Name: Sweet Corn and Arugula Salad
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 20 min
Ingredients: 1 5 oz. package baby arugula; 1/4 red onion (thinly sliced); 1 lemon (juiced); 1/2 tsp. salt; 2 ears of sweet corn (cooked and cut off the cob); 1/4 cup feta cheese; 1/2 cup cherry tomatoes (sliced in half); 2 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil

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Sweet Corn and Arugula Salad-- a simple summer salad that is anything but boring! Fresh sweet corn cut right off the cob, paired with creamy, salty feta, pickled red onions, and a bed of arugula. This is one you will want to make again and again!

plate of arugula salad with slices of toast on the side.

To say that I can’t get enough of summer sweet corn would be an understatement. Living in the Midwest, we are known for our sweet corn— and for good reason. There’s nothing like that delicate, slightly sweet flavor and tender texture. When you get it fresh in the heat of summer, you could almost eat it raw!

I wanted a salad that would showcase the flavor of the corn without drowning it in a heavy dressing. To do that, I paired it with salty feta, peppery arugula, and tangy red onion. Everything is so fresh, that all you need to dress it is a bit of olive oil and lemon juice. It reminded me of a jazzed up version of this simple rocca salad.

Looking for a salad using spinach instead? Try this Spinach Blueberry Salad.

serving bowl full of corn and arugula salad.

More recipes with arugula

Quick pickled onions

One thing I did, that in my opinion makes the salad extra special, is a quick pickling of the red onions. Now don’t be overwhelmed when you read the word pickled. There’s no boiling or canning going on here!

All I did was slice up the red onion very thinly, and placed it at the bottom of the dish I was going to toss the salad in. I juiced the lemon on top of it and sprinkled in a little salt. I stirred it up to coat the onions and let it sit for about 10 minutes and voila! Quick pickled red onion. I love the way this paired with the salad, it gives a nice sweetness.

Ingredients

baby arugula
red onion
lemon
salt
sweet corn
crumbled feta cheese
cherry tomatoes
extra virgin olive oil

How to Make Sweet Corn and Arugula Salad

sliced corn, onions, and feta in a white bowl.

To prepare corn: Boil a large pot of salted water. Once it comes to a roaring boil, place corn in for 5 minutes. Remove and let cool before carefully cutting off cob with a sharp knife.
In a large bowl, place thinly sliced red onion. Squeeze the juice of one lemon over top, along with salt. Stir to coat. Let sit for 10 minutes, the onions will release some of their color and become more pliable to the touch.
Add in olive oil, arugula, tomatoes, corn, and feta. Stir gently to combine. Serve immediately.

Recipe Tip: How long to boil sweet corn?

sliced corn off the cob in a small green bowl.

It only takes about 5 minutes to boil sweet corn. Especially when it's super fresh and in season, corn on the cob does not take very long to cook. You don't want to risk overcooking the sweet corn and having it become tough, so less is more in this instance.

plate of salad with serving bowl in the background.

Variations and Substitutions

If you don't have access to corn on the cob, frozen or canned corn work well too! And they make this salad extra quick to prepare.
Don't like arugula? No problem. Spring mix, baby kale, even spinach would work. However, I really like baby arugula here-- it gives something special to the salad. If you substitute it, you may want to try adding a few fresh cracks of black pepper.

Storage

This corn arugula salad is best served fresh, as the arugula is a tender green and will wilt quickly in the tangy dressing. Enjoy right away for best taste. If you are serving it at a party, prep everything separately and bring together just before serving.