Sweet Corn and Tomato Salad
Corn and tomato salad is one of the best summer and early fall recipes to make when the market and your garden are overflowing with sweet corn on the cob, fresh tomatoes, and basil.
This version is a “Panzanella-style” salad with chunks of toasted crusty bread to soak up the flavors in the simple balsamic dressing. Tangy red onion, crumbled goat cheese, and salty pistachios tie everything together.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- It’s the most delicious way to use fresh corn and tomatoes from the farmers’ market.
- It’s fast and easy to make.
- It’s a light, healthy, but surprisingly filling vegetarian dinner.
Recipe Ingredients
Here are the main ingredients needed to make this corn and tomato salad. Substitutions and variations are in the section below.
Be sure to check out the recipe card below for the complete list of ingredients with measurements.
Corn. Fresh corn on the cob is a must for this salad. Choose fresh corn with bright green, still-moist, and tightly wrapped husks. Buy corn on the cob no more than one day before using it. The natural sugars quickly turn starchy as corn ages.
Tomatoes. Use the freshest, ripest tomatoes you can find. Any variety from Roma to Beefsteak, to cherry or grape tomatoes will work. Heirloom tomatoes will provide beautiful color.
Basil. Use as much fresh basil as you like.
Bread. I love whole-grain sourdough, but any hearty, bakery-style, hearty bread will do. I don’t recommend sliced sandwich bread because it’s too thin and soft and will become mushy quickly.
Substitutions and Variations
- Feel free to substitute feta or fresh mozzarella for the goat cheese. If you have marinated bocconcini (mini mozzarella balls), it would be a delicious addition to this salad.
- If you don’t have fresh basil, add a generous spoonful of pesto to the dressing. I don’t recommend dried basil.
- For a lower-carb option, skip the toasted bread.
- For a Southwest flavor variation, use cilantro instead of basil, and add a can of black beans instead of the bread. See my jicama salad recipe for a zesty, Southwest dressing variation.
Step-By-Step Instructions
1. Prep your ingredients. Grill the corn and bread and let it cool. Slice the red onion into very thin rings. Cut the basil into thin strips, and chop the pistachios. Set everything aside.
2. Make the dressing. Combine the olive oil, vinegar, mustard, salt, and pepper in a small jar or bowl. Shake or whisk well to combine. Set this aside.
3. Cut the corn off of the cob. Place one end of the cob on a cutting board and use a chef’s knife to cut down each side of the cob, rotating the cob as you finish. Place the corn in a large mixing bowl.
4. Core and cut the tomatoes. Using a sharp paring knife, remove the center core. Cut the tomatoes into bite-sized pieces (about one inch) and place them in the mixing bowl. Season the tomatoes with salt and pepper and let them sit for about 10 minutes.
5. Combine the tomatoes, corn, and onion. Toss lightly and pour the dressing over the vegetables.
6. Add the bread. Toss the bread with the corn, tomatoes, and onion. Coat everything with the dressing. Let this rest in the refrigerator for about 15 minutes so the bread soaks up the dressing.
7. Add the shredded basil, pistachios, and crumbled goat cheese before serving. Serve the salad as is or on top of a layer of baby green lettuce
Expert Tips
- This salad is all about fresh, seasonal produce, so the fresher your ingredients, the better it will taste. Don’t try to substitute frozen corn or winter tomatoes.
- Season the tomato chunks with salt and pepper and let them sit for about 10 minutes to draw out some of their juice. Don’t drain the liquid. The tomatoes will be so flavorful, and the juice released from the tomatoes enhances the dressing.
- Assemble this salad 15-20 minutes before serving to give the bread time to absorb the dressing and tomato juices. If you make it too far ahead, the bread will get too soggy.
- I recommend adding the goat cheese, basil, and pistachios just before serving to avoid the cheese from melting into the dressing, the basil from darkening, and the nuts from softening.
How to Eat This Corn and Tomato Salad
Serve this fresh, seasonal salad on a bed of baby green lettuce and enjoy it as a light vegetarian dinner. Or pair it with these recipes and serve it as a side salad:
- Pistachio crusted salmon
- Grilled jerk chicken
- Chicken tzatziki
- Caprese stuffed Portobello mushrooms
- Raspberry oatmeal bars or lemon olive oil cake for dessert
Recipe FAQs
You can prep your ingredients, but don’t assemble the salad until 15-20 minutes before serving. To prep this, grill and cut the corn, toast and cube the bread, cut the tomatoes and combine them with the red onion, and make the dressing. Season the tomatoes, let them sit, and then combine the ingredients about 15 minutes before serving.
This salad tastes best served within about two hours of making it. Once you combine the ingredients, everything will start to soften.
Corn on the cob is sweetest and most tender within a day or two of buying it. If you don’t plan to use it right away, don’t remove the husks. Wrap each piece in a damp paper towel, place it in a plastic grocery bag, and store it in the refrigerator. Stored this way, your corn should stay sweet and tender for several days.
Related Summer Salads
Try these other easy summer salads when you need something delicious for dinner or to share at a cookout.
Love this recipe? Please leave a 5-star rating on the recipe card below & a review in the comments section further down the page.
Sweet Corn and Tomato Salad
Ingredients
- 2 ears corn on the cob
- 2 thick slices whole grain bread bakery-style
- 1 pound tomatoes ripe
- 1/4 teaspoon salt or to taste
- 1/8 teaspoon ground pepper
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
- 1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 1/4 cup thin-sliced red onion
- 1/4 cup lightly packed fresh basil leaves cut into thin strips
- 2 ounces goat cheese crumbled
- 2 tablespoons shelled pistachios chopped
- 2 cups baby lettuce optional
Instructions
- Heat the grill to medium-high heat.
- Grill the corn for about eight minutes or until it has light grill marks. Turn the corn after about four minutes so it cooks evenly. Grill the bread for 30-45 seconds on each side until it has grill marks. Let the corn and bread cool.
- Core the tomatoes, leaving as much flesh as possible. Cut the tomatoes into bite-sized chunks (about 1-inch pieces). Place them in a mixing bowl and sprinkle them with half the salt and pepper. Let them sit for about 10 minutes.
- While the tomatoes rest, make the dressing. Combine the oil, vinegar, mustard, minced garlic, and remaining salt and pepper in a small jar. Whisk or shake well to combine. Set this aside.
- Cut the corn from the cob and place it in the mixing bowl. Cut the bread into chunks and add it to the bowl. Add the sliced onions to the bowl. Mix or shake the dressing again and pour it over the salad. Toss well.
- Let the salad sit for 10-15 minutes in the refrigerator so the bread can absorb the dressing and the flavors can blend. Add fresh basil, goat cheese, and pistachios and toss well before serving.
- Serve the salad as is, or on top of baby lettuce.
