Sweet Corn Salad, Italian Style (Fresh, Frozen or Canned)
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This sweet corn salad tosses sautéed fresh or frozen corn kernels with roasted red bell pepper, sharp pecorino Romano and a zingy lemon-olive oil dressing. It comes together in under 20 minutes and works warm, at room temperature, or straight from the fridge.
There are few things worth celebrating more than peak-season corn — those weeks in summer when the kernels are so sweet and milky you could eat them raw off the cob. This salad is built around that very flavor. When fresh corn isn’t around, frozen kernels work beautifully — a quick sauté in olive oil coaxes out the same natural sweetness.
What makes this more interesting than a standard corn salad is the combination of Italian flavors, like crushed red pepper for heat, pecorino cheese for sharp saltiness, and a squeeze of lemon.
Corn, cheese, and a little spice
- Sweet corn: Use fresh corn (the gold standard) when it’s at is summertime best, or go for the convenience of frozen corn or canned corn. No matter which type, I briefly sauté the kernels to soften them and release their natural sugar.
- Crushed red pepper: I love adding just a touch of heat to balance the other flavors in the salad. You can substitute with cayenne pepper or leave it out for a milder flavor.
- Pecorino Romano and Parmesan cheese: The contrast with sweet and salty is key in this salad. I usually start with a mixture of pecorino Romano and Parmesan. Other cheeses to try are aged Mexican-style cotija, fresh cubes of mozzarella or feta and ricotta salata (add fresh cheeses to the cooled corn so it doesn’t melt).
How to make this corn salad
1. Soften the red onion in olive oil over medium heat — you want it translucent and sweet, not browned. 2. Add the corn and let it cook undisturbed for a minute or two before stirring. The contact with the hot pan is what concentrates the flavor.
3. Stir in the bell pepper, garlic and crushed red pepper. Thirty seconds is enough — you’re just waking up the garlic, not cooking it through. 4. Pull the pan off the heat before adding the cheeses, herbs and lemon juice. The residual warmth melts the cheese gently.
5. Toss everything together and taste for salt — the pecorino is already salty, so hold off until you’ve tried it. 6. Serve the salad as a warm side dish or at room temperature.
Sweet Corn Salad, Italian Style (Fresh, Frozen or Canned)
Equipment
Recipe Video
Ingredients
- ¼ cup (45 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
- ½ cup chopped red onion
- 1 pound (450 g) corn kernels, fresh or frozen
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
- 1 chopped red bell pepper
- 1 finely chopped garlic clove
- ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper, or to taste
- 1 cup halved cherry tomatoes, or diced vine tomatoes
- ½ cup (30 g) torn or roughly chopped fresh basil, cilantro or Italian parsley
- 3 thinly sliced scallions
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, or mild white vinegar, such as rice vinegar
- ⅓ cup (35 g) grated pecorino Romano cheese, or a half-and-half mixture of of pecorino and grated parmesan
Instructions
- Heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add ½ cup chopped red onion. Cook and stir until softened, 2-3 minutes.
- Stir in 1 pound corn kernels and ½ teaspoon salt. Turn the heat to medium-high and cook the corn about 5 minutes, or until some of the kernels begin to brown. Add 1 chopped red bell pepper, 1 finely chopped garlic clove, and ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper, stirring about 30 seconds to release the aroma of the garlic.
- Take the pan off the heat and stir in the 1 cup halved cherry tomatoes, ½ cup torn or roughly chopped fresh basil, cilantro or Italian parsley, 3 thinly sliced scallions, 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, ⅓ cup grated pecorino Romano cheese and remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil. Transfer the salad to a serving bowl. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Karen’s Notes and Tips
- If using fresh corn, you’ll need 5-6 ears to get one pound of shucked corn. For canned corn, drain it throughly before starting the recipe.
- Make ahead: The salad can be refrigerated in a storage container up to one day ahead of serving.
Nutrition per serving
Nutrition facts are calculated by third-party software. If you have specific dietary needs, please refer to your favorite calculator.
Hey, I’m Karen
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Ha ha, 🍅 is an optional ingredient in a Tomato & Corn salad?
No, it should be 1 cup of tomatoes (that was an error). Thanks for so kindly letting me know. Ha ha.
This is so good, I made it twice in a week. I used cilantro and lemon juice. I started with the 2T of oil and added the rest when I added the corn since the recipe called for 1/4 cup. Thank you for sharing this wonderful recipe:)
Perfect!
Does the corn get taken off the cob raw or cooked?
Hi Lisa, Slice the uncooked corn off the cob. You can also use frozen corn.
this looks so good! i am going to have to try it. XO
Liza