It’s no secret that summer is corn season, and honestly, there’s nothing better than a bright, veggie-forward corn salad when the weather’s warm. This recipe is everything I want in a summer dinner: sweet corn, tender squash, fresh herbs, a salty sprinkle of cotija, and the star of the show—a glossy, sizzled scallion and ancho chili dressing that ties it all together. But of course, any chili powder you have will also do.
What I love is you can make this salad vegetarian (with tofu) or pescatarian (with shrimp). It’s flexible, colorful, and absolutely packed with flavor and nutrition. The dressing is glossy and sticky, but can easily switch to creamy and thick if you have a bit of Greek yogurt on hand. Think of it as your new go-to weeknight dinner that just happens to double as a brilliant salad. But if you serve it with rice it is easily the whole meal.
Why you’ll love this corn salad
The thing about corn in summer is that it really doesn’t need much. In peak season, it’s just so unbelievably flavorful and complex that there’s not much else to it. It’s naturally sweet, juicy, and just a little bit smoky if you give it a quick sauté. But this corn and scallion salad isn’t just about corn—it’s about what happens when you layer flavors:
- The dressing. Sizzled scallions, jalapeño, ancho chili powder, cumin, honey, and lime. It’s glossy, tangy, a little spicy, and perfect to measure up to all the flavor in your corn.
- The protein. Tofu or shrimp – I wanted to give you options depending on your mood and who you are eating with! Tossed in the scallion dressing before cooking, they soak up every bit of that flavor. Plus, the process is streamlined.
- The finish. Cotija cheese and loads of cilantro, which bring freshness and just the right amount of saltiness. I love cheese in that way.
The result is a salad that feels hearty enough to be dinner, but is still light and refreshing. Oh! And great for meal prep – we can’t forget that.
What you’ll need
The ingredients for this corn salad with scallion ancho chili dressing are super simple, but together they create a dish that’s way more than the sum of its parts.
For the dressing:
- Scallions – separated into whites (for sautéing) and greens (for finishing).
- Jalapeño – take the seeds out for a mild flavor.
- Olive oil – the base of our sizzled scallion oil. You can also use a neutral oil if that’s all you have!
- Ancho chili powder + cumin – smoky and warm without overpowering the corn. But you can use any chili powder on hand if you’d like.
- Lime zest + juice – bright and tangy. I think it’s one of my favorite acids.
- Honey – just enough sweetness to balance the spice.
- Greek yogurt (optional) – if you want a creamy dressing. I opt in and out of this depending on my mood.
For the salad:
- Corn – fresh off the cob, lightly sautéed until golden.
- Summer squash – thinly sliced for a tender, softened bite.
- Protein of choice – extra-firm tofu (for a vegetarian corn and tofu salad) or shrimp (for a pescatarian version).
- Cilantro – lots of it for freshness.
- Cotija cheese – salty, crumbly, perfect. You can also sub in feta or ricotta salata if you are in a pinch.
- White rice (optional) – makes this feel more like a full meal. Brown rice is also great! Or tortilla chips.
How to make this corn salad with scallion ancho chili dressing
This recipe comes together in about 30-45 minutes, and that’s because the steps have a consistent method. Here’s the flow:
1. Make the scallion dressing
Slice the scallion whites and jalapeño, then sizzle them in olive oil until softened. While that’s cooking, whisk together ancho chili powder, cumin, salt, and lime zest in a heat-safe bowl. Pour the hot scallion oil over the spices—this step unlocks all their flavor. Stir in honey, lime juice, and Greek yogurt (if using). Taste, adjust with more lime or salt, and set aside.
2. Prep your protein
Cube tofu or prep shrimp, then toss with a few spoonfuls of the dressing and some salt. Sear in the same pan until golden (about 3–4 minutes per side). Remove and set aside.
3. Cook the vegetables
In that same pan, sauté the corn and squash until the squash is tender and the corn starts to caramelize (about 9–10 minutes).
4. Bring it all together
Add the cooked tofu or shrimp back to the pan with the corn and squash. Pour over the remaining scallion dressing and toss well. Finish with scallion greens, cilantro, and cotija. Serve as-is or over warm rice.
Why this dressing works
The key to this recipe is the scallion and ancho chili dressing. By heating the scallions and jalapeño in oil, you’re infusing the oil itself with flavor. When that hot oil hits the spices, it blooms them—bringing out a deeper, rounder flavor than you’d get by just whisking the ingredients together without cooking them.
The balance is everything: smoky ancho chili, bright lime, sweet honey, and just enough heat from the jalapeño. It’s bold without being overpowering, and it pairs perfectly with the natural sweetness of corn.
Variations and Swaps
This corn salad is endlessly adaptable, so feel free to mix it up:
- Make it creamy. Stir Greek yogurt or sour cream into the dressing for a creamier texture.
- Add more veggies. Bell peppers, zucchini, or cherry tomatoes would all work. Those you can keep raw, or throw them into the sauté and have a nice cooked salad on your hands.
- Try another cheese. Feta is a great swap for cotija if that’s what you have. Ricotta salata is another great option.
- Go fully vegan. Skip the yogurt and cotija, or use dairy-free alternatives. Use tofu and you have a fully vegan (high protein!) dinner.
- Spice it up. Keep the seeds in the jalapeño for a lot of kick.
Serving suggestions
This isn’t your average side salad—it’s hearty enough to be dinner. Here are some of my favorite ways to serve it:
- Piled high in a bowl with fluffy white rice.
- Scooped onto tostadas or wrapped into warm tortillas. Or with a side of tortilla chips for scooping and snacking.
- As a colorful side at a summer BBQ. This is a particular crowd favorite when you use shrimp.
- Packed into meal prep containers for a week of flavorful lunches.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes! Fresh corn is best when it’s in season, but frozen works perfectly here. Just thaw before sautéing.
Any chili powder will work. Ancho is mild and slightly smoky, but feel free to use what you have. The results will be very similar!
Definitely. The flavors actually get better as it sits, so it’s a great make-ahead lunch. This salad will keep in the fridge for up to four days.
Yes—though I love it warm, it also tastes amazing chilled straight from the fridge.
Looking for other summer recipes?
Here are a few vegetarian favorites!
And that’s it for this Corn Salad with Scallion Ancho Chili Dressing!
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 <3
Corn Salad with Scallion Ancho Chili Dressing
Equipment
- 1 chef's knife
- 1 12-inch sauté pan
Ingredients
For the scallion dressing
- 6 medium scallions
- 1 medium jalapeño seeds removed
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 2 teaspoons ancho chili powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt plus more as needed
- 1 teaspoon lime zest
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice about 1-2 limes
- 2 tablespoons Greek yogurt optional, if you prefer your dressing creamy
- 1 16-ounce block of extra-firm tofu or 16 ounces of peeled and deveined shrimp
- 4 ears corn 454 grams
- 1-2 yellow summer squash 250 grams
- 1 1/2 cups fresh cilantro loosely packed, 40 grams
- 2 ounces cotija cheese
Optional, for serving
- 2 cups cooked white rice
Instructions
- Begin by making the scallion dressing. Separate the scallion whites from the green tops. Thinly slice the scallion whites into medallions. Thinly slice the scallion greens on an angle and set them in a bowl to the side.
- Halve the jalapeño and remove the seeds. Thinly slice it.
- Place the 12-inch sauté pan over medium heat. Add 1/2 cup of olive oil and let this heat up for a minute. Then add the scallion whites and the jalapeńo. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the scallions begin to soften and turn slightly translucent, 4-5 minutes.
- While the scallions are cooking, in a medium heat-safe bowl add 2 teaspoons of ancho chili powder, 1 teaspoon ground cumin and 1 teaspoon kosher salt. Grate in 1 teaspoon of lime zest. Immediately pour the hot scallion oil over this spice blend. Whisk to combine.
- Add in 2 tablespoons of honey, 2 tablespoons of lime juice and 2 tablespoons of Greek yogurt (if you would like the dressing creamy). Mix together. Taste and season with more salt or lime juice as preferred. Set this dressing to the side.
- If you are using tofu, pat it dry and cut it into bite-sized pieces and add them to a bowl. If you are using shrimp, add them to a bowl. Drizzle in 3 tablespoons of the scallion dressing and mix. Season with salt.
- Turn the heat under the sauté pan back up to medium. In batches, cook your protein of choice for 3-4 minutes on each side, until they are browning and gently release from the pan. Add more olive oil as needed.
- While the proteins are cooking, use this time to slice the kernels off of the corn and thinly slice the summer squash. Chop up the cilantro.
- When the proteins are finished, transfer them to a large bowl. Add more oil to the pan as needed and add in the corn and squash. Season with salt and cook, stirring occasionally, for 9-10 minutes or until the squash is softened and the corn is beginning to turn lightly golden. Transfer this to the bowl with the proteins.
- Add the remaining dressing to the corn mixture and mix. Taste and season with salt or lime juice as preferred. Add in the scallion greens and chopped cilantro.
- Pile this mixture onto four plates and sprinkle each with 1/2 ounce of cotija cheese. If you'd like, serve with warm white rice.
I’m dying! This is exactly the recipe I wanted… yesterday. Everything you make is spectacular. Sadly my family suffered through sub par shrimp and corn when they could have dined on this gem. Keep the recipes coming. You are amazing ❤️.
Omg thank you, and there’s always next time!!
This was absolutely incredible! Even the dressing alone was tasty! I tried it dipped with naan. 10/10! The completed salad was outstanding as well! We didn’t have jalapeños or Cotija cheese. I subbed in Thai chili peppers and feta cheese. This was incredible! Will be making again and again!
So SO happy you liked it!
WOW! This was spectacular. I made it and even my husband who is particularly picky about tofu loved it. The dressing was smokey and complex. Plus corn is so cheap and perfectly in season right now.
I’m so SO thrilled you liked it!!
This is fantastic!!! This is one of my favorite ways to make tofu now, I will be returning to it for sure. It was very delicious with some cherry tomatoes thrown in at the very end too 🙂
Truly excellent recipe! So summery and fresh and hearty delicious. 2 zucchinis and 4 corn cobs did take 3 batches to cook, so it was a bit more involved than I expected. Still, it was well worth the effort.
Loved this!! I did it with shrimp, added the Greek yogurt to the dressing, and served it over quinoa. All the kids adored it and it was delicious.
The scallion dressing is *chef’s kiss*. This is the second time I’m making this with fresh corn from the farmers market. I add shelled edamame and black beans to pack it with veggie protein—don’t forget the cotija!—and it’ll be my lunch everyday this week. Thanks!
Made this tonight- WOW!! Fresh, and filling! We ate it on garlic toast with ricotta and it was a perfect summer meal. TRY THIS!!