Sweet Corn Salad With Buttermilk Vinaigrette

By Kay Chun

Updated Oct. 12, 2023

Sweet Corn Salad With Buttermilk Vinaigrette
Armando Rafael for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Cyd Raftus McDowell.
Total Time
30 minutes
Prep Time
20 minutes
Cook Time
10 minutes
Rating
4(471)
Comments
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Fresh corn on the cob is given a quick blanch for this salad, an easy yet valuable technique that takes away the starchy flavor and brings out the natural sweetness in the kernels. A cool, light buttermilk dressing is spiked with sour cream, garlic and black pepper for creamed corn vibes without the heaviness. Crisp cucumbers add crunch and pair beautifully with the herbaceous dill; feel free to use any soft herb, like chives, parsley, tarragon or basil. Make the salad a few hours ahead to allow all of the flavors to meld.

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Ingredients

Yield:6 to 8 servings
  • Kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal) and black pepper
  • 8ears fresh corn, shucked
  • ½cup buttermilk
  • ¼cup extra-virgin olive oil
  • ¼cup sour cream
  • 2tablespoons chopped dill
  • 1tablespoon minced shallot
  • 1teaspoon minced garlic
  • 2small cucumbers (such as Kirby or Persian), quartered lengthwise and thinly sliced (2 cups)
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (8 servings)

173 calories; 10 grams fat; 2 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 6 grams monounsaturated fat; 1 gram polyunsaturated fat; 21 grams carbohydrates; 2 grams dietary fiber; 8 grams sugars; 4 grams protein; 356 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Set up a large bowl of ice water. In a pot of salted boiling water, blanch the corn until the raw flavor is gone and corn is bright yellow, 2 minutes. Drain and transfer corn to the ice water and let cool. Drain well, then cut kernels off the cobs. (You should have about 8 cups of kernels.) Discard cobs.

  2. Step 2

    In a large bowl, combine buttermilk, oil, sour cream, dill, shallot and garlic. Season with salt and pepper; whisk until smooth.

  3. Step 3

    Add corn and cucumbers to the dressing. Season with salt and pepper; toss to evenly coat. The salad can be made a few hours ahead and kept refrigerated. Bring to room temperature and toss well before serving.

Ratings

4 out of 5
471 user ratings
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Comments

Pam

Thank you thank you thank you. I had to find something to go with shrimp and rice, and I wanted a light yet creamy dressing for whatever that something (vegetable) would be. I have never gotten more bang for my buck than I do with my NYT cooking subscription, and this one is yet another keeper. Thank you so much.

Gene J.

Most grocery store buttermilk is already low fat and you'd miss the tang by substituting regular milk. Yogurt might be a little healthier than sour cream, but there's only a quarter cup spread over 8 servings.

Fran

Raw zucchini or celery would both work, IMO.

Natalie

A huge hit at Taco Tuesday! Refreshing and perfect for hot days. Instead of buttermilk I used greek yogurt with splash of water. Added fresh lemon juice, red pepper flakes, and chives for some more flavor. It gets better after sitting in the fridge for a few hours!

Leslie

I halved the dressing ingredients because I only had 3 ears of corn. Add cumin and juice of 1/2 lime. Also added a cubed avocado and some shredded carrots (because I had a bag of them in the fridge). Colorful and good, but not great.

Alison

This is one of those recipes that has no business being as good as it is. Super easy to make and very tasty. I have made it several times and people always ask me for the recipe. The only change I've made is that I use the fire roasted frozen corn from Trader Joe's. It is also good with fresh basil instead of dill.

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