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Fresh sweet corn is one of my favorite things to grab when it’s in season. It’s so sweet and juicy when it’s fresh, and the smell of the husks as you peel them from the cob brings back so many summer memories. So when I see fresh sweet corn on sale at the grocery store, I always grab a couple and whip up this super simple Sweet Corn Salad. It has crisp raw corn, grape tomatoes, raw zucchini, red onion, creamy avocado, and tender pasta shells, all tossed in a quick lemon-Dijon vinaigrette with herbs to keep everything light and flavorful. This is a very flexible recipe, and I’ve got a couple of modification ideas for you below!
“This was delicious and simple to make. All the flavours go so well together. I had never tried uncooked corn but it was so sweet and really added a nice touch to the salad. A perfect no-heat lunch to bring to work. Thanks for a great recipe!”
Laura
A Fresh Way to Use Sweet Corn
Yes, you can absolutely eat raw sweet corn, and this salad is the perfect place to use it. Raw corn is soooo sweet, crisp, and juicy. It’s an absolute delight! It adds little pops of sweetness throughout this salad, which contrasts with the creamy avocado, colorful vegetables, tender pasta, and tangy lemon vinaigrette.
I like keeping this sweet corn salad simple because in-season corn already brings so much fresh flavor, and the ingredients do most of the work. The pasta bulks it up enough to make it satisfying without turning it into a heavier, more filling pasta salad. Then the lemon vinaigrette keeps everything bright and helps the avocado stay fresher-looking (aka no prematurely browning avocado here!). This corn salad is easy enough for a quick side and works well for packed lunches or meal prep!
Recipe Success Tips
- Use any small pasta you have. I use small shells because they catch bits of corn, vegetables, and vinaigrette, so every spoonful has a little of everything. Orzo, ditalini, elbow macaroni, or bowties would also work well. Cook the pasta according to the package directions, then let it cool before adding it to the salad so it doesn’t soften the vegetables or warm up the avocado.
- Make it pasta-free. I add pasta to my salad for bulk, but you can totally make this salad without pasta, too! Double up your vegetables and drizzle the lemon vinaigrette over top. You can eat the vegetable salad as-is or scoop it over a bed of greens.
- Add cheese if you have room in the budget. I left cheese out to keep the cost down, but crumbled feta, cotija, or queso fresco would all be delicious here. If you want a cheesier, creamier corn side, our street corn salad is another fun way to use fresh corn.
- Salt to taste before serving. The right amount of salt will depend on your vegetables, pasta, and any add-ins. Give the salad a quick taste at the end and add a pinch more if the flavors need a little boost.
- Double the dressing for meal prep. A few readers have mentioned making extra dressing, and I think that’s a great idea if you plan to keep this salad in the fridge for a few days. The pasta will soak up some of the vinaigrette as it sits, so a little extra dressing helps freshen everything back up before serving.
Summer Sweet Corn Salad
Cost $7.76 recipe / $0.97 serving
Ingredients
Lemon Vinaigrette
- ¼ cup olive oil ($0.88)
- 1 lemon (juiced and zested, (2 Tbsp juice and ½ tsp zest) $0.70)
- ¼ tsp dried basil ($0.03)
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard ($0.04)
- ⅛ tsp salt ($0.02)
- ⅛ tsp black pepper (freshly cracked, $0.02)
- ¼ cup fresh parsley (chopped, $0.20)
Salad
- 8 oz. pasta shells (uncooked, $0.49)
- 2 cobs sweet corn ($0.66*)
- 1 pint grape tomatoes ($2.78)
- ⅔ lb. zucchini ($0.94)
- ¼ cup red onion (diced, $0.11)
- 1 avocado ($0.89)
Instructions
- Zest and juice the lemon. You'll need 2 Tbsp juice and ½ tsp zest. Combine the lemon juice, lemon zest, olive oil, basil, Dijon, salt, pepper, and chopped parsley in a bowl or jar. Whisk the ingredients in a bowl, or close the jar and shake until combined. Set the vinaigrette aside.
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil for the pasta. Add a couple large pinches of salt to the pasta water, then add the pasta. Continue to boil until the pasta is tender (about 7 minutes), then drain in a colander. Rinse the pasta briefly with cool water, then allow it to drain well.
- While the pasta is cooking and draining, prepare the rest of the vegetables. Slice the corn kernels off the cobs, slice the grape tomatoes in half, dice the zucchini, finely dice the onion, and dice the avocado.
- Once the pasta has drained well and cooled, add it to a large bowl with the prepared vegetables. Pour the dressing over top, then toss until everything is evenly combined and coated in dressing. Season with a pinch of salt to taste, then serve.
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Notes
Nutrition Information
Have you tried this recipe?Mention @budgetbytes or tag #budgetbytes on Instagram!How to Make Summer Sweet Corn Salad Step-by-Step Photos
Prep the lemon: Zest and juice a lemon. You’ll need about 2 Tbsp juice and ½ tsp zest. I always let my lemons come to room temperature before juicing, as room temperature citrus yields the most juice!
Make the lemon vinaigrette: Combine ¼ cup olive oil, 2 Tbsp lemon juice, ½ tsp lemon zest, ¼ tsp dried basil, 1 tsp Dijon mustard, ⅛ tsp salt, ⅛ tsp pepper, and about ¼ cup chopped parsley in a bowl or jar. If you’re using a bowl, I prefer glass or ceramic because the lemon juice is acidic, and these materials won’t react with the dressing or affect the flavor. Whisk until combined, or add everything to a jar (I use glass) and shake until the dressing looks blended.
Cook the pasta: Bring a large pot of water to a boil for the pasta. Once boiling, add a couple pinches of salt and 8 oz. pasta shells. Continue to boil the pasta for about 7 minutes, or until tender.
Drain the pasta in a colander, and give it a brief rinse with cool water to cool it down slightly. This stops the pasta from soaking up too much dressing or softening the veggies once mixed. Let the pasta drain well.
Prep the veggies: While the pasta is cooking and draining, prepare the rest of the vegetables. Cut the kernels off two cobs of sweet corn. I like to do this with the end of the cob in a bowl so the kernels fall right off into the bowl instead of flying all over the kitchen. Haha!
Also dice about ⅔ lb. zucchini into bite-sized pieces, slice 1 pint grape tomatoes in half, finely dice about ¼ cup red onion, and dice 1 avocado into similar sized pieces as the zucchini.
Combine: Add the drained and cooled pasta to a large bowl with the corn, zucchini, tomatoes, red onion, and avocado. Pour the dressing over top, then toss until everything is combined and coated in dressing.
Season: Finally, add just a small pinch of salt on top, if desired. I like to have a little bit of crystalized salt on the surface of the pasta and vegetables for a little pop of flavor.
Serving Suggestions
This sweet corn salad makes about 8 cups, so plan on roughly 1 cup per serving if you’re enjoying it as a side. I’d serve it with chicken burgers for an easy cookout-style dinner, or pair it with sweet potato tacos for a colorful vegetarian meal with lots of fresh flavor! The pasta and avocado already make this recipe more filling than a basic vegetable salad, but you can also easily turn it into a main dish by topping it with grilled chicken, shredded rotisserie chicken, boiled shrimp, or air fryer salmon. The lemon vinaigrette keeps everything bright and fresh, so it works well with simple proteins, BBQ dinners, or meal prep lunches.
Storage InstructIONS
You can store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. The lemon vinaigrette helps slow the oxidation that usually makes avocado turn brown, so it holds up better than you might expect. Whenever I make this corn salad, the avocado still looks great on day two, and by day four, it’s usually only slightly gray around the edges but still totally fine to eat.
Let it sit out for about 10 minutes before serving to take the chill off, then give it a good stir. If the pasta has soaked up some of the dressing, add an extra splash of lemon juice, olive oil, or leftover vinaigrette to freshen it back up.
Try These Delicious Corn Recipes Next!
- This Grilled Corn on the Cob cooks right in the husk, so the corn steams on the grill and stays juicy without needing foil.
- I also use raw fresh corn in this Sweet Corn Salsa for a crunchy, juicy texture you don’t get from jarred salsa!
- These Sweet Corn Fritters are ready in about 35 minutes, making them a fun summer snack, appetizer, or easy side.
My whole family loved this recipe! I halved the pasta and added feta on top at the request of my teenage boys. So fresh and tasty!
So fresh and delicious. My new go to summer salad.
I made this and we all loved it! My family was thrilled! But when we had cold leftovers it felt mushy and just not as flavorful. Tips? Maybe if I let it get to room temperature before eating?
Sometimes the cold and deaden the flavor of a dish, so I think letting it warm up a bit from the fridge would be a big help!
This was really tasty and refreshing! The sweetness from the corn balances out the tang of the dressing. I also had to double the dressing, because the pasta soaked it up right away and left too subtle a flavor. I also like a lot of dressing on pasta salads. But the flavors worked really well together and I was so glad to use some of my farmer’s market haul.
I absolutely love this salad. I did double the dressing recipe as well as used lots of fresh chopped basil instead of the dried. The left
over dressing was used for green side salads and it was delicious. Great recipe from a wonderful website!
Ohhhhhh. remember the days when an avocado was under $1, 2 ears of corn under $2, & a pint of tomatoes under $3!
I actually got all of my stuff for those exact prices. Combination farmers market and at Aldi. Must depend where you live
I was thinking this would be a great side dish stuffed into a cold cooked large pasta shell on some Romaine for a really warm night, with a chilled soup and a light main course. I myself need 1 hot meal per day to feel I’ve actually eaten, but it could be just a grilled cheese sandwich or a lite pasta. You could serve the over a cooled herbed grain, or switch out the Conchiglie for brown rice, whole grain Cous Cous or Orzo. I would love this for breakfast on a hot day plain, as part of a bowl meal, or piled on a piece of toast. I might add some beans for protein, I run short of protein chronically. For lunch paired with a bean salad. Or grain salad and serve on a romaine leaf with some extra cherry tomatoes. It would be a good filling for a lettuce wrap, as a snack. This is really a great versatile recipe.and I thank you.. I’ve been trying to find a way to include vegetables in breakfast. Now I know how. To do it.
Great salad. Tastes great. I added tuna fish for protein.
How much of a zucchini is 2/3 lb.? A whole one?
Zucchini grow in all different sizes, but the recipe is very flexible so you don’t have to have exactly ⅔ lb. One medium zucchini should work fine.
Thank you!!
Makes a huge batch, great for get-togethers. I made mine about 5 hours ahead of time and the pasta turned a little green, but the avocado wasn’t brown yet. Needed A LOT more salt and probably more dressing. My lemon had about 3 tbsp juice in it and I ended using all of it. More zest wouldn’t hurt either.
I think I’ve commented in the past, but my 18 year old son just came to me and asked me for the “Pasta salad, with corn, tomatoes, zucchini and avocado” I knew it was this one. He wants to make it for a picnic for his girlfriend because it is so yummy.
I almost never leave comments on recipes… but this is one of our favorites of all time! I am an ER nurse and I work nights, and I don’t have a huge appetite in the middle of the night on my shifts. This recipe is light and refreshing and feels like summer in a bowl. It is exactly what I need to make me feel full and nourished. Such a good recipe– and I was super skeptical about the raw corn but it was amazing!
Absolutely delicious. I followed the recipe exactly and added a can of chickpeas for more heartiness. It kept so well (great weekday lunch) and I will definitely be making it again!
This is delish! I’ve made it twice now, and add a tin of rinsed butter beans to add some protein and make it a complete meal. It makes approx 5 workday lunches this way. And it just tastes better every day – the vinaigrette somehow keeps it super fresh but gets tastier every day!
YUM! I upped everything but the pasta and made a chicken breast to chop up in there. Delish. I may add more lemon to the dressing next time to make the acidity pop a little more, but so good!