Southwest Corn Salad
This Southwest Corn Salad recipe with grilled veggies is a great way to use your grill in a creative way. You can quickly create a perfect side dish for dinner! We grill almost every day in the summer. This salad is full of bold, fresh Southwest flavors. You could even dice some chicken or ham and toss it in to make it an easy summertime meal!
The combo of the crispy grilled veggies, with the tanginess of the lime juice and flavor of the cilantro, make this salad recipe a total winner!
What can I do with a can of corn?
Corn is such a versatile vegetable. It doesn’t matter if you have fresh corn, canned corn kernels, or frozen corn, they will all work in this corn salad! In the summer I am always looking for quick easy recipes to serve. After all, who wants to be in the kitchen all day when the sun is shining?
But, even though a recipe is quick and easy it shouldn’t end there. It also has to be good, and this one tastes great. This recipe comes together very quickly. You probably have everything you need in your kitchen already!
Do you have to cook frozen corn for a salad?
Quite simply the answer is yes. The first thing to do is to thaw the corn. It is really very simple. Just place the corn in a large bowl and pour boiling water over the corn. Let it sit on the counter for a while and you will have your corn ready to use.
Next, grill your vegetables over high heat. I like to get some nice grill marks on them but you don’t want them fully cooked and soft. You want them to still have a little crunch to them. Course chop the onion and pepper, and finely dice the jalapeno.
In a large skillet or pan over medium heat, cook the corn, onion, pepper, and jalapeno in canola oil (you could use olive oil if you prefer), stirring only occasionally. Once the corn begins to turn a golden brown add the salt and pepper, cilantro, and lime juice.
Ingredients
- Canola oil
- Frozen corn (or 4-5 ears of fresh corn)
- Red bell pepper
- Jalapeno
- Red onion
- Kosher salt
- Black pepper
- Cilantro
- Lime juice
The great thing about this recipe is that you can add whatever else you like to it. If you want to add black beans for protein, to make it a black bean corn salad, go ahead. If you want to add roasted corn, feel free! You can dress it up with some sliced avocado. I would drizzle the avocados with lime juice to keep them from browning, which would also amp up the flavor.
If you like it spicy add another jalapeno or even a pinch or two of red chili pepper flakes! You can add some more creative things like quinoa. How about serving it with some tortilla chips, much like you would serve guacamole or salsa.
Is corn healthy to eat?
Corn is a healthy vegetable choice! It is rich in fiber and contains plant compounds that may aid in digestion. It may also contribute to eye health. As with everything, corn should be eaten in moderation, especially if you have high blood sugar. Because corn is high in starches it can cause a rise in blood sugar if eaten in excess.
How long does corn salad last in the fridge?
Your corn salad can be stored in your refrigerator for 3-4 days in a covered container. Make sure you don’t add any avocados or other garnishes to it before you put it in the fridge. You may even want to add another 1/2 TBSP of lime juice, that will help to keep it fresh.
That said our Southwest corn salad never lasts that long in our house!
Southwest Corn Salad
Ingredients
- 2 tsp canola oil
- 4 cups frozen corn or 4-5 ears of fresh corn
- 1/2 red bell pepper roasted and large diced
- 2 medium jalapenos roasted and finely diced
- 1/2 medium red onion peeled, roasted and large diced
- 1/2 tsp Kosher salt
- 1/4 tsp fresh ground black pepper
- 3 Tbsp fresh cilantro finely chopped
- 1 Tbsp fresh squeezed lime juice
Instructions
- To thaw the frozen corn put it in a large bowl and pour boiling water on it, let it sit on the counter to thaw.
- Preheat your grill to high.
- Peel the onion, and seed the red pepper
- Grill the onion, red pepper and jalapenos for 5 minutes or until they have nice grill marks. Do not overcook, they should still be firm.
- Large dice the onion and red pepper, seed and finely dice the jalapenos
- Heat the canola oil on medium-high in a large non-stick skillet.
- Drain the corn and add it to the skillet along with the diced onion, diced red pepper, and finely chopped jalapeno.
- Cook stirring only occasionally until the corn is a light golden brown, about 6-8 minutes.
- Remove from the heat, add the salt and pepper (to taste), the finely chopped cilantro and the lime juice, stir to combine.
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