn cool, then slice the kernels off. If using frozen, defrost before using.
- To a large bowl, add the mayo, olive oil, vinegar, and lime juice. Whisk together.
- Then add the rest of the ingredients- the corn, bell pepper, red onion, tomatoes, basil, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper. Toss everything together well.
- Taste and add more salt, pepper, Italian seasoning, mayo or lime juice as needed. For best results, cover and chill for a few hours before serving.
Equipment
Video
Notes
Tips for best corn salad:
- Use fresh vegetables. Because this is a chilled salad, the fresher the vegetables, the fresher this salad is going to taste. Save skeptical looking fruits and vegetables for a recipe where we’re cooking or baking with them.
- Use a vegetable chopper to finely dice the red onion and bell pepper. I don’t know the magic behind it but the smaller they are the better this salad tastes. Not to mention it saves time!
- Grill your corn. Y’all know i’m all about connivence and use frozen and canned corn for this recipe plenty. But of course when we take the extra step and grill the corn it’s gonna be elite! If I’m cooking for a crowd i’ll usually take this extra step.
- Let chill. This is one of those salads that tastes BEST once the flavors have had time to come together! Ideally, let corn salad chill in fridge for a minimum of a few hours, up to 1-2 days.
Nutrition Information
Nutrition is hand-calculated and accurate. No autocalulations! However, note that values can vary based on the brands you use and if you substitute ingredients.
