This salad combines juicy blueberries and crunchy sweet raw corn with lots of herbs and greens for a super simple side perfect for summer grilling. My favorite way to dress seasonal summer salads is to simply toss with lemon juice or vinegar and salt and then serve drizzled generously with olive oil – and that’s exactly what we’re doing here. And, of course, load it up with all the toppings! Tangy, salty pickled red onions, crunchy toasted nuts, and creamy goat cheese.
Ingredient highlight
Blueberries! These summer berries and rich in fiber, vitamin C, vitamin K, manganese and potassium. Plus they contain anti-inflammatory compounds called anthocyanins, which is what gives them their blue color.
Servings 4
Prep Time 10 minutes Ingredients
- 6 cups loosely packed arugula or thinly sliced lettuce
- 1 cup fresh blueberries
- 1 cup raw corn (from about 1 ear of corn)
- 1 cup loosely packed fresh herbs (basil, cilantro, mint, and/or parsley), kept whole, torn, or chopped
- 1/2 lemon, juiced (about 1 tbsp)
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- Olive oil
- 1 cup (about 5 oz) crumbled goat cheese*
- Pickled red onions
- Chopped toasted almonds, for topping
- *If you don’t like goat cheese, use feta or mozzarella.
- Note: ~ This recipe could serve 4 as more of a side or 2 as a big salad dinner. Serve this with grilled chicken (or crumbled cooked bacon) and a side of crusty bread to make it more of a meal. You can easily stretch it by adding more of everything.
- Pro tip! ~ If you think you’ll have leftovers, store the salad BEFORE drizzling with olive oil. It’s actually the oil in dressings that makes greens/lettuce get wilty and slimy as they sit.
Instructions
- In a large bowl, add the blueberries, corn, arugula or lettuce, and herbs. Squeeze lemon juice all over, sprinkle with salt, then toss to coat.
- Serve drizzled generously with your best olive oil and top with goat cheese, pickle red onions, and nuts.
Items you can prep ahead (optional)
- Slice 1 cup raw corn (from about 1 ear of corn)
- Pickled a red onion
- Toast and chop almonds, for topping
Substitutions:
- To make vegan/dairy-free, skip the goat cheese and add chopped avocado.
- Use any seasonal fruit in place of blueberries (strawberries, cherries, peaches, etc…)
- Use any toasted nut in place of almonds
Storage:
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days (see pro tip)
Leftovers + Repurposing:
- Serve leftover salad topped generously with all the toppings and olive oil.
- Top or serve with any cooked or grilled protein and a side of crusty bread to make it more of a meal.
- Add cooked pasta and toss with more lemon, salt, and olive oil for an easy pasta salad.
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