This charred corn salad with sun-dried tomatoes and parmesan is a really delicious (and relatively easy!) option for a summer side dish. It’s perfect to bring to a barbecue or a picnic and it can be made in advance and will still stay crisp and delicious.
Charring delicious, fresh corn on a skillet, you also don’t need to go outside to the grill to enjoy this salad.
It also comes together in about 15 minutes and much of that time is inactive, making it a great high-impact yet low-effort side dish for any occasion – be that a party for guests or a simple weeknight dinner.
How to Make a Charred Corn Salad
I highly recommend using fresh corn on the ears for this salad, as the flavour of the corn features to heavily in this dish. It’s a really summery salad, so it’s the perfect side dish to serve in the heat of the warmer months.
However, if you’re making this in the dead of winter and don’t have access to fresh corn, then you can use a bag of frozen corn kernels.
No need to defrost them before adding them to the skillet – but you will probably need to cook it just a bit longer to get the desired char.
Now, if you are using fresh corn- you need to remove the kernels from the cob! The easiest way to do this without the kernels flying everywhere is by inverting a small bowl into a larger bowl.
Stand the corn cob on top of the smaller bowl and run your sharp chef’s knife along the cob to remove the kernels. Hopefully, the majority of them will fall into the bowl and not all over your countertops and floor!
Once you’ve removed the corn kernels, add a bit of oil to a large skillet – I like cast iron for this, but you can use whatever you have. Put the skillet over high heat and once the oil is just smoking, add the corn all at once along with a good pinch of salt.
All the corn to cook and char, stirring only occasionally to ensure proper browning, for about five to eight minutes.
While you’re cooking the corn, you can go ahead and assemble the rest of the salad. The great thing about this salad is that you can simply make the dressing in the same bowl where you toss it in.
So in a large bowl (you can use the bowl that had the corn in it to reduce dishes!), whisk together some lemon juice, dijon mustard, a grated garlic clove and, optionally, a finely minced anchovy fillet.
This just adds a bit of complexity and umami, not any fishy flavour. But you can leave it out if you’d like. It’s very similar to my grapefruit vinaigrette recipe.
Once the corn is done, add it to the bowl with the dressing. Along with the corn, mix in some chopped sun-dried tomatoes, a bit of parsley and fresh basil and some parmesan cheese.
I like to remove it in strips with a vegetable peeler because I enjoy having a decent bit of parm in the salad.
Mix everything to combine, season with a bit of salt and pepper if you think it needs it, and that’s it! You can serve the salad immediately, let it come to room temperature or serve it cold! It’s good any way you choose.
This is yet another great salad to make ahead and bring to a potluck or barbecue – along with the likes of my broccoli salad, pasta salad, red pepper and artichoke salad or my French-style potato salad!
Charred Corn Salad with Sun Dried Tomatoes & Parmesan
Ingredients
- 4 ears corn shucked and kernels removed from cob
- 60 ml (4 tbsp) lemon juice
- 1 tsp dijon mustard
- 1 anchovy fillet finely chopped (optional)
- 1 clove garlic grated or finely minced
- 45 g (⅓ cup) sun dried tomatoes roughly chopped
- 20 g (¼ cup) parmesan cheese shaved with a vegetable peeler
- 2 tbsp flat-leaf parsley finely chopped
- 1 tbsp basil finely chopped
Instructions
- Add 2 tbsp of neutral oil to a large skillet (preferably cast iron). Set over high heat. Once the oil is near smoking, add the corn along with a generous pinch of salt.
- Cook the corn, stirring occasionally, until it begins to turn deep brown and char in parts, about 5-8 minutes.
- Meanwhile, in a large mixing bowl, whisk together the lemon juice, mustard, anchovy fillet and garlic.
- Once the corn is charred, add it to the bowl with the lemon juice mixture. Add the sun-dried tomatoes, parmesan, parsley, basil and a generous grind of pepper. Stir until combined and taste to adjust for seasoning. Serve.
Video
Nutrition
Disclaimer: Nutritional information is automatically generated and provided as guidance only. Accuracy is not guaranteed.
This charred corn salad is super delicious and a real breeze to make. It’s sure to quickly become a summertime favourite.
Are you after a delicious summer salad? Have any questions about this recipe? Let me know in the comments!
