This delicious dish is so vibrant and colorful and every bite delivers a layer of superfood ingredients.

It’s also very versatile and goes with just about anything you have on the menu; serve it as a standalone side or use it to stuff tacos, wraps or pitas. When you roast the corn in the hot skillet, it starts to smell like fresh popcorn and the sweet kernels caramelize to perfection. It’s truly a salad filled with goodness!

The kitchen starts to smell like buttery popcorn—and sometimes even “pops” like popcorn, too. Feel free to use fresh, canned, or frozen corn, and then watch it transform into an impressive-looking dish filled with Southwestern style.

Try this Sesame-Garlic Edamame!

(5 stars) 4 ratings

Southwestern Corn Salad

This delicious dish is perfect for your next backyard cookout. It’s so vibrant and colorful and every bite delivers a layer of superfood ingredients—it’s truly a bowl filled with goodness!
Servings: 12 servings
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
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Ingredients
 

  • 4 cups fresh or frozen corn*
  • 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
  • ½ teaspoon kosher salt, divided
  • 1 (15oz) can black beans, rinsed and drained
  • 1 cup red onion finely diced, about 1 small red onion
  • 1 medium red bell pepper, finely diced (about 1 cup)
  • ½ to 1 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
  • 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
  • ½ to 1 teaspoon ground cumin, optional
  • ¼ to ½ cup feta cheese, optional
  • Sliced jalapeños, optional

Instructions
 

  • Add 1 tablespoon olive oil to a large skillet and warm over medium-high heat. Add the corn and roast for about 7 minutes, stirring occasionally to slightly char the kernels (you’ll start to see some brown spots). Towards the end, mix in ¼ teaspoon salt. Remove the corn from heat and let it completely cool.
  • In a large mixing bowl, add the cooled corn, black beans, bell peppers, red onion, and optional jalapeños. Toss to combine. In a small mixing bowl, combine the lime juice, remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil, ¼ teaspoon salt, and optional cumin, if using. Drizzle over the corn salad and gently mix to evenly coat. Add in the cilantro and mix again. Season with additional salt and ground black pepper to taste.
  • Transfer to a serving platter and sprinkle crumbled feta cheese over the top, if desired. Serve chilled or room temperature.

Notes

*This works well with frozen, canned or fresh kernels cut from uncooked shucked cobs.
For frozen: Do not defrost. Simply run your frozen corn under cold water to remove any ice particles. Then, pat dry and place in hot skillet.
For canned: Drain well, pat dry and place in hot skillet.
For fresh shucked cobs: Depending on the size of your cobs, each will yield approximately ½ to ¾ cup fresh corn, so you’ll need 6 to 8 cobs. Slice the uncooked kernels from your cobs, and place directly in hot skillet.
• If you’re following a gluten-free diet, be sure to carefully read the packaging for each ingredient. While these foods are inherently gluten-free, gluten can sometimes be added during processing for a variety of reasons, including for flavor and consistency.
• Similarly, if you’re dairy-free, check the ingredient list carefully for any hidden milk products. And, of course, omit the feta cheese. 
• Nutrition information is provided without feta cheese. Add 10-20 calories per serving if including feta cheese.
Author: Joy Bauer, MS, RDN, CDN

Nutrition Information per serving

Serving Size: 0.5 cupCalories: 100Carbohydrates: 15gProtein: 4gTotal Fat: 3.5g— Unsaturated Fat: 3.5g— Saturated Fat: 0gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 160mgFiber: 3gTotal Sugar: 4g— Natural Sugar: 4g— Added Sugar: 0g
Nutrition information is calculated using a leading industry software. That being said, brands can vary, and there may be slight fluctuations in the numbers.
I’m hoping you loved this recipe! If you made it and want to share feedback, I’d be so grateful to hear from you. Please leave a review below or tag @joybauer on Instagram!