A grilled corn and smashed cucumber salad tossed in a dressing made of charred scallions, pepitas, and lime. The best way to use up your summer veggies and pack in the fiber.
A toast to my friends with backyards big enough to house a grill. I envy you from my apartment with no balcony. Promise me that you will fire up the grill this summer to give your veggies a proper char. Savor the smoky sweetness that you get from them. Maybe even consider grilling up a few pieces of corn and scallions in my honor to whip up this bowl to nourish you through the week.
Why You’ll Love This Grilled Corn and Smashed Cucumber Salad
- Fiber forward. The corn and edamame combined help to pack this salad with 10 grams of filling fiber per serving to support your gut health and digestion.
- Creamy dressing without the dairy. The creaminess of our dressing comes from blending pepitas into our dressing. This makes it dairy-free and nut-free.
- A tasty way to meal prep your summer veggies. This is especially true if you are lucky enough to have a grill. Cook up the corn and scallions to get all that smoky flavor to infuse into the salad.
Key Ingredients and Substitutions
- Corn: Fresh corn is wonderful, but you can save a step by using frozen charred corn.
- Cucumber: I recommend Persian cucumbers, but an English or Japanese cucumber is another good option.
- Edamame: For soy-free options consider cannellini beans, fava beans, butter beans, or chickpeas.
- Scallion: Or a roughly chopped shallot.
- Peppers: I used a serrano, but you can use a milder pepper like jalapeño (just remove the seeds and membranes if you are really sensitive to spice) or use 1/4 of a green bell pepper.
- Lime: Lemon is a great alternative.
- Pumpkin Seeds: Sunflower seeds or pistachios work too.
- Herbs: While I did use cilantro, this would also be really good with chives and parsley.
How to Make a Corn Cucumber Salad
Smash your cucumbers: Use the flat side of a chef’s knife to smack the cucumber along its length until they begin to split. Cut on a bias into 1 inch pieces. Transfer to a bowl and sprinkle with a generous pinch of salt. Toss, then let rest for 15-20 minutes. Drain the water released from the cucumbers. Do not rinse them.
Grill the corn and scallions: Heat a large pan over medium-heat. Cook the corn for 10-12 minutes, turning the corn until it is charred on all sides. Add the scallions along side the corn for about 5 minutes, flipping half way until both sides are seared.
Cook the remaining dressing ingredients: Return the pan to the burner and lower the heat to medium low. Add a small drizzle of oil to heat through, then add the garlic, pepper, and pepitas. Stir frequently for 5 minutes to char.
Make the dressing: Transfer the cooked garlic, pepper, and pepitas to a blender cup along with the charred scallion, oregano, agave syrup, miso paste, lime zest and juice, the extra virgin olive oil, and a generous pinch of salt. Blend until smooth. Add the cilantro and pulse until evenly minced.
Dress the salad: Cut the kernels off the cob and transfer to the bowl of cucumbers along with the edamame and remaining cilantro. Pour the dressing overtop and stir to combine.
For serving: Try pairing this salad with your favorite grain and some lime wedges, then enjoy.
Expert Tips
- Get more flavor out of your oregano. Place the dry oregano in your palm, then rub both of your palms together to gently rub the oregano. The heat from your palms will release some of the natural oils from the leaves, which will enhance its flavor.
- Smashing your cucumbers. This Chinese technique is used to help release excess water from the cucumbers, so the flavors in the dressing don’t get diluted. The rough edges created from smashing also creates more surface area for the sauce to cling to.
- Adjust the consistency of the dressing. This dressing is meant to be thick, but if it’s not blending, add 1-2 tbsp of water at a time. Be mindful that limes can vary in the amount of juice it contains. If you have a dry lime, use an additional lime to get the appropriate amount of liquid to blend.
How to Store This Corn Cucumber Salad
After the corn cucumber salad is dressed, transfer it to an airtight container and place in the fridge for up to 4 days. I recommend giving the salad a good stir in the container before portioning out to enjoy.
Make It Balanced
This salad provides you with filling protein and fiber, energizing carbohydrates, and antioxidants. To transform it into a full meal, consider any of the following pairings:
- Pair the salad with a portion of rice, quinoa, or your favorite short pasta (bonus points for protein pasta for extra fiber and protein)
- Consider stirring it together with some more veggies like massaged kale to add more volume
- Enjoy it with extra protein like some marinated tofu or these tofu patties, crispy lentils, or your favorite vegan sausage
Watch Me Make This Recipe
Recipe videos provide a general idea for recipe preparation. Please read the full recipe instructions and notes for the most accurate recipe results.
More Recipes to Use Up That Summer Produce
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Description
A grilled corn and smashed cucumber salad tossed in a dressing made of charred scallions, pepitas, and lime. The best way to use up your summer veggies and pack in the fiber.
- Place the cucumber halves cut side down on the cutting board. Using the flat side of a chef’s knife, smack the cucumbers along their length until they start to split. Cut the cucumbers on a bias into 1 inch pieces. Transfer to a large mixing bowl and sprinkle with a generous pinch of salt. Give the cucumbers a toss, then let them rest for 15-20 minutes. Drain away all the water the cucumbers release, then set aside. Do not rinse.
- Heat a large pan over medium-heat. When hot, place the ears of corn directly on the pan and grill for about 10-12 minutes, turning the corn with tongs occasionally until the corn is charred on all sides.
- Add the scallions along side the corn in the pan and cook for about 5 minutes, flipping half way until both sides are seared. Once cooked, transfer the corn and scallions to a cutting board to cool.
- Return the pan to the burner and lower the heat to medium-low. Add a small drizzle of cooking oil to heat through, then add the garlic, pepper, and pepitas. Stir frequently for 5 minutes, or until the garlic and pepitas become golden in color.
- To a blender cup add the cooked garlic, pepper, and pepitas, charred scallions, oregano, agave syrup, miso paste, vinegar, lime zest and juice, extra virgin olive oil, and a pinch of salt. Blend on high until smooth, tasting and adjusting salt and vinegar to your liking. Add 1/3 cup cilantro and pulse until evenly minced throughout the dressing.
- Cut the kernels off the cob and transfer to the bowl of drained cucumbers along with the edamame and remaining 1/3 cup cilantro. Pour the dressing overtop and stir to combine.
- Serve a portion of the salad with your favorite grain and some lime wedges, then enjoy.
Notes
Get more flavor out of your oregano. Place the dry oregano in your palm, then rub both of your palms together to gently rub the oregano. The heat from your palms will release some of the natural oils from the leaves, which will enhance it’s flavor.
Smashing your cucumbers. This Chinese technique is used to help release excess water from the cucumbers, so the flavors in the dressing don’t get diluted. The rough edges created from smashing also creates more surface area for the sauce to cling to.
Adjust the consistency of the dressing. This dressing is meant to be thick, but if it’s not blending, add 1-2 tbsp of water at a time. Be mindful that limes can vary in the amount of juice it contains. If you have a dry lime, use an additional lime to get the appropriate amount of liquid to blend.
Store the dressed corn cucumber salad in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
Nutrition
- Calories: 331
- Sugar: 7g
- Sodium: 203mg
- Fat: 19g
- Carbohydrates: 31g
- Fiber: 9.5g
- Protein: 13g
- Cholesterol: 0mg
The nutrition facts are provided as a courtesy and may vary depending on substitutions and product types used.
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