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Corn and Zucchini Salad with Basil Vinaigrette

Summer's freshest produce stars in a quick-fix recipe for Corn and Zucchini Salad with Basil Vinaigrette featuring raw zucchini ribbons, sweet corn, crispy bacon and crumbled Cotija cheese.
5 from 3 votes
Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Servings 6 servings

Ingredients  

For the vinaigrette:

  • 1 cup packed basil leaves
  • 1 cup spinach leaves
  • 2 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
  • 2 Tablespoons roughly chopped red onion
  • 3 Tablespoons red wine vinegar
  • 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil

For the salad:

  • 6 slices uncooked bacon, cut into 1-inch pieces
  • 4 ears uncooked corn, kernels cut off the cob
  • 2 medium zucchini
  • 1/2 medium red onion, small diced
  • 1/2 cup crumbled cotija cheese

Instructions 

Make the vinaigrette:

  • In a blender, combine the basil, spinach, garlic, red onion and vinegar and pulse just until combined. With the motor running, stream in the olive oil and continue blending until the vinaigrette is smooth.
  • Taste and season the vinaigrette with salt and pepper then set it aside.

Make the salad:

  • Add the bacon to a large skillet set over medium-low heat. Cook the bacon, stirring as needed, until all the fat has rendered and the bacon is crispy. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the bacon to a bowl and leave 3 tablespoons drippings in the pan.
  • Increase the heat to medium-high. Add the corn kernels and cook, stirring, until softened slightly, about 2 minutes. Add the corn to a large bowl.
  • Trim the ends off the zucchini then use a vegetable peeler to cut them into very thin ribbons. Add the zucchini ribbons and diced red onion to the bowl with the corn. Drizzle in the vinaigrette and toss to combine.
  • Top the salad with the reserved bacon and cotija cheese then serve.
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