This Caprese Corn Salad is a fantastic blend of corn salad and caprese salad made with simple and light, fresh ingredients. It comes together in minutes without any cooking, so it’s a great little side dish for hot days.
For a complete meal, consider serving this with Marinated Flank Steak and Lemon Bars for dessert!
As we head into August and kids go back to school, the focus shifts to Fall food. But the summer weather is nowhere close to being over in many parts of the country, and where I am, there’s still plenty of fresh corn to be had. I’m taking advantage of it with this Caprese Corn Salad!
Unlike my favorite Mexican Street Corn Salad and this Corn Salad, which both have a creamy dressing, the salad we’re sharing today has more elements of a caprese salad, dressed in a very light tangy vinaigrette – just enough to wet everything and add flavor, but let all the ingredients really shine on their own. We just love it so much.
Caprese Corn Salad Recipe
Made with simple, fresh ingredients that all compliment each other, this salad is absolutely wonderful in every bite. Here’s what you’ll need to make it:
(Scroll below to the printable recipe card for details and measurements.)
- Corn: Fresh, sweet corn for this salad is a must. We use a combination of white and yellow corn.
- Cherry tomatoes: Fresh, sweet, ripe garden tomatoes are the absolute best here, but store-bought is perfectly fine, too! Grape tomatoes can be used instead of cherry, if prefered.
- Red onion: This is has a mild peppery flavor and great eaten raw. We also love the little speckle of purple color throughout the salad.
- Green olives: These add a salty component and balance out the sweet tomatoes and corn. If you hate olives, simply leave them out.
- Fresh mozzarella: We use a container of ciliegine, which are very small fresh mozzarella balls, the same size as the cherry tomatoes. If you can’t find them, you can always buy a large ball of fresh mozzarella and cut it up into small cubes.
- Basil: This herb has a distinct sweet and savory pungent flavor and wonderful in this recipe. Fresh leaves are a must with this salad, so skip the dried.
- Golden balsamic vinegar: Just writing about this vinegar makes my mouth water. We prefer golden/white balsamic for this salad because it’s lighter in taste and obviously color than its dark counterpart. But regular balsamic is fine, too.
- Olive oil: Part of the simple dressing, used to coat everything, adding richness and flavor.
- Salt and Pepper: To taste, for flavor so the food isn’t flat.
- Avocado, optional: If you love avocado, that would be a delicious addition.
Make Ahead and Proper Storage
This recipe is great for making ahead of time, so the flavors can mingle. You can combine everything and store in the refrigerator in a tightly sealed container up to 2 days beforehand. Anything longer than that and the tomatoes will start to break down. I also recommend adding in the basil right before serving.
What Goes with Carpese Corn Salad
This corn salad pairs well with so many dishes, especially other summer favorites, like Grilled Chicken, Grilled Flank Steak, or Turkey Burgers.
How to Make Corn Salad
It couldn’t be easier to make this corn salad. No grill, oven, or stove needed! You simply remove the kernels off the cobs and toss with all the other ingredients. That’s it! To make this recipe, follow the steps below included in the printable recipe card. Refer back to the article for more information.
More Corn Recipes We Love:
I hope you love this delicious and easy recipe – be sure to give it a review below! Also don’t forget to follow Belly Full on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and YouTube!
Caprese Corn Salad
Ingredients
- 2 ears sweet white corn , shucked and silks removed
- 1 ear sweet yellow corn , shucked and silks removed
- 8 ounce container ciliegine (small fresh mozzarella balls), drained
- 1 cup cherry or grape tomatoes , halved crosswise
- 1/3 cup sliced green olives
- 1/4 cup minced red onion
- 1/4 cup fresh basil , sliced chiffonade style
- 3 tablespoons white/golden balsamic vinegar
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- couple turns of freshly ground cracked pepper
Instructions
- Hold the cob steady in one hand, and with the other hand use a sharp knife to make downward strokes on the cob, separating the kernels from the cob. You should end up with about 1 1/2 cups of kernels.
- Place corn kernels, ciliegine, tomatoes, olives, red onion, and basil in a mixing bowl.
- Drizzle with the vinegar and olive oil. Season with salt and pepper; toss well to coat.
- Divide among small plates and enjoy.
Nutrition
Other Notes
I like your use of olives rather than olive oil. This sounds scrumptious and quick to put together. Perfect for summer!
Mmm, looks so fresh and cool. In 100 degree weather, this looks perfect.
I could go for a bowl of this right now. Yum!