This simple corn salad is light, but is still so filling. It uses pantry-friendly canned corn, plus a few easy add-ins that give every bite crunch, tang, and a little sweetness. The best part is how fast it comes together. It’s the salad that I make when I’m looking for an easy crowd-pleasing side dish that’ll be good leftover too, can be prepped in advance, and I know will come out good.

Why this corn salad is always a favorite BBQ Salad

Corn already has a juicy, summer-friendly side to it. Once it’s chilled, that sweetness gets even more noticeable. Add some complementary flavors and we have ourselves a delicious salad.

The red pepper adds bite and color. Sour pickles cut through the sweetness. Hearts of palm are a mild-tasting complement in color, flavor, and texture. Because everything is served cold, the salad feels so refreshing on a hot day.

Corn also brings more than flavor. It has fiber, vitamin C, potassium, and magnesium.

The secret is contrast, sweet corn, crisp vegetables, and a tangy note that keeps each bite lively.

What you need for the best flavor and texture

This salad is pretty simple, and that’s why it I love making it so much. Start with 3 cans of corn, drained well. Fresh corn works too, but canned corn keeps this easy enough for a busy weeknight. Frozen corn tends to be less crisp.

Next comes 1 red pepper, chopped into small pieces. It adds crunch, a fresh taste, and that bright red color that makes the bowl look more inviting. Then add hearts of palm, as much as you like. A partial can is plenty if you want the corn to stay front and center. Hearts of palm are mild and tender, so they soften the stronger flavors.

Finally, add 2 sour pickles, chopped small. This is the ingredient that gives loads of flavor. Pickles bring salt, acidity, and a little punch, so the salad doesn’t taste too much like eating spoonfuls of corn.

You can adjust the balance based on your taste. Want it sweeter? Use more corn. Want more tang? Add extra pickle. Want a softer texture? Increase the hearts of palm. This kind of salad is forgiving, which makes it easy to make again and again, without measuring every tiny detail.

A simple dressing that stays light

The salad tastes good plain (in fact, my kids are dressing-averse so I usually skip dressing it), but the optional dressing gives it a more flavor. Keep it light so the vegetables retain their flavor. You want to complement the ingredients, not overtake them.

I use a drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil, a little honey, and some wine vinegar to add a bit of flavor. Then, I add salt, whichever seasoning mix I’m liking in salads that day (here I used Trader Joe’s 21 seasoning salute), dried dill, and minced onion. Stir it together, then toss it lightly with the salad.

The honey helps balance out the tartness of the vinegar. If you want a vegan version, skip the honey and the dressing still works well. We don’t do mayo in our house so it’s otherwise vegan, and great for those who don’t like mayo.

Easy swaps if you want to change it up

This refreshing corn salad is one of those recipes that you’ll probably end up making your own. It’s so forgiving, and you can really mix it up with whatever YOUR family likes to eat.. Lemon juice works great for those who like lemon in everything. Cucumber adds extra crunch, a bit more vegetable to mix with the carb-y corn, and makes the salad more refreshing.

You can also skip the dressing and use only salt. That works well when you’re serving the salad with richer foods and want the side dish to stay simple.

How to put the salad together in minutes

This is a one-bowl recipe, and that alone makes it useful. There is absolutely no reason to mix up the dressing first. You just drizzle it right on.

First, drain the corn well. Give it a minute in the colander if needed, because extra liquid will make you lose that crisp texture.

Next, chop the red pepper, pickles, and hearts of palm into bite-size pieces. Try to keep the pieces small enough so you get a little of everything in each forkful. Add them all to a large bowl with the corn.

Drizzle your dressing ingredients over your salad and toss it well.

After that, chill the salad before serving. 20 minutes in the fridge will help the flavors mix.

Serving ideas for weeknights, cookouts, and holiday tables

This salad works almost anywhere. It’s my go-to for both barbeques and birthday lunches. It’s great with grilled chicken, burgers, sandwiches, or roasted meat. It really offsets that heavy, salty flavor.

For family meals, it works well because it’s so uncomplicated and kid-friendly.

It’s also easy to make ahead, which helps for cookouts and holiday meals. Mix it earlier in the day, keep it cold, and stir before serving.

Refreshing Corn Salad Recipe

If you need one easy side dish that tastes bright and takes almost no effort, this is a good one to keep in rotation. The mix is simple, flexible, and best served cold.

Ingredients

• 3 cans corn, drained well
• 1 red pepper, diced
• Hearts of palm, to taste (up to 1 can). Cut to half-rounds or pieces
• 2 large sour pickles, diced

Optional dressing

• Drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil
• Drizzle of honey, omit for vegan
• Splash of wine vinegar
• Salt, to taste
• Your favorite salad spices. I used Trader Joe’s 21 seasoning, to taste
• 1 tablespoon dried dill
• 1 tablespoon minced onion

Instructions

1. Drain the corn well and add it to a large bowl.
2. Chop the dice pepper, pickles, and hearts of palm into small pieces. Hearts of palm can also be used as half-rounds.
3. Add everything to the bowl and mix.
4. If using the dressing, drizzle those ingredients over the salad. Mix well.
5. Chill before serving for the best flavor.

Serve it straight from the fridge, and let the sweet corn and tangy pickles do the work.

Yield: 12

Easy Colorful Corn Salad Recipe

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 15 minutes

A good corn salad is one of those dishes that disappears fast. It's cold, colorful, and perfect when the weather is warm and nobody wants a heavy salad.

Print

Ingredients

• 3 cans corn, drained well
• 1 red pepper, diced
• Hearts of palm, to taste (up to 1 can). Cut to half-rounds or pieces
• 2 large sour pickles, diced

Dressing

Toggle ingredient group

• Drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil
• Drizzle of honey, omit for vegan
• Splash of wine vinegar
• Salt, to taste
• Your favorite salad spices. I used Trader Joe's 21 seasoning, to taste
• 1 tablespoon dried dill
• 1 tablespoon minced onion

Instructions

1. Drain the corn well and add it to a large bowl.
2. Chop the dice pepper, pickles, and hearts of palm into small pieces. Hearts of palm can also be used as half-rounds.
3. Add everything to the bowl and mix.
4. If using the dressing, drizzle those ingredients over the salad. Mix well.
5. Chill before serving for the best flavor.

Notes

Serve it straight from the fridge, and let the sweet corn and tangy pickles do the work. You can also skip the dressing and use only salt. That works well when you're serving the salad with richer foods and want the side dish to stay simple.

Did you make this recipe?

Please leave a comment on the blog or share a photo on Pinterest

The post Refreshing Corn Salad – Perfect for Easy Summer Meals appeared first on Jewish Moms & Crafters.

I hate mango. There, I said it. I don’t like mango sorbets, juices, or anything to mango-ey. And I won’t touch blueberries plain either.

But toss them together in a gorgeous and flavorful summery salad and I simply can’t get enough!

I first put this salad together for a relative’s barbecue and while it’s not quite on-theme, it’s such a refreshing change from all the salty foods we tend to eat at barbecues.

And it’s fabulous for picnics or any summery get-together too!

Switching up the mango and blueberry salad recipe

This recipe has blueberries, mango chunks, halved mandarin wedges, and candied pecans on a mix f spinach, butter lettuce, and arugula. I made a light vinaigrette with honey to go with it.

You can definitely switch things around for your preferences or dietary needs.

One thing I’ll note: this is a very fruity (and not low carb) salad, which might not work for everyone. While you can ditch some things, it’ll still be on the higher sugar end of salads.

Can you skip the nuts in mango and blueberry salad?

One of my kids is allergic to tree nuts, and while he’s outgrown some of them (including pecans) I’m always hesitant to put nuts in a salad.

However, a salad like this one really benefits from that candied crunch! There are definitely alternatives:

• Try adding homemade granola on top – super crispy granola would work best.
• For a crunch without necessarily adding sweet to an already sweet salad, you can use veggie sticks as a topper. Croutons can work as well, but with both of these you won’t quite get the same effect.
• You can also add crispy chickpeas or even sunflower seeds to get the nutty flavor (minus the sweet) in the salad.

Do you need to use these fruit?

I made this mango and blueberry salad recipe thinking what a fabulous combination that is, but you can absolutely switch it out:

• Blueberries – You can swap these for strawberries, or any sweet berry really.
• Mango – The closest swap for this would of course be cubed peaches or nectarines.
• Mandarin oranges – I really felt like this salad would benefit from the added citrus flavor! You CAN totally ditch this (the dressing does have some orange juice).

Using different greens

I was making this mango and blueberry salad for quite a crowd, so I used a package of spinach AND butter lettuce/arugula mix. However, you can really use any greens!

I’m not the biggest fan of Romaine in such a salad. You can definitely make it on baby arugula or spinach only, or using a Spring mix.

And finally, I did make the dressing for this salad, however you can really make any slightly sweet vinaigrette to go with it perfectly – so if you have a favorite dressing, go ahead and use it!

Mango and Blueberry Salad Recipe

A printable version of this is at the end of the post.

Ingredients

Salad components

• 1 Package fresh spinach
• 1 Package red butter lettuce and arugula
• 1 Pint blueberries, washed well
• 1 mango, diced
• 2-3 mandarin oranges, peeled and cut into half wedges
• A Package candied pecans

Dressing

• 2 oranges juiced (abut half a cup orange juice)
• Half cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• Quarter cup wine vinegar
• 2 Tablespoon honey
• 1 Tablespoon yellow mustard
• Salt to taste

Process

1. Place your greens in a large salad bowl.

2. Top with mango, blueberries, and mandarin oranges.

3. Break up candied pecans into large chunks and sprinkle on top.

4. Mix up dressing ingredients.

5. Pour on dressing and toss immediately before serving.

Yield: 20

Summer Fruit Green Salad

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 15 minutes

This incredible green salad is loaded with summer fruit and crunchy, nutty goodness! It's pretty forgiving and you can switch it up. It's easy to make in large batches for a crowd, but definitely scale it down if you want!

Print

Ingredients

Salad components

Toggle ingredient group

• 1 Package fresh spinach
• 1 Package red butter lettuce and arugula
• 1 Pint blueberries, washed well
• 1 mango, diced
• 2-3 mandarin oranges, peeled and cut into half wedges
• A Package candied pecans, slightly crushed

Dressing

Toggle ingredient group

• 2 oranges juiced (abut half a cup orange juice)
• Half cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• Quarter cup wine vinegar
• 2 Tablespoon honey
• 1 Tablespoon yellow mustard
• Salt to taste

Instructions

1. Place your greens in a large salad bowl.
2. Top with mango, blueberries, and mandarin oranges.
3. Break up candied pecans and sprinkle on top.
4. Mix up dressing ingredients.
5. Pour on dressing and toss immediately before serving.

Notes

• This really does serve a crowd - halve the recipe if you want (you can still use a whole mango).
• The dressing makes a lot so feel free to store the other half.
• To make it nut free, switch the candied pecans for crunchy granola, or any other salad crunch.
• Any of these fruit can really be switched out. Use strawberries instead of blueberries, peach instead of mango, and any other sweet citrus works instead of the mandarin oranges.
• I used all fresh fruit - and that's kind of the point! You can get a similar flavor using freeze dried berries adn technically you can use defrosted and drained mango chunks if you don't like cutting mango.
• This salad BEGS for a light and slightly sweet vinaigrette, however you can switch this up and just use your favorite dressing.
• This salad has lots of fruit which gives it pretty high sugar content. I'm not a nutritionist and don't feel confident putting nutrition content here but I feel like I need to issue that warning for diabetics or anyone watching their carb intake. You can reduce it by using less fruit (such as halving the mango and blueberry and ditching the citrus), omitting the honey in the vinaigrette, and using salted nuts instead of sweet. The salted nuts have the added benefit of providing protein without adding more sugar.

Did you make this recipe?

Please leave a comment on the blog or share a photo on Pinterest

I hope you enjoyed this delicious mango and blueberry salad recipe! Will you be making any modifications? Got any questions? Comment below!

The post Mango and Blueberry Salad Recipe – A Fruity Green Summer Salad appeared first on Jewish Moms & Crafters.

During the winter, I’m often content with Shabbos as is- a time to cozy up on the couch under a blanket with a magazine while the kids play nearby. A traditional Shabbos meal, including hot chicken soup of course, followed by family time. But during the summer, we’re all itching to get outside, and socialize more with friends, family and neighbors.

Below are a few great ways to “summer”ize your Shabbos. The general idea is to keep things (especially the food) light and easy, and spend more time playing and socializing, enjoying the beautiful weather while it lasts.

6 Ways to Enhance Shabbos During the Summer

1. Bring the meal outside

Consider eating one of your Shabbos seudos outdoors. This will change things up a bit for you and your family, and you’ll have a wonderful time enjoying Shabbos surrounded by nature.

If you tend to avoid the heat, the Friday night meal might be a better option as it’s usually cooler at night. If you live in an area where mosquitoes abound, invest in mosquito sticks or repellent to place strategically around the patio or deck. Use plastic dishes to make clean up easier.

2. Use more fresh produce

Take advantage of the wonderful fruits and vegetables that are in season during the spring and summer. Make more fresh salads, fruit cobblers, infused water and lots of roasted vegetable sides. They’re not only healthier, but they’re lighter than carb-filled dishes and you’ll enjoy your walk after the meal that much more.

Use fresh fruit in your centerpieces too! Fill tall vases with oranges and lemons for a fresh, summery look.

3. Switch out your dishes

I’m a big fan of plastic dishes. I have real china, but when it’s just the family, I’d rather spend more time enjoying our time together than standing over a sink. If you want something a little sturdier, or don’t want to be constantly buying, consider reusable melamine dishes. They’re far cheaper than china, and you can buy bright-colored, springy dishes just for the season.

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4. Potluck Seuda Shlishit

Want to socialize more during the summer months? Get all the neighborhood women together for the third meal. Indoors or outdoors, you’ll find this to be a beautiful way to enhance Shabbos.

Have one person host and delegate- have some women bring food, another bring drinks, and another paper goods. This is one of my favorite ways to get to know my neighbors, and it’s a lot of fun for everyone involved.

5. Get out of the kitchen

Yes, you read that right. Don’t spend too much time over a hot oven. Keep Shabbos meals in the summer simple, with quick and easy to prepare dishes, more salads, or one pot meals.

The best thing I did to enhance Shabbos in the summer for myself was investing in an Instant Pot, an electronic pressure cooker. My apartment has poor ventilation and having more than one burner on leads to the whole place getting extremely hot. In my Instant Pot, I can easily make a few delicious Shabbos meals, without dealing with the unbearable heat. Most of your regular recipes can easily be reconfigured to cook in an Instant Pot.

6. Keep the meals light

There’s no need for heavy meals on Shabbos in the summer. Skip the matzah ball soup and make cold soup, like gazpacho or fruit soup instead. Some people like to go for a dairy or pareve meal instead of a heavy meat meal. Find what works for your family and go for it.

What kind of things do you and your family do to enhance Shabbos during the summer? Comment below!

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The post 6 Ways to Enhance Shabbos During the Summer appeared first on Jewish Moms & Crafters.