The perfect picnic or cookout side dish is one that is not only super flavorful but one that can hold its own against high summer temperatures. This incredible summer roasted corn salad has just the right amount of smokey chile flavor with just a touch of sweetness to help balance everything out and is also safe to serve on even the hottest summer day.
As of today, picnic season officially begins. That’s right y’all. From now on, I simply refuse to eat inside of the house unless it’s under 50 degrees or it’s literally raining buckets and buckets of rain. Come dinner time, you’ll find me hanging out on the deck and enjoying whatever quick meal I can toss together without really having to exert too much effort. That could be cheese and pretzels, grilled pizza, red pepper jelly smothered cream cheese and crackers, grilled sausages, or even a simple roasted smokey corn salad like this one. So grab your sunscreen, meet me on the back deck, and let’s get this picnic started.
Ingredients:
Corn Salad:
- 2 (14.4-oz.) Bags Frozen Corn Kernels
- 3 Tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- Water
- Ice
- 1 Red Onion
Vinaigrette:
- Water
- 1 Dried Poblano Chile
- 2 Tablespoons White Wine Vinegar
- 2 Tablespoons Honey
- 1 Tablespoon Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 1 Teaspoon Dijon Mustard
- 1/4 Teaspoon Kosher Salt
Directions:
Corn Salad:
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
- Place the corn on a baking sheet and drizzle it with the 3-tablespoons of olive oil. Stir to combine and then roast for 25 minutes. Stir to combine again and then roast for an additional 7 minutes.
- While the corn is roasting, fill a medium bowl two-thirds full with water and ice. Peel and thinly slice the onion and then cut each onion slice into quarters. Place the onion slices into the ice water for at least 30 minutes before draining well.
- Place the drained onion slices and roasted corn into a large bowl; set aside.
Vinaigrette:
- While the corn is roasting, fill a small pot with water and bring it to a boil.
- Slice the dried chile in half and remove the stem and any seeds.
- Place the chile halves into the pot of boiling water and turn off the heat. Soak the chile halves for at least 30 minutes before draining well.
- Place the drained chiles into a food processor along with the remaining vinaigrette ingredients and purée until smooth.
- Pour the vinaigrette over the corn and onion mixture and then stir to combine.
Suggestions:
- Soaking the onion slices in ice water helps to remove their bite.
- Make sure to wear a pair of food-safe gloves when handling the poblano pepper to prevent burning your skin.
Improvements:
- Replace the red onions in this recipe with chopped scallions.
- Add shredded cheddar cheese to this corn salad after it has come to room temperature.
- Serve topped with crispy crumbled bacon.
- Finely chop the red onion in this recipe, add a finely diced tomato, and then use this corn salad as a corn salsa with your favorite tortilla chips.
Ingredients:
- 2 (14.4-oz.) Bags Frozen Corn Kernels
- 3 Tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- Water
- Ice
- 1 Red Onion
- Water
- 1 Dried Poblano Chile
- 2 Tablespoons White Wine Vinegar
- 2 Tablespoons Honey
- 1 Tablespoon Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 1 Teaspoon Dijon Mustard
- 1/4 Teaspoon Kosher Salt
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
- Place the corn on a baking sheet and drizzle it with the 3-tablespoons of olive oil. Stir to combine and then roast for 25 minutes. Stir to combine again and then roast for an additional 7 minutes.
- While the corn is roasting, fill a medium bowl two-thirds full with water and ice. Peel and thinly slice the onion and then cut each onion slice into quarters. Place the onion slices into the ice water for at least 30 minutes before draining well.
- Place the drained onion slices and roasted corn into a large bowl; set aside.
- While the corn is roasting, fill a small pot with water and bring it to a boil.
- Slice the dried chile in half and remove the stem and any seeds.
- Place the chile halves into the pot of boiling water and turn off the heat. Soak the chile halves for at least 30 minutes before draining well.
- Place the drained chiles into a food processor along with the remaining vinaigrette ingredients and purée until smooth.
- Pour the vinaigrette over the corn and onion mixture and then stir to combine.
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Please take a moment to check out all of the other great National Picnic Day recipes below.
- Asian Slaw by A Day in the Life on the Farm
- Bánh Mì + A Wine Suggestion by Culinary Adventures with Camilla
- Broccoli Salad with Poppy Seed Dressing by Sew You Think You Can Cook
- Chicken BLT Shaker Salad by Cindy’s Recipes and Writings
- Deviled Eggs with Horseradish and Dill by Palatable Pastime
- Florida Stone Crab Claws with Key Lime Mustard Dipping Sauce by Family Around the Table
- Italian Antipasto Pasta Salad by Books n’ Cooks
- Marinated Three Bean Salad by Jolene’s Recipe Journal
- Roasted Corn Salad with Chile Vinaigrette by Faith, Hope, Love, & Luck Survive Despite a Whiskered Accomplice
- Smashed Cucumbers with Vinegar by Simple and Savory
- Southern Crispy Oven Fried Chicken by Everyday Eileen