Roasted Corn Salad

5 from 2 votes

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Fresh and crisp, this easy roasted corn salad will be your new favorite chopped salad recipe. I season the corn kernels in a mix of dried spices including cumin, chili powder and paprika before they roast in the oven. That gives the salad a mild kick and tons of flavor and personality. The salad also has crumbled feta, scallions and sunflower seeds and is tossed in a simple white wine vinaigrette.

Roasted corn salad in a bowl.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Roasting is a great way to eat fresh sweet corn. I know not everyone has a grill, but that shouldn’t be the reason why you don’t enjoy summer corn season. What grilling doesn’t do and what roasting can do is crisp up those beautiful kernels, caramelizing them and giving  them some crunch.

This is a chopped salad that has so much texture and flavor. When you combine corn with well chopped romaine, they are pretty close in size and mix really well together. You have bites accented with salty feta and nutty sunflower seeds. This is one of those salads that will keep you going back for more.

You can make additions. This salad is wonderful as the recipe is written, but you can toss in more veggies, beans and other proteins. It’s up to you. I like a salad where you can add leftovers and other things that you may be trying to use up.

How To Roast Corn In The Oven

If you have visions of ears of corn neatly lined up, you have missed one critical early step. After peeling off the husks and removing the silk, you have to slice off the corn kernels. Use a sharp chef’s knife, and they will come off the cobs very easily.

Then for this recipe I stir the kernels into a mixture of olive oil and spices and spread them across 2 baking sheets. It’s important that you don’t crowd the corn onto a single pan. If the kernels are too close together, it will just steam and won’t brown as much or turn crisp.

Ingredients & Substitutions

Ingredients including corn, romaine, feta, sunflower seeds, seasonings, mustard, olive oil and vinegar.

This is what you need:

  • Corn: When looking for the freshest corn, grab ears that are tightly wrapped in their husks. The silk hanging out at the end should be a little bit damp. Resist the urge to peel back the husk to take a peek at the corn because this will cause it to dry out faster.
  • Romaine is always my top pick for any chopped salad. That’s because it is crunchy and so easy to cut. Also, you will be amazed at how much you get from chopping a single head. It’s way more interesting than boring lettuce like iceberg, but it is very adaptable to an endless range of other flavors and ingredients.
  • Feta is one of my favorite cheeses for salads. It’s not shy about being salty. And I love that. The crumbles really hold their own mixed with everything else. Goat cheese is a good substitute.
  • Scallions add a nice green onion flavor. The recipe calls for 3 sliced scallions, which also act like fresh herbs in their own way. You can include a combination of scallions and finely diced red onions if you want.
  • Sunflower seeds: Pretty much every salad needs something nutty that gives you both crunch and taste like sunflower seeds. You can swap chopped walnuts or even almonds.
  • Spices: What makes this roasted corn really special is the seasoning blend I stir it in before it goes into the oven. It includes cumin, paprika, chili powder, kosher salt and black pepper. Once again, it’s your spice drawer for the win.
  • Olive oil: You need extra virgin olive oil to make a slurry with the spices for the corn kernels. And you need oil for the vinaigrette.
  • White wine vinaigrette: Because the corn has so much going on with the spices, I keep it simple with the dressing, using white wine vinegar, minced garlic, whole grain mustard, salt and pepper. Red wine vinegar would also work.

Variations & Additions

Corn is one of those vegetables that goes with lots of other things, so this salad is a solid base to start if you want more. You can make a few additions such as:

  • Avocados: Dice an avocado or 2 and stir it right in. They are always fantastic with corn.
  • Tomatoes: Either raw or roasted tomatoes. Halve smaller varieties like grape tomatoes and cherry tomatoes. Cut larger tomatoes into chunks.
  • Red bell peppers: Dice them, so they are a similar size to the corn. You can use raw peppers or roasted red peppers from a jar. Just make sure to drain them and towel off the extra moisture.
  • Cucumbers are cool and refreshing. Quarter them and thinly slice them, so they are close in size to the corn and romaine.
  • Beans: Black beans would be my first choice, but kidney, pinto or white beans are good options.
  • Fresh herbs: Add torn fresh basil leaves or chopped cilantro.
  • Lime Dressing: Especially if you decide to include fresh cilantro and avocado, skip the white wine vinegar and add fresh lime juice to the vinaigrette instead.
  • Protein: Turn this into a dinner salad with a protein like grilled or roasted chicken, shrimp, tofu or even steak.

How To Make This Roasted Corn Salad Recipe

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

1. Combine the cumin, chili powder, paprika, salt and pepper with the oil in a large bowl.

2. Stir the corn into the spices and oil.

Oil and spices mixed in a bowl. Raw corn kernels stirred into spiced-oil.

3. Roast the corn. Spread the corn across 2 sheet pans. Make sure it is in a single layer. Roast the corn until it is lightly browned and crisp. This will take about 25-30 minutes. Then let the corn cool for 10-15 minutes before you mix it in with the rest of the salad ingredients.

4. Make the vinaigrette. In a small bowl, whisk together the white wine vinegar, olive oil, salt and pepper.

Roasted corn on a sheet pan. Vinaigrette in a small bowl.

5. Combine the corn, romaine, scallions, feta cheese, and sunflower seeds in a big bowl.

6. Drizzle the vinaigrette into the salad. Toss to combine.

Combine the roasted corn, romaine, sesame seeds, feta and sunflower seeds. Then stir everything together with the vinaigrette.

Serving

Serve this summer salad recipe like a side dish or a main dish. Depending on if you make additions or adjustments, it goes with pretty much anything. Refer to the variations above for ideas. Corn can be found in so many different cuisines and cultures which explains why you can go in lots of different directions with it. One of my go-to ways to serve it is with vegetarian fajitas, barbecue tofu veggie skewers or roasted cauliflower tacos.

Storage & Leftovers

If you know you’re going to have leftovers, try not to toss the part of the salad you aren’t planning on eating in the vinaigrette. Then store the salad and the dressing in separate airtight containers in the refrigerator up to 3 days.

The corn and the romaine will lose some of their crispness after you refrigerate the leftovers, but the salad will still be good.

Let the dressing sit out at room temperature for 15 minutes before serving because the oil will harden in the chill of the fridge.

Roasted corn salad on a plate.

Recipe FAQs

Can you roast canned corn or frozen corn?

You don’t have to use fresh corn. If you do use canned corn, rinse it in a colander and pat off the excess water with a towel before stirring it into the spices and oil.

For frozen corn, do not thaw it. Mix it with the oil and spices and spread it on the sheet pan and roast it. The corn will likely take a little longer in the oven since it is starting out frozen.  

One ear of corn is about 1 cup of kernels, so you will need around 6 cups of corn kernels for the recipe.

How do you make the salad vegan?

Leave out the feta or use a dairy-free, plant-based version.

More Roasted Corn Recipes

Roasted Poblano Corn Chowder
Roasted Red Potato Salad with Corn
Sheet Pan Baked Feta with Vegetables
Baked Zucchini Corn Fritters

More Grilled Corn Recipes

Grilled Corn Salad with Broccoli
Blueberry Corn Salad
Grilled Corn Couscous
Grilled Corn and Avocado with Cilantro Pesto
Mushroom Corn Grilled Pizza

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Roasted Corn Salad

5 from 2 votes
Prep: 15 minutes
Cook: 30 minutes
Total: 45 minutes
Servings: 6
Seasoned in cumin, chili powder and paprika, the corn has a kick in this roasted corn salad with chopped romaine, crumbled feta, scallions, sunflower seeds and white wine vinaigrette.

Ingredients 

For salad

  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1/2 teaspoon cumin
  • 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon paprika
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  • 6 ears corn
  • 1 head romaine, chopped
  • 3 scallions, thinly sliced
  • 1/4 cup crumbled feta
  • 1/4 cup sunflower seeds

For vinaigrette

  • 1 garlic clove, minced
  • 1 tablespoon whole grain mustard
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
  • 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil

Instructions 

  • Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
  • In a large bowl, stir 3 tablespoons olive oil with the cumin, chili powder, paprika, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper. Then stir in the corn, coating in the mixture.
  • Spread the corn in a single layer across 2 baking sheets.
  • Roast the corn until it is lightly browned, about 25-30 minutes, rotating the pans halfway through roasting. Let the corn cool for 10-15 minutes.
  • For the vinaigrette, whisk the garlic, mustard, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, white wine vinegar and 3 tablespoons olive oil in a small bowl.
  • Combine the corn, romaine, scallions, feta, and sunflower seeds in a large bowl.
  • Drizzle the dressing into the salad, tossing to combine.

Notes

Instead of feta, you can use crumbled goat cheese.
To make the salad vegan, leave out the feta or use a plant-based, dairy-free version.
For the vinaigrette, you can substitute fresh lime juice for the white vinegar.
If you know you are going to save some of the salad, do not toss that portion in the vinaigrette. Then store the salad and vinaigrette in separate airtight containers in the refrigerator up to 3 days. Let the dressing sit out at room temperature for 15 minutes before using.
Optional additions:
  • Avocados, diced 
  • Cherry tomatoes or grape tomatoes, raw or roasted
  • Red bell peppers, raw or roasted, diced
  • Cucumbers, diced
  • Beans: black beans, pinto beans, kidney beans or white beans
  • Fresh herbs: torn fresh basil leaves or chopped cilantro.
  • Protein: grilled or roasted chicken, shrimp, steak or tofu

Nutrition

Calories: 182kcal | Carbohydrates: 3g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 18g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 12g | Cholesterol: 6mg | Sodium: 686mg | Potassium: 90mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 0.5g | Vitamin A: 594IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 48mg | Iron: 1mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Additional Info

Course: Salads
Cuisine: American
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Hi, I'm Paige.

Welcome to Last Ingredient where you will find simple seasonal recipes with plenty of fruits and vegetables, all for the home cook.

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