Sweet Summer Corn and Cucumber Salad

This Sweet Summer Corn and Cucumber Salad is so easy to prepare and is the perfect summertime side dish. It is bursting with fresh flavor and ready in just about 15 minutes. This will be your new favorite summer salad. This delicious salad is naturally vegan, sugar-free, dairy-free, and gluten-free.

You might also like: Asian Watermelon Salad or Panzanella Tuscan Tomato and Bread Salad

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This is the corn and cucumber salad I reach for every single summer, and it started with my mom. She never had a written recipe for it. She would just pull things from the refrigerator, taste as she went, and produce something that everyone asked for again the next week.

I finally re-created it at home and it has been on repeat ever since. If you love a cool, refreshing cucumber tomato corn salad that works equally well at a backyard barbecue or a Tuesday night dinner, this is the one.

The dressing is the secret. Fresh lime juice, a splash of soy sauce, a little grated ginger, and good olive oil come together into something that is bright, savory, and just a little unexpected.

It coats the corn and cucumber beautifully without weighing anything down. Add the cherry tomatoes and the trio of fresh herbs and you have a summer salad that genuinely earns its place on the table.

It is also completely flexible. Use fresh corn off the cob, frozen, or canned. Swap cilantro for extra basil if you are in the cilantro-hating camp. Add avocado, grilled shrimp, or a handful of feta if you want to turn it into something more substantial.

However you make it, pair it with the Asian Watermelon Salad for a full summer spread that requires absolutely no oven.

Quick Look

• Prep time: 15 minutes
• Chill time: 15 to 20 minutes (recommended)
• Serves: 6 as a side dish
• Skill level: Very easy
• Dietary: Vegan, gluten-free (use tamari), dairy-free, sugar-free

What ingredients are in Sweet Summer Corn and Cucumber Salad? (full recipe is below)

• canned whole kernel corn
• cucumber
• cherry or grape tomatoes halved
• shallot
• extra virgin olive oil
• soy sauce use tamari for gluten-free
• lime juice
• fresh ginger
• sea salt
• freshly cracked pepper
• packed chopped fresh cilantro
• fresh basil
• fresh mint

Fresh or canned corn.You could use fresh, frozen or canned corn. I happened to have a bag of frozen white and yellow corn. I've also made this with canned corn. If you have the grill on for something else and some extra time, grill the corn and then carefully slice it off the cob when it's cool for this fantastic salad.

Cucumbers-we prefer English. I usually have English cucumbers on hand and make this easy picked cucumber salad almost every week. Thankfully I had some extra cucumber and it was cut is small chunks.

Tomatoes-cherry or plum. Typically we have plum tomatoes around. Sometimes I have a pint of cherry tomatoes. I just used my cherry tomatoes for another recipe, so the plum tomatoes were what went into the salad. Either way, you can't go wrong.

Fresh herbs-basil, mint and cilantro. This is pretty much the combo of herbs that I used for our watermelon salad. I had a container already chopped up and ready to use. It's such a fantastic combo of fresh herbs.

If you're not into cilantro (I know, so many people just despise it), feel free to leave it out. Also, if you don't have any mint (it's not something I always have on hand), leave it out and be sure to use at least the fresh basil. 

IF you can do a combo of the mint and basil (leaving out cilantro for the cilantro haters), it will give it an extra fresh flavor.

Fresh lime juice and extra-virgin olive oil and shallots . This dressing is not really that hard to put together. The fresh lime juice is key here. There were shallots chopped and leftover from that watermelon salad I just mentioned. Otherwise, I would have used chopped scallions.

The dressing is a combo of fresh lime juice, extra-virgin olive oil, soy sauce, a little fresh chopped ginger and shallots. If you don't have ginger on hand, no worries.

It does add an extra bit of deliciousness to this really fun summer salad. The better the olive oil you have the better the overall flavor of the dish. I've seen this salad also with avocados. If you want to add some small pieces, that would also be delicious.

How to Make Corn and Cucumber Salad

1. Drain the corn well and pat dry with paper towels. Dice the cucumber into small, bite-sized pieces. Halve the tomatoes. Chop the shallot and herbs.
2. Add all the vegetables, herbs, olive oil, soy sauce, lime juice, ginger, salt, and pepper to a medium bowl.
3. Toss everything together gently until well combined.
4. Taste and adjust. Add more lime juice for brightness, more salt or pepper as needed, or a little extra fresh herbs if you want more flavor.
5. Cover the bowl and refrigerate for 15 to 20 minutes before serving to allow the flavors to come together. You can serve it immediately if needed, but the brief chill really does make a difference.

Variations and Add-Ins

• Grilled corn: Grill ears of corn until lightly charred, then slice off the kernels once cooled. This adds a smoky sweetness that takes the salad to another level.
• Avocado: Dice one ripe avocado and fold it in gently right before serving. It adds creaminess and makes the salad more filling.
• Feta cheese: Crumble 2 to 3 ounces of feta over the top for a salty, tangy addition that pairs beautifully with the lime dressing.
• Jalapeño: Add a thinly sliced jalapeño or a pinch of red pepper flakes for heat.
• Black beans: Drain and rinse one can of black beans and toss them in to make this a more substantial main dish salad.
• Grilled shrimp or chicken: Serve the salad topped with grilled shrimp or sliced grilled chicken for a complete summer meal.
• Scallions instead of shallot: A thinly sliced bunch of scallions is a perfect substitute if you do not have shallots on hand.

Make-Ahead and Storage

This salad is ideal for making a few hours ahead. The corn soaks up the dressing and the flavors deepen as it sits. It is perfect for bringing to a picnic, potluck, or barbecue.

If you are planning to add avocado, hold off until right before serving so it does not brown.

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Beyond that the cucumber will release too much water and the texture becomes less pleasant. Give it a stir and a taste before serving again, as it may need a small squeeze of fresh lime juice to brighten it back up.

Some more summer salads:

• Papaya Black Bean Salad
• Asian Watermelon Salad
• Panzanella-Tuscan Tomato and Bread Salad

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5 from 15 votes

Sweet Summer Corn and Cucumber Salad

This Sweet Summer Corn and Cucumber Salad is so easy to prepare and is the perfect summertime side dish. It is bursting with fresh flavor and ready in just about 15 minutes. This will be your new favorite summer salad.

Prep Time15 minutes mins

Total Time15 minutes mins

Course: Salad, Side Dish

Cuisine: American

Keyword: gluten-free, vegan

Servings: 6

Calories: 23kcal

Author: Lora

Ingredients

• 1 15.25-ounce can whole kernel corn well drained
• 1 cup peeled and diced cucumber I used English cucumbers
• 1 cup cherry or grape tomatoes halved
• ⅓ cup chopped shallot
• 1 Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• 1 Tablespoon soy sauce use tamari for gluten-free
• 1 Tablespoon lime juice
• 1 teaspoon fresh minced ginger
• ½ teaspoon sea salt more or less, to taste
• ¼ teaspoon freshly cracked pepper more or less, to taste
• ¼ cup loosely packed chopped fresh cilantro
• ¼ cup chopped fresh basil
• 1 Tablespoon chopped fresh mint

Instructions

• Combine all ingredients together in a medium bowl.
• Check the flavoring and add more lime juice or salt and pepper if needed. You could also add a bit more fresh herbs if you feel it needs something more. Adjust the flavoring to your taste.
• Cover and refrigerate for 15-20 minutes to allow flavors to mingle before serving. You could also serve immediately.

Nutrition Disclaimer

Please keep in mind that the nutritional information presented below is an approximation and may vary depending on the exact ingredients used.

Notes

• Dry the corn well. Whether you use canned or frozen, pat it dry with paper towels before adding. Excess moisture will thin out the dressing and make the salad watery.

• Use tamari instead of soy sauce to keep this fully gluten-free. Coconut aminos work too and add a slightly sweeter note.

• The salad tastes even better after 1 to 2 hours in the refrigerator. The lime and soy dressing soaks into the corn beautifully as it sits.

• Not a cilantro fan? Leave it out and double the fresh basil. The salad is still wonderful with just basil and mint.

• Add avocado right before serving, not ahead of time, so it stays green and does not discolor in the dressing

Nutrition

Calories: 23kcal | Carbohydrates: 0.4g | Protein: 0.3g | Fat: 2g | Saturated Fat: 0.3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Sodium: 361mg | Potassium: 9mg | Fiber: 0.03g | Sugar: 0.1g | Vitamin A: 1IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 1mg | Iron: 0.1mg

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