This tomato and fire roasted corn salad is bursting with the fresh flavors of summer. It is a very simple salad of fresh ingredients tossed in a light homemade sauce that brightens its flavors.
The recipe calls for heirloom tomatoes. I keep this category broad because any fresh and super-flavorful tomato will do.
Don’t try this recipe with just any grocery store tomatoes. Seek out specialty heirlooms, and even better, find locally grown heirlooms so you know they are as fresh as possible.
I have used both black cherry tomatoes and brandywine tomato varieties that I grow in my garden. Both made a delicious salad.
The recipe also requires you to roast some corn. You could use corn on the cob, grill it, and cut the kernels off the cob; it would be delicious!
Personally, I love eating corn on the cob. Cutting the corn off seams much too tedious, so I prefer a simpler approach.
I use frozen corn, it has great flavor because it is frozen at its peak freshness, and the work of cutting it off the cob is done for you.
Whatever you do, definitely don’t skip the fire roasted step. It adds texture to the corn and develops it’s sweet flavors.
Variations to this Tomato and Fire Roasted Corn Salad recipe:
- Basil is the perfect summertime accompaniment to both tomatoes and corn. Other fresh herbs can work as well. Rosemary would be my second choice, and thyme my third choice. Definitely use fresh as dried herbs will not add much flavor to a fresh salad.
- Mix in additional ingredients to suit your tastes. Try avocado, feta, chickpeas, black beans, red onion, or diced zucchini, for example.
- Serve this salad as a side dish with just about anything. It would be delicious with grilled shrimp kabobs, veggie stuffed mushrooms, or pulled jackfruit BBQ sandwiches.
- 2 cups frozen corn, thawed
- 2 tsp olive oil
- 2 cups diced heirloom tomatoes
- ¼ cup minced fresh basil
- 2 tsp red wine vinegar
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- ½ tsp each: salt and pepper
- Spread the corn out on a foil lined baking sheet and dry with a kitchen towel. Drizzle with olive oil and toss to coat. Broil for 4-5 minutes, watching closely at the end so that the corn browns, but does not burn.
- Toss the corn with tomatoes, basil, red wine vinegar, Dijon, salt and pepper. Taste and adjust seasonings accordingly.
