This cherry & corn summer salad is everything I love about simple salads. It’s easy to assemble, not too much fuss required, and you don’t even need to shake up a dressing on the side. The cherries naturally coat the salad in a subtle tart-and-sweet flavor, and the raw corn lends it’s signature refreshing crunch. Add in my favorite herbs, basil and mint, and some wholesome crunch from hazelnuts and the salad is nearly done.
When I first made this summer salad, I thought it needed something. So the second time I made it, aleppo pepper and ground coriander entered the scene, and it completely changed the game. Although the salad still maintains all its subtle summer flavors, these two spices helped take it to the next level. Raw corn and cherries have never looked so good.
Table of contents
Ingredients for this cherry & corn salad
- 2 ears of corn, raw and shucked
- 2 cups of cherries
- 1 cup fresh basil leaves
- 1 cup fresh mint leaves
- 1/3 cup roasted hazelnuts
- olive oil as needed
- red wine vinegar as needed
- 1/4 tsp aleppo pepper
- 1/2 tsp ground coriander
- salt & pepper to taste
How to make this summer cherry & corn salad
I love a salad that is as easy as chop-mix-toss-serve. For this salad begin by prepping all the ingredients. Grab a sharp knife and remove all the corn kernels from the corn cobs. Set them in a large bowl. Halve and quarter all the cherries, removing the pits. Add them to the bowl as well.
Use your hands to “rough up” the herbs. This means rubbing them in your palm to activate the aromatics, lightly tearing them, and giving them a few squeezes. All of this will enhance their flavor! Add these to the bowl as well.
Roughly chop the hazelnuts, you want some pieces big and some small. Add them to the bowl.
Add a generous glug of olive oil and red wine vinegar to the bowl. You want the ingredients coated, but not wet. Toss to combine.
Add the aleppo pepper, coriander, a pinch of salt and a few twists of black pepper. Continue to toss with your hands.
Taste the salad, and adjust the olive oil, vinegar, salt and pepper as needed. Taste and adjust until you have a salad that is brightly acidic, but still rich in flavor from the spices.
To serve, pour a generous helping on a plate and garnish with any extra herbs. Add an optional side of toast or crispy tofu and enjoy!
Looking for other salad recipes?
I love a good, salad, although mine tend to err on the side of less-lettuce-equals-more-salad. Here are a few favorites from the blog!
And that’s it for this cherry & corn summer salad recipe!
If you make it, please tag me on Pinterest or Instagram so I can see! It’s my favorite thing to scroll through stories and see what you all are making.
And of course feel free to leave any questions, comments or reviews! This is the best place to reach me, and I’d love to hear from you.
Cherry & Corn Summer Salad with Hazelnuts, Basil & Mint
Ingredients
- 2 ears of corn raw and shucked
- 2 cups of cherries
- 1 cup fresh basil leaves
- 1 cup fresh mint leaves
- 1/3 cup roasted hazelnuts
- olive oil as needed
- red wine vinegar as needed
- 1/4 tsp aleppo pepper
- 1/2 tsp ground coriander
- salt & pepper to taste
For serving (optional)
- 2 slices your bread of choice toasted
- 2 servings crispy tofu recipe also on this blog!
Instructions
- Begin by prepping all the ingredients. Grab a sharp knife and remove all the corn kernels from the corn cobs. Set them in a large bowl. Halve and quarter all the cherries, removing the pits. Add them to the bowl as well.
- Use your hands to "rough up" the herbs. This means rubbing them in your palm to activate the aromatics, lightly tearing them, and giving them a few squeezes. All of this will enhance their flavor! Add these to the bowl as well.
- Roughly chop the hazelnuts, you want some pieces big and some small. Add them to the bowl.
- Add a generous glug of olive oil and red wine vinegar to the bowl. You want the ingredients coated, but not wet. Toss to combine.
- Add the aleppo pepper, coriander, a pinch of salt and a few twists of black pepper. Continue to toss with your hands.
- Taste the salad, and adjust the olive oil, vinegar, salt and pepper as needed. Taste and adjust until you have a salad that is brightly acidic, but still rich in flavor from the spices.
- To serve, pour a generous helping on a plate and garnish with any extra herbs. Add an optional side of toast or crispy tofu and enjoy!
