Zesty Marinated Shoepeg Corn Salad

I love having a jar/bowl of this marinated shoepeg corn salad on hand to serve over summer, whether it’s for grilling out or a night where I’ve cooked up a spread of easy weeknight meals. It’s a refreshing salad loaded with crunchy veg and contains no dairy. And the tangy lime vinaigrette keeps it all light and bright.

This is a twist on a traditional, tried-and-true recipe, which typically uses lots of white sugar and vinegar. But this variation, featuring lime juice, fresh cilantro and pepitas has some of those sweet & tangy notes, plus added crunch and allows the other veggies to shine.

Why You’ll Love It…

This recipe will save you time on a cookout evening or dinner with family/friends because you can whip it up prior to preparing the rest of your meal. Allow 2+ hours to overnight in the fridge for it to marinate, but note that the vegetables retain their freshness the next day – simply give it a good mix before serving.

With just a handful of ingredients there are a great variety of textures in the dish. Shoepeg corn has tiny morsels of corn that are mildly sweet; balanced against pungent red onions, and crisp cucumber and pepper. The pepitas are fun sprinkled throughout as they add a subtle, nutty flavour.

Ingredients

• White Shoepeg Corn
• Red Pepper
• English Cucumber
• Onion
• Cilantro
• Pepitas
• Olive Oil
• Lime juice
• Honey

Key Ingredients To Note

Shoepeg Corn

I find shoepeg corn to be an ideal white sweet corn to use for this chilled corn salad. Its individual smaller kernels retain their texture and bite with the added vinegar mixture. Alternatively, use frozen white corn and allow to thaw. Drain both well before using.

Lime Juice + Honey

Used to balance the acidity with slight sweetness of the honey. I find the combo pairs well with the natural sweetness of corn and balances the remaining crisp, cold vegetables in the salad. Be sure to taste to see if more lime/honey is to your liking.

Pepitas

I would suggest incorporating toasted pepitas (pumpkin seeds) to round off the salad. Toasted pepitas will add nutty flavour and textural contrast to each mouthful. Use pre-toasted or add to a hot skillet for ~3min, keeping them moving and keep a watchful eye. Allow to cool before storing to sprinkle onto the corn salad prior to serving.

Method

A series of fine chops with your knife and mixing your vinaigrette are the key steps to creating this salad. I suggest using a larger mixing bowl for ease.

Dice Your Vegetables

Drain your shoepeg corn as dry as possible (shake in colander) and finely dice the remaining ingredients i.e. red pepper, English cucumber and onion. Aim to match similar sizing as the corn to maintain uniformity (but don’t stress!).

Prepare Vinaigrette

Mix all the vinaigrette ingredients together in a small bowl, ensuring it all mixes together (no pool of honey on bottom!). Season to your preference or add an additional squeeze of lime to taste.

Combine

Add your prepared vegetables to a large bowl along with the chopped cilantro and pour over the lime vinaigrette. Toss through thoroughly, starting with the ingredients closer to the base.

Marinate

Once all well-combined, refrigerate and allow to marinate for at least 2hrs or more/overnight (give it a mix halfway through if handy). Once served, stir to incorporate remaining dressing on bottom and top/sprinkle through pepitas to maintain crunch.

Notes

• Tip 1: As mentioned above, be sure to drain shoepeg corn as dry as possible. Shake off / allow to air dry in a towel etc., patting to absorb residual liquid. You don’t want to dilute your dressing!
• Tip 2: Aim for small dice sized pieces for each of the vegetables to ensure a consistency of flavours throughout the salad (again, particularly with the onion!).
• Tip 3: Try to marinate the salad in advance where possible and consume within 2 days for best results. It’s great to eat immediately after mixing but improves over time in the fridge. Adjust seasoning as necessary, you may find it requires a further seasoning of salt/lime after refrigeration.

Leftovers

• Leftovers: Store covered in the fridge for up to 4 days, shake/mix prior to serving.
• Freeze: Not recommended. The pepper/cucumber become very limp and soggy when thawed.
• Make ahead: Prep and dice the veg 1-2 days ahead, store covered in fridge. Combine with dressing and pepitas just prior to serving.

Serve With

• Grilled/blackened chicken/fish (top over with a little dressing)
• Layer onto pulled pork rolls / BBQ sandwiches on a warm sunny day!
• Served with a pile of tortilla chips as a starter (ensure they’re generously salted!)
• Combine with lettuce, avocado etc. for an easy lunch. Add some of the dressing from the base.

FAQs

If I can’t find shoepeg corn can I use alternative frozen corn?

Definitely, I’ve used frozen white sweet corn with success. Cook as per manufacturer’s instructions and allow to cool through & drain well prior to combining with remaining ingredients.

My salad is slightly runny/watery, why?

Due to the cucumber releasing more water through contact with the salt/vinegar, it is expected to have a slight build-up. Try removing the pith from the centre of the cucumber before dicing to minimise. If already prepared and dressed, mix through and spoon to serve, leaving any excess liquid behind.

Can I adapt this to use a mayonnaise based dressing?

Absolutely. Replace the oil/lime/vinegar/honey dressing with a combo of mayo, soured cream and a few tsp of apple cider vinegar (add more until you reach desired thickness). You may choose to omit the cilantro (if serving to family/kids) or retain to mix with the dressing.