This corn and tomato salad makes use of summer’s bounty of sweet corn, juicy tomatoes, and fresh basil to make a delicious side dish.

Beat the heat by bringing this refreshing corn and tomato salad to summer get-togethers or serving it alongside your grilled fare!

Sweet corn and tomato salad in a glass bowl.

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Summer time is the perfect time to make use of fresh produce at its peak. Gardens are bursting with plenty of vegetables and fruits, and the sweltering heat begs us to leave our ovens off.

Cold side dishes really shine during the summer, and I have several recipes that I make pretty regularly.

One of my favorites is this sweet corn and tomato salad recipe!

Tender, sweet corn and ripe, juicy tomatoes were made to be enjoyed together. Add some fresh basil, green onions, feta cheese, and a simple vinaigrette to the mix, and it’s a match made in heaven.

It uses the delightful flavor pairing of my fresh corn and basil muffins, but in a refreshing salad!

It’s the perfect side dish to bring to a BBQ, potluck, or family gathering!

More Cold Side Dishes for Summer:

overhead view of a glass bowl of tomato basil corn salad with feta cheese. A wooden serving spoon is next to the bowl.

How to Make Sweet Corn and Tomato Salad

It’s really easy to make this flavorful side.

Ingredients You’ll Need

Fresh corn on the cob
Cherry tomatoes
Green onions
Fresh basil
Feta cheese
Red wine vinegar
Olive oil
Salt
Pepper

side view of a glass serving bowl filled with fresh corn and tomato salad with vinaigrette.

How to Make It:

Find the full printable recipe available below

Prep the corn and tomatoes. I prefer to cook corn on the cob in the Instant Pot, but you can also boil the corn on the stove top (or grill it, or whatever method you prefer).

While the corn is cooking, go ahead and cut your cherry tomatoes in half. Once the corn is cooked, let it cool for a few minutes, then cut the kernels off the cob.

Add those to a mixing bowl and gently stir to combine.

two photos; one shows fresh corn cut off the cob and halved cherry tomatoes in a glass bowl; the other shows the two stirred together.

Make the vinaigrette. In a small bowl or measuring cup, combine the red wine vinegar, olive oil, salt, and pepper. Stir well with a fork or whisk to incorporate.

two photos; one shows ingredients for vinaigrette in a small measuring cup; the other shows a fork stirring them together.

Assemble the salad and refrigerate. Add the sliced green onions and sliced basil to the corn and tomatoes. Then pour the vinaigrette over everything.

Stir gently to combine. Cover the bowl and let the salad chill in the refrigerator for a couple of hours, if time allows. Then just before serving, add the feta cheese and stir to combine.

two photos; one shows fresh basil and green onions added to the corn and tomatoes; the other shows the vinaigrette and feta cheese tossed with the other ingredients.

You can definitely serve it right away if you want (I’ve done this when I’m short on time), but I prefer to let it chill in the refrigerator for a little bit.

Notes and Adaptations:

The vinaigrette can be customized according to your tastes–add more or less oil or vinegar, add in more green onions, etc.
You can substitute goat cheese for the feta cheese if preferred.
I have only ever made this with fresh corn, and I highly recommend that’s what you use. However, if you don’t have access to fresh corn, I would recommend frozen corn before canned corn.