If you want a cool, crunchy raw vegetable salad to showcase your market finds, this is a perfect choice. This sweet corn salad combines fresh corn kernels with finely chopped zucchini, sweet bell pepper, ripe tomatoes, celery, scallions, red onion and peas (thawed if frozen). A creamy shallot vinaigrette coats the vegetables with a gentle sweet-tangy flavor. Serve it as a light lunch with warm bread or as a bright side at your next cookout.
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In hot weather this chopped veggie salad is ideal alongside grilled chicken or pork, or simply on its own. It’s light and refreshing, while the creamy shallot vinaigrette balances the raw vegetables with mild sweetness and brightness.
Ingredients for veggie salad
- Corn on the cob – no need to cook it; the salad uses raw kernels.
- Zucchini – choose a medium squash with smooth skin and dice it small.
- Sweet bell peppers – red, orange or yellow work best; they add sweetness and color.
- Ripe tomatoes – in-season tomatoes make a big difference; dice to match kernel size.
- Celery – for crisp texture, finely diced.
- Peas – fresh shelled or thawed frozen peas.
- Scallions – use the white and pale green parts, thinly sliced.
- Red onion – minced for color and crunch; if very pungent, soak in ice water for 10 minutes and pat dry to reduce the bite.
How to remove corn from the cob
If you have a corn stripper it speeds things up. Otherwise use a large bowl and a sharp chef’s knife:
- Stand the cob vertically with the flat end in the bottom of a bowl to steady it.
- Run a sharp chef’s knife down the length of the cob to remove the kernels into the bowl.
- Rotate and repeat until all kernels are removed.
How to chop vegetables for marinated salad
For a chopped salad, aim for pieces roughly the size of the corn kernels and peas — a small dice, not minced. Keeping the vegetables a similar size improves the texture and makes the salad easy to eat.
Peas please…
Fresh peas: Blanch and shock them to retain color and tenderness — boil until just tender, then plunge into an ice bath.
Frozen peas: These are usually pre-blanched; just thaw before adding to the salad.
Ingredients for creamy shallot dressing
- Shallot confit (or, if you don’t have confit, use one small minced shallot and whisk by hand)
- Red wine vinegar (or champagne vinegar)
- Honey
- Dijon mustard
- Kosher salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- Chopped parsley
Shallot confit — oil-poached shallots — softens and sweetens shallots so the dressing is lush and mellow rather than sharp. Make the confit ahead if possible, but a small minced fresh shallot will work in a pinch; don’t process raw shallots in a food processor or the dressing can become too pungent.
What if I don’t have shallot confit made?
If you’re short on time, substitute one small minced shallot (rather than the 1/2 cup of confit) and whisk the dressing by hand. Processing raw shallots can make the vinaigrette overly sharp.
How to make shallot vinaigrette
- In a mini food processor or blender, combine the shallot confit (or minced shallot plus oil), vinegar, Dijon, honey and salt. Blend until smooth and creamy to form an emulsion.
- Stir in chopped parsley and freshly ground black pepper by hand after blending to keep the dressing bright and to avoid a washed-out green color.
Dressing the salad
- Add about 1/3 cup of the creamy dressing to the chopped vegetables and toss to coat.
- Taste and add another tablespoon or two if needed, tossing and tasting until lightly dressed. The goal is seasoned, not soggy.
- You likely won’t use all the dressing; leftover vinaigrette is excellent over steamed vegetables, fish or chicken.
Can I serve the chopped veggie salad immediately?
Yes — you can eat it as soon as it’s dressed. Chilling it for a few hours lets the flavors meld and the vegetables soak up the vinaigrette. Serve cold, at room temperature or slightly in between — whatever you prefer.
How long will corn salad last refrigerated?
Stored in an airtight container, the salad keeps 2–3 days in the refrigerator, though peas may lose vibrancy and the vegetables soften after the first day. For best texture and flavor, enjoy it the day you make it.
More veggie salads you might like:
- Heirloom Tomato Salad with Creamy Anchovy Dressing
- Tomato Peach Caprese
- Crunchy Chopped Kale Salad
- Mexican Chopped Salad
- Summer Squash and Courgette Salad
Summertime Chopped Veggie Salad with Creamy Shallot Vinaigrette
SPECIAL EQUIPMENT:
-
mini food processor
INGREDIENTS:
FOR CREAMY SHALLOT VINAIGRETTE
- ½ cup shallot confit (recipe on this site)
- 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar (or champagne vinegar)
- 2 teaspoons honey
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- ¼ cup chopped parsley
FOR CHOPPED SALAD
- 2 ears corn on the cob
- 1 medium zucchini, finely diced (to about the size of corn kernels)
- 1 sweet bell pepper, finely diced
- 2 plum tomatoes, finely diced
- 1 stalk celery, finely diced
- 1 cup frozen peas, thawed
- 3 scallions, white and pale green parts, thinly sliced
- 2 tablespoons red onion, minced
DIRECTIONS:
MAKE THE CREAMY SHALLOT VINAIGRETTE
- In a mini food processor or blender, combine the shallot confit with vinegar, Dijon, honey and kosher salt. Blend until smooth and creamy. Transfer to a bowl and stir in black pepper and chopped parsley. Set aside.
ASSEMBLE THE SALAD
- Remove any husks and cut the kernels off the corn cob into a large bowl using a corn stripper or a sharp chef’s knife.
- Combine the corn, zucchini, bell pepper, tomatoes, celery, peas, scallions and red onion and toss to combine.
- Add about 1/3 cup of the shallot dressing and toss to coat. Taste and add an additional 1–2 tablespoons at a time if desired, but avoid overdressing. Leftover dressing is great on other vegetables, fish or chicken.
- Serve chilled or at room temperature.
NOTES:
NUTRITION:
| Carbohydrates: 23 g
| Protein: 5 g
| Fat: 15 g
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