This corn relish salad is loaded with fresh veggies, pimiento olives, and flavorful herbs. It's the perfect summer side for burgers, wraps, and more! If you're looking for the perfect summery side dish, you've come to the right place — this simple corn relish salad is perfect paired with veggie burgers, grilled veggie kebabs, or your favorite vegan sandwiches and wraps. It's loaded with fresh flavors and nutritious veggies, and best of all, it's easy to make in just 10 minutes.
Key Ingredients & Substitutions
- Corn kernels. Fresh or frozen both work well. If using frozen, defrost and let the kernels dry out well before mixing them in, so you don't end up with a soggy salad.
- Pimiento olives. Add a briny, colorful pop — any olive you like works here, including something fancier like garlic-stuffed olives for a fun twist.
- Bell pepper, celery, and carrot. The crunchy base of the relish — dice them finely so every bite gets a bit of everything.
- Sweet pickle relish and apple cider vinegar. Together they build the tangy-sweet dressing that ties the whole salad together.
- Fresh parsley and dill. Add a bright, herbal note — dried dill works in a pinch if fresh isn't on hand.
Tips & Tricks
For the corn, you can use fresh or frozen corn kernels. Fresh always tastes best of course, but frozen kernels work just fine to save time. I suggest defrosting the corn and then letting it dry out well before mixing it in, so you don't get a soggy salad.
Feel free to use any type of olives that you prefer. I think these pimiento olives* work really well, but something fancy like garlic-stuffed olives would also be a fun twist.
For more spice, add a second jalapeno pepper or swap it for a spicier red chili pepper instead.
Variations
- Add beans. A can of drained, rinsed black beans turns this into a heartier side or even a light main.
- Make it a salsa. Chop the vegetables a little finer and serve alongside tortilla chips instead of as a side salad.
- Add avocado. Diced avocado stirred in right before serving adds creaminess that plays well against the tangy dressing.
- Swap the herbs. Fresh cilantro in place of parsley gives the relish a completely different, Southwestern-leaning character.
- Add corn char. Grilling the corn before cutting it off the cob adds a smoky depth that plain fresh or frozen kernels won't have.
Make Ahead & Storage
This relish keeps well in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days, and the flavor actually improves after an hour or two as the vegetables soak up the dressing, making it an easy make-ahead side for a cookout or potluck.
How to Serve
Serve alongside veggie burgers, grilled veggie kebabs, or your favorite sandwiches and wraps.
Recipe
Corn Relish Salad
Ingredients
- 3 cups corn kernels from about 4 medium ears, fresh or frozen
- ½ medium bell pepper finely diced, any color
- 1 stalk celery finely diced
- 1 carrot peeled and finely diced
- ½ cup pimiento olives halved or sliced
- 2 scallions thinly sliced
- ¼ cup fresh parsley minced
- 1 tablespoon fresh dill minced, or ½ teaspoon dried
- 1 hot chili pepper fresh, such as jalapeño, seeded and minced, optional
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 3 tablespoons sweet pickle relish or more, to taste
- 3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar or more, to taste
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Combine the salad ingredients in a serving bowl and stir together.
- If time allows, cover and let stand for an hour or two before. Stir occasionally to distribute the dressing. Taste to adjust the various flavors — more pickle relish, cider vinegar, salt and pepper, then serve.
More Vegan Recipes
If you love this corn relish salad, be sure to check out these other delicious vegan ideas:
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