I made this salad as a side dish for a Father’s Day BBQ and ended up eating it all week.
It’s summer simplicity at its finest: fresh corn sautéed until just tender, tossed with crisp scallions, black beans, and crunchy pumpkin seeds, all dressed in a smoky lime vinaigrette and finished with a crumble of salty feta and a shower of chopped parsley. It’s bright, creamy, zippy, and satisfying.
But the best part? It’s a chameleon. It was a great side dish for grilled filets with garlic and herb butter, an heirloom tomato salad, and fresh crusty sourdough with yummy dipping oil. But here’s how I made it work all week long:
As a side dish: Obvious, yes. But it held up beautifully.
In chicken quesadillas: Fold a scoop inside with some shredded cheese—melty, creamy, sweet-corn magic. I used almond flour tortillas and loved how they crisped up.
In a turkey wrap: Add a smear of hummus or avocado, spoon in the corn salad, and wrap it up for a satisfying lunch.
Whether you’re feeding a crowd or just your future self, this salad is summer gold. Make it once, and I guarantee it’ll be on repeat.
SERVES: 8
INGREDIENTS:
6 ears of corn, shucked, kernels removed
1½ TBS olive oil
¼ tsp kosher salt
3 scallions, thinly sliced on a sharp diagonal
¼ cup pumpkin seeds (pepitas)
1 (15 oz) can black beans, drained and rinsed
Juice of 1 lime
½ tsp paprika
½ cup crumbled feta cheese
¼ cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
¼ tsp flaky sea salt
STEPS:
In a large skillet over medium heat, sauté the corn kernels in ½ TBS olive oil. Add the kosher salt and cook for 5–7 minutes, until the corn is softened but still has a bit of bite.
Remove from heat and let the corn cool completely (this prevents the feta from melting).
In a small bowl, whisk together the remaining tablespoon of olive oil with the lime juice, and paprika.
In a large bowl, combine the cooled corn, scallions, pumpkin seeds, black beans, and parsley.
Pour the dressing over the salad and toss gently to coat.
Fold in the crumbled feta.
Finish with a sprinkle of flaky sea salt just before serving.