An all time summer favorite … grilled corn salad!
What a great summer season it has been for corn & zucchini! So, I decided to combine both grilled corn and zucchini for this all time favorite summer salad – Grilled Corn & Zucchini Salad. With a little kick from the Jalapeno, and the refreshing taste from the lime & cilantro, it ended up being a big hit with my family!
To grill “in the husk or without”?? … that is the question!
For this recipe, I decided to shuck (love that word!) the corn and put it directly on the grill. I love the grill marks I get when cooking them that way but it does tend to dry out the corn a bit. Since I was going to add it to a salad, I felt all the other ingredients would add the moisture I needed.
In general though, I love grilling corn in the husk! Simply, remove the silk strands from the cob by pulling back the husks enough to reach the silks. Once removed, pull the husks back in place. Soak the corn for 15 minutes to 1 hour before grilling to keep the husks from burning or catching fire.
Besides munching on watermelon slices, nothing brings me back to my “summer days as a kid” more than corn on the cob!
Is corn a vegetable or a grain?
Actually, it’s both.
Corn on the cob (sweet corn), is considered to be a member of the starchy vegetable group. Popcorn is corn that’s left to dry and is consumed as a grain.
Hominy, also considered a grain, is made by soaking corn in an alkali solution, which makes the B vitamins and amino acids more bioavailable.
Polenta is a grain made from coarsely ground corn.
Is corn healthy for you?
Yes! Corn is a natural source of magnesium, with sweet corn offering 26 mg per 100 grams and popcorn supplying 21 mg per serving. At least half of your magnesium resides in your bones, so diets that are high in magnesium, have been shown to increase bone density and may reduce the risk of osteoporosis in women after menopause.
Sweet corn provides fiber and is notoriously hard to digest – hence seeing it the following day in our stool! But with that being said, it does add bulk to help food move through your stomach, intestines and out of your body. This can help prevent constipation or diarrhea.
Print
Grilled Corn & Zucchini Salad with Cilantro-Lime-Jalapeno Dressing
- Prep Time: 20 min
- Cook Time: 30 min
- Total Time: 50 minutes
- Yield: 4 – 6 Servings 1x
- Category: Salad
- Method: Grilled
- Cuisine: American
Description
Grilled Corn & Zucchini Salad is an all time favorite summer salad combining some of the freshest vegetables in season!
Ingredients
Salad:
2 large zucchini
3 tbsp olive oil
4 corn on cob
1 tbsp celery salt
8 cherry tomatoes, cleaned & halved (or quartered)
salt & pepper
4 oz crumbled feta cheese (optional)
Dressing:
2 limes, juiced
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
½ tsp – 1 teaspoon diced jalapeno
2 – 3 garlic cloves, roasted & chopped
½ cup cilantro, cleaned & chopped
Instructions
- Fire up the grill to a low heat. Pre-heat oven to 325°.
- Clean & cut the zucchini into quarters by halving them lengthwise. Halve each section one more time. Cut each strip into 1 inch quarters. Place zucchini into a bowl. Mix well with 2 tablespoon of olive oil and salt & pepper to taste.
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Spread zucchini (*and garlic) on baking sheet and roast for approximately 20-30 minutes.
- While zucchini is roasting in the oven, shuck the corn. Rinse under running water to remove the remaining silks. Dry with a paper towel or cloth.
- Drizzle 2 tablespoon of olive oil over the corn and spread evenly with a pastry brush (or hands). Sprinkle with celery salt.
- Place on heated grill and rotate every 5-7 min until golden brown.
- Remove corn from grill. When cooled enough to handle, cut the corn off the cob.
- Remove zucchini from the oven. Place zucchini & corn in a bowl and mix together. Add tomatoes.
- Chop garlic.
- For the dressing: Whisk the oil in with the lime juice. Stir in the jalapenos, garlic & cilantro until well combined.
- Drizzle on top of the salad and stir until combined. Season with more salt & pepper to taste (feta cheese optional).
- Place in a serving bowl. Top with a few whole leaves of cilantro and it’s ready to serve!
Notes
* I like to roast my garlic while I’m using my oven for other ingredients but it’s not a must for this recipe. Simply cut the top off the garlic and drizzle with a little olive oil and place in the oven with your other ingredients.
Keywords: grilled corn & zucchini salad, vegetarian/vegan side dish, summer salad
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