Sweet Corn Salad With Buttermilk Vinaigrette

By Kay Chun

Updated October 11, 2023

  • Armando Rafael for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Cyd Raftus McDowell.
Media 1 of 1
Total Time
30 minutes
Prep Time
20 minutes
Cook Time
10 minutes
Rating
4(538)
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

  • 8 ears fresh corn, shucked

  • ½ cup buttermilk

  • ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil

  • ¼ cup sour cream

  • 2 tablespoons chopped dill

  • 1 tablespoon minced shallot

  • 1 teaspoon minced garlic

  • 2 small cucumbers (such as Kirby or Persian), quartered lengthwise and thinly sliced (2 cups)

Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (6 to 8 servings)

21 grams carbs; 5 milligrams cholesterol; 173 calories; 6 grams monounsaturated fat; 1 gram polyunsaturated fat; 2 grams saturated fat; 10 grams fat; 2 grams fiber; 356 milligrams sodium; 4 grams protein; 8 grams sugar

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.

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Ratings

4 out of 5
538 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.

Robert

Don’t discard the cobs. Cut them in half and back in the corn water and add leek greens and some pepper corns to make corn stock. Good for risotto broth or base for chowder

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.

Maribeth

Served it tonight and it was a hit. Added sugar snap pea podss, cut length-wise to show the peas and then horizontally in 1/2 again. They were raw and provided great crunch. Really enjoyed this. It's blasphemy, I know, but I sauteed Trader Joe's Fire Roasted Corn, tossed with light amount of dressing, refrigerated for a few hours, then added sugar snap peas and tossed with dressing for 30 minutes.

Jill

I used red bell peppers, celery, and scallions in addition to the cucumbers to add more crunch and used buttermilk dressing made with Penzey spice mix. Yum!

Jeremy

How is this a vinagrette if there is no vinegar in it?

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