Grilled Corn and Zucchini Salad
sandravalvassori.com
Full of texture and smoky flavors, this Grilled Corn and Zucchini salad with feta, basil, and red onions will taste like summer in every bite. A perfect make-ahead salad to enjoy throughout the week!
Servings: 4
Ingredients
- 6 ears fresh corn
- 2-3 small zucchini, halved lengthwise (see notes)
- 2 small red bell peppers, quartered, stems and seeds removed
- 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- kosher salt, freshly ground black pepper
- 1/2 cup diced red onion (about 1/2 medium onion)
- 1/3 cup thinly sliced fresh basil, plus more for garnish
- 4 ounces feta cheese, crumbled (about 1 cup)
- 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar, plus a splash more if needed
- 1/2 teaspoon honey (optional-see notes)
Instructions
- Preheat the grill to medium-high.
- Brush the corn, zucchini, and red peppers with about 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Place the all the vegetables directly on the grill grates, working in batches if needed. Close the lid and let cook undisturbed for 2-3 minutes. At this point, you can start turning the vegetables every so often and shift them around so they cook evenly. Grill until lightly charred, about 6 to 10 minutes depending on the vegetable. (The zucchini will need the least amount of time, about 3 minutes a side, while the peppers and corn will likely need 8 to 10 minutes total.)
- Transfer the vegetables to one or two large cutting boards and let the corn cool enough to handle. Cut kernels from the corn, and place them in a large bowl. Chop the bell pepper and zucchini into bite-sized pieces and add to the bowl.
- Add the red onion, chopped basil, feta, vinegar and another few pinches of salt and pepper. In a small bowl, combine the vinegar, remaining 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil and honey, if using. Drizzle over the salad and toss to combine.
- Taste and adjust seasoning, if necessary, by adding a little more vinegar, salt and/or pepper. This salad will be delicious served immediately, at room temperature, or cold from the fridge.
Notes
- Zucchini: If you’ve ever tried grilling zucchini coins or diagonal wedges, you know how tricky they can be—half of them slip through the grates, and the rest tend to overcook in a flash. Cutting the zucchini into planks (as this recipe suggests) makes them much easier to handle on the grill and helps them keep their shape. The only exception is if your zucchini are especially thick (over about 1 ½ inches in diameter). In that case, planks won’t soften enough in the center, so wedges will be your best bet.
- Honey: If you're using peak-season sweet corn, you can easily omit the honey because the corn will be so sweet. When corn is out of season and needs a little boost, add the honey.
- Re-fresh the salad before serving. If the salad has been in the fridge overnight, refresh the flavors by adding a little more vinegar and seasoning.
- No grill, no problem! Use a large skillet and sauté the corn kernels, red peppers, and zucchini in batches until nicely charred.
- Soak the raw onions. If you prefer a less pungent onion flavor, soak the diced onion in the vinegar while you grill the veggies.