Fresh corn and tomato salad in a bowl.

August 1, 2022

• Salads

Fresh Corn and Tomato Salad

Raw corn kernels sliced straight off the cob are the base of this fresh corn and tomato salad. The corn and tomatoes marinate in a garlicky white wine vinaigrette.
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Raw corn kernels sliced straight off the cob are the base of this fresh corn and tomato salad. With only 10-ingredients, the corn and tomatoes marinate in a garlicky white wine vinaigrette.

Fresh corn and tomato salad in a bowl.

Corn and tomatoes are two of the best parts of summer. And when there are so many things to get excited about this time of the year that says a lot. Since corn and tomatoes are perfect right now, you can skip cooking completely and stay cool.

In this corn and tomato salad, I keep everything raw and rely on a marinade/dressing. A simple garlic vinaigrette is all you need to bring this 10-ingredient recipe together and call it a salad. It will spend more time marinating that you will actually prepping it. Done and done.

Knife on cutting board with ear of corn and knife.

Can You Really Eat Raw Corn?

As much as I love corn grilled, it’s so good raw too. Sometimes the less prep, the better! Raw corn kernels are more crisp and juicy than cooked ones. If you decide to do it this way, it’s essential that you find the freshest corn possible considering you don’t have the taste of the smoky char from the grill.

To slice corn off the cob, just use a sharp chef’s knife and a cutting board. The blade will take the kernels right off. You can buy a gadget that’s sole purpose is to strip ears of corn, but I think a knife that’s already in your drawer does the job, so no need to buy another kitchen tool.

Tips for Buying Corn

Look for tightly wrapped husks. They help the kernels retain their moisture and stay fresh. Avoid corn where other shoppers have peeled back the tops of the husks because the corn dries out faster.

Touch the silk at the end. It should be a little bit damp.

Buy an extra ear or two. You can never have too much corn. At least I don’t think so! They can be your insurance policy just in case you get to your kitchen and you end up with a less than perfect ear.

The Ingredients

Ingredients including tomatoes, corn, scallions, parsley, olive oil, and vinegar.

This is what you need:

  • Corn: You have to use fresh sweet corn. Do not substitute with canned corn. The salad won’t have the same texture and crispness.
  • Tomatoes: Small tomatoes like cherry or grape are the best ones to use. If you only have big tomatoes, dice them, but be aware that then the salad will have more liquid from the tomato flesh.
  • Scallions are probably my favorite salad onion because they basically act like green onions and fresh herbs. Finely minced red onions are a good substitute.
  • Parsley: Along with the scallions, I add herby chopped parsley.
  • Olive oil: Use your best extra virgin olive oil.
  • White wine vinegar is the basis of the vinaigrette. You can also use red wine vinegar or champagne vinegar. Keep it light!
  • Garlic: A single minced clove gives the salad enough garlic flavor.
  • Red pepper flakes: Just a pinch adds a touch of subtle heat.
  • Salt & pepper season the overall salad and enhance all the ingredients.

Optional Additions

  • Leafy greens: Baby arugula, spinach and chopped romaine are all fantastic in this salad. Just wait to add them until right when you are about to serve the salad, so they don’t get soggy.
  • Avocado: It’s pretty impossible not to think about avocado when you pair tomatoes and corn together. So dice an avocado and stir it in too.
  • Cucumbers: Diced cucumbers are always good with tomatoes and corn in a salad.
  • Walnuts: Looking for more to crunch on? Stir in some chopped toasted walnuts.

Variations

Swap out the parsley and white wine vinegar and use cilantro and lime juice instead. For this more Tex-Mex version, avocados seem like an absolute must. Also throw in a minced jalapeños and red bell peppers.

How To Make A This Fresh Corn and Tomato Salad

1. Make the vinaigrette. Combine the olive oil, vinegar, garlic, salt and pepper in a bowl that’s big enough to hold the entire salad.

2. Stir in the corn, tomatoes and the white parts of the scallions. Marinate the salad for 30 minutes.

Make the vinaigrette in a large bowl. Then stor in the tomatoes and corn.

3. Add the scallions greens and parsley.

4. Stir the salad together.

Add the scallions and parsley to the tomatoes and corn. Stir everything together.

Serving

You can serve this corn tomato salad recipe on its own as is, but don’t hesitate to add greens to go more salad than side dish. it is wonderful for a picnic or a potluck. Another option is to spoon the tomatoes and corn over grilled or roasted chicken or fish. Then you are treating it like a summer sauce or salsa-type topping for a protein.

Leftovers

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator up to 3 days. The scallion greens and parsley may lose some of their freshness, so slice or chop more and stir them in before serving.

Close-up of tomato corn salad on a plate.

More Fresh Tomato Recipes

Tomato Chili Mozzarella Salad
Marinated Cherry Tomatoes
Green Bean Tomato Olive Salad
Balsamic Tomato Peach Salad
Peach Tomato Salad
Caprese Salad
Heirloom Tomato Bruschetta Pasta Salad
Caprese Bruschetta

FAQs

Can you eat raw corn?

Yes! Fresh corn off the cob is crunchy, juicy and safe to eat. But it’s even more important to find corn that is fresh and in perfect condition when you’re not cooking it.

What can you do with raw corn?

Besides salads, raw corn is great in salsas and dips. I wouldn’t hesitate to add it to cooked grains too.  Remember you can always eat it raw off the cob.



Let me know if you if you try this raw corn salad with tomatoes. Please leave a comment and rating below. Thanks!

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Fresh corn and tomato salad in a bowl.

Fresh Corn Tomato Salad

  • Author: Paige Adams
  • Prep Time: 5 minutes
  • Cook Time: 30 minutes marinating
  • Total Time: 35 minutes
  • Yield: Serves 4
  • Category: Salad
  • Method: Marinate
  • Cuisine: American
  • Diet: Vegan
Print Recipe

Description

Raw corn kernels sliced straight off the cob are the base of this fresh corn and tomato salad. The corn and tomatoes marinate in a garlicky white wine vinaigrette.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
  • 1 garlic clove, minced
  • Pinch of red pepper flakes
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
  • 2 ears corn, kernels sliced
  • 1 pint cherry tomatoes or grape tomatoes, quartered
  • 2 scallions, thinly sliced, white and green parts separated
  • 1 tablespoon chopped parsley

Instructions

  1. In a large bowl, whisk together the olive oil, vinegar, garlic, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper.
  2. Stir the corn kernels, tomatoes and white scallions into the vinaigrette.
  3. Let the tomatoes and corn marinate for 30 minutes.
  4. Stir in the scallions greens and parsley before serving.

Notes

For the best results, use the freshest corn and tomatoes that you can find.

Optional Additions:

  • Greens such as baby arugula or spinach or chopped romaine
  • Diced avocados
  • Diced cucumbers
  • Chopped walnuts

Variation: Use cilantro instead of parsley and the juice of a lime instead of white wine vinegar. In this Tex-Mex version, I also like to add a minced jalapeno, avocados and diced red bell peppers.

Store leftovers in the refrigerator in an airtight container up to 3 days. Let the salad sit at room temperature before serving if the oil in the vinaigrette has become solid in the cold temperature of the fridge.

Keywords: corn and tomato salad, fresh corn salad

Let me know if you've made this recipe.

Share a photo and tag @lastingredient on Instagram.

Recipe and Photography by Paige Adams

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