Simple Tomato Cucumber Corn Salad

This 10-minute cucumber corn and tomato salad is light, vibrant, and incredibly versatile. Coated with a tangy and bright vinaigrette, it makes the perfect summer side dish.

For more hot-weather salads like this, I recommend checking out my wakame seaweed salad or Chinese cucumber salad next!

While I personally prefer cooked vegetables like Chinese eggplant, braised celery, and soy sauce green beans, it's been too hot to turn on the stove recently. Hence, I have been making salads, like this cucumber corn tomato salad on repeat lately!

This simple salad is versatile enough to go with any mains, and is also a great side dish for potlucks, BBQs, and picnics. I especially love serving it with my vegan steak or BBQ vegan ribs!

💚Why you will love cucumber corn tomato salad

• Vibrant, fresh, and utilizes in-season summer produce
• No cooking needed and ready in 10 minutes
• Suitable for any occasion, from weekday dinner to potlucks, BBQs, and cookouts
• Simple flavor profile that goes well with anything, including homemade vegan chicken breast and vegan beef stroganoff

🌽What you will need 

• Cucumber - Seedless varieties, like English, Japanese, or Persian cucumbers, work best.
• Corn - Shucked fresh corn is usually juicier and sweeter, but you can go with frozen corn as a more convenient alternative. (learn more about shucking fresh corn here).
• Cherry tomatoes - Or other tomatoes with low moisture content, including grape, Roma, or plum tomatoes.
• Lemon juice - Freshly squeezed is the best. Can be substituted with lime juice.
• Olive oil - Extra virgin gives the best flavor, but you can also use other neutral oils, including sunflower and canola oil.

See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.

✨Variations and add-ins

• Dial up the heat - Add some freshly chopped jalapenos (or other chili peppers).
• Grilled corn salad - Grill your corn beforehand; it adds some yummy, smoky flavor to the salad.
• Make it a meal - Toss in a protein of your choice, such as shredded chicken, baked tofu, tempeh, seitan (like my Instant Pot seitan), or grilled shrimp.
• Add fresh herbs - For more flavors, add chopped herbs of choice, including parsley, scallions, or cilantro.
• Add cheese - Some great options include mozzarella, feta (or vegan feta), or parmesan.

🔪How to make tomato cucumber corn salad

Step 1: Combine lemon juice, olive oil, salt, and pepper in a bowl to make the dressing. Stir until the mixture is well mixed.

Step 2: Add cucumber, tomatoes, and corn kernels into a big salad bowl then mix in dressing. Your tomato cucumber corn salad is ready to be served! 

❄️Meal prep and storage tips

• Storing leftover salad - Leftovers will keep in the fridge for 2-3 days, but the salad will get waterier the longer it sits.
• For longer storage - Store veggies and dressing separately. It will keep in the fridge for up to a week.