Summer Corn and Tomato Salad
Come July, the tomatoes at the farmers market on the Plaza are so good I could cry. This is the salad I make on repeat all summer, the one that uses corn at its sweetest and tomatoes at their juiciest, and it tastes like the season in a bowl.
It is barely a recipe, which is exactly why I love it. No oven, no fuss, just good produce treated kindly. It comes together while the grill heats up and it is somehow always the first thing gone.
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The case for keeping it simple
When produce is this good, your only job is to stay out of its way. Sweet summer corn and ripe tomatoes do not need much more than salt, good olive oil, and a little acid to wake everything up. This is not the salad to overthink. It is the salad to make while barefoot in the kitchen.
What goes in
Fresh corn cut off the cob, a big pile of halved cherry or chopped heirloom tomatoes, thin sliced red onion, torn basil, olive oil, a splash of red wine vinegar, and flaky salt. A handful of crumbled feta if you are feeling it. That is the whole thing.
A sharp chef knife and a big wooden salad bowl are really all you need. I cut the corn raw because it is crisp and sweet that way, but a quick char on the grill is lovely too.
How to bring it together
Add the corn, tomatoes, and onion to your bowl. Drizzle with olive oil and vinegar, season with flaky salt and pepper, and toss gently. Let it sit for ten minutes so the tomatoes release their juices and make their own little dressing at the bottom. Tear the basil over the top right before serving so it stays bright.
Make it a meal
Spoon it over grilled chicken, pile it onto toasted bread for a quick bruschetta, or add a can of white beans to make it lunch. It also holds up beautifully for a cookout, just hold the basil and salt until you are ready to set it out.
The takeaway
Summer cooking should feel this easy. Buy the best tomatoes you can find, treat them simply, and let the season do the work. If you have a farm stand you swear by around Kansas City, tell me in the comments. I am always hunting for the good tomatoes.
xo, Pam
