Is corn the ‘it’ vegetable of summer? Depends who you ask. If you’re asking me – yes. I love corn year round, but especially in the summer. With such close proximity to New Jersey, us Philadelphians are truly blessed with access to fresh, delicious corn. Here’s something weird about me though – I don’t like biting corn off the cob. Maybe it’s because I had a few rough experiences back in the days of wearing braces, but I much prefer to cut it off, and that’s how this Southwest Corn Salad began. Also, in my constant quest to balance all things delicious with all things healthy, I was able to dream up a corn salad that clocks in at just 2 WW SP per serving. Booyah.
What else goes into this corn salad?
This salad is loaded with good stuff – it’s creamy, bright, light, and super refreshing. The addition of beans makes it a bit more filling, and you could totally top it with some grilled chicken or shrimp to make it a full meal. I like to make a big batch of this and serve it as a side dish for meals throughout the week!
The main ingredients are:
- Corn
- Red Onion
- Cilantro
- Black Beans
- Greek Yogurt
- Cotija Cheese
Toss all that together with some seasoning and you’ve got yourself a seriously delicious salad! I promise it’ll be a hit at your next backyard BBQ.
Roasting the corn
My favorite way to make corn is to roast it in the oven, husks on. Why? Probably because I’m lazy and don’t have the time to shuck corn and then boil the life out of it. If you have a charcoal grill, you could totally grill it to add a smoky element to this salad. If you’re opting to grill, remove the silks and husks from your corn, hit it with some butter, salt, and pepper, and grill for ~8-10 min, turning it continuously, until it’s blackened throughout. If you’re opting for oven roasting, preheat your oven to 400F, put your ears of corn (husks and all still on) either on a baking sheet or directly on the racks, and bake for 20 minutes. No need to do anything while they’re in there, promise.
Once you remove the corn, let it cool for ~3-5 minutes, and then remove the husks/silks – they’re much easier to remove than when you try to remove them from raw corn. Then, I take a sharp knife and cut the kernels off and toss them into a bowl to get this flavor party started.
Dressing this salad up
Corn is totally the star here, but let’s not forget the supporting acts. Red onion and lime bring in some tartness and acidity, which is balanced by the creamy elements of Greek Yogurt and cheese. Elote seasoning and cilantro give it an herby kick, and beans give it a textural, filling element. Put it all together and you’ve got yourself one insanely tasty salad.
Southwest Corn Salad
Equipment
- Mixing Bowls
- Oven
Ingredients
- 3 ears of corn any variety works – you can also substitute 2 cups of thawed and heated up frozen corn
- 1/4 cup red onion diced
- 2 tbsp nonfat Greek Yogurt
- 1 tbsp butter melted
- Juice of 1/2 lime can do full lime, adjust to taste
- 3 tbsp fresh cilantro finely chopped
- 1/3 cup black beans drained and rinsed
- 1/4 cup Cotija Cheese can sub grated parm
- 1 tbsp Everything but the Elote Seasoning
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400F
- Put corn (either on a baking sheet or directly on the racks) into oven and bake for 20 minutes. Allow to cool for 3-5 minutes, then remove from husks and cut corn off the cob and into a mixing bowl.
- Stir in melted butter to warm corn, followed by red onion, cilantro, and beans. Stir to combine.
- Add in Greek yogurt and mix to incorporate it, then add cheese.
- Finish with seasoning and lime juice, and garnish with extra cilantro/lime to serve!
- Store in an airtight container in the fridge. Best eaten fresh, but can be refrigerated for a day or two if made ahead!
2 thoughts on “Southwest Corn Salad”
This looks like a lovely dish! Can’t wait for our corn to come into season!
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