Fresh corn, tomatoes, bell pepper, and potatoes are tossed together with a fresh basil vinagirette and mozzarella cheese in this end-of-summer salad.
golden corn salad with tomatoes, mozzarella, and fresh basil

I have to tell you about my new favorite approach to packing, as much of an oxymoron as having the words “favorite” and “packing” in the same sentence may be.

It involves watching the.boy run around our apartment throwing things into boxes, while I sit at my desk and operate “the command center”.

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AKA occasionally answer questions about what I do or do not want to keep, offer my constructive criticism about how I would do things if I were an active member of the moving labor force, and frenetically click reload on our craigslist apartment search, because yes.

We have decided to abandon student housing entirely and look on the open market.

Crazy? Maybe.

Necessary? IS THE SKY BLUE.

I don’t have time for these rhetorical questions.

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Let me sum up the reasoning behind this decision for you in three words: 143 square feet.

As in, that was the whole apartment.

As in, our bed would take up MORE THAN HALF OF THE ROOM. Which might have been okay when I was 17. But at almost 30?

Unforgivable.

And that about sums up our decision to go rogue.

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Not that you’d know it from the next-to-nothing to I’ve cooked over the past week, but apparently we still need food in our bellies throughout this process, and lots of it.

I mixed up a big batch of this corn salad earlier in the week and was eternally grateful to have it just hanging out in the fridge so that I could nibble on a bowl at my every whim. Sweet juicy corn kernels, earthy kale strips, tart and tangy tomatoes, and crispy crunchy bell peppers.

Plus little balls of mozzarella on top.

That’s what my moving salad dreams are made of.

Golden Corn Salad with Tomatoes, Mozzarella, and Fresh Basil
 
Fresh corn, tomatoes, bell pepper, and potatoes are tossed together with a fresh basil vinagirette and mozzarella cheese in this end-of-summer salad.
Yield: 5-6 servings
Ingredients
  • 1 lb small yellow potatoes, peeled and cut into ½-inch cubes
  • 3 cups fresh corn kernels (about 4 ears of corn)
  • 20 oz small heirloom tomatoes, quartered
  • 1 red bell pepper, seeded and cut into ½-inch pieces
  • ¼ cup minced shallots
  • 3 tbsp white balsamic vinegar
  • 1 tbsp dijon mustard
  • ½ tsp kosher salt
  • 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 6 cups thinly sliced kale leaves
  • ½ cup thinly sliced basil
  • ½ lb fresh mozzarella balls, quartered
Instructions
  1. Place the potatoes in a small pot. Cover with cold water and then bring to a boil. Cook for 11 minutes. Drain and let cool while you prepare the rest of the salad.
  2. In a large bowl, toss together the potatoes, corn, tomatoes, and bell pepper.
  3. In a small bowl, combine the shallots, white balsamic vinegar, dijon mustard, salt, and black pepper. Slowly add in the olive oil, stirring constantly. Toss with the corn mixture. Add in the kale, basil, and mozzarella. Toss to combine and then season with salt, to taste.
Notes
Adapted from Cooking Light
Nutrition Information
Serving size: 1 bowl

For more corn-filled recipes, check out these:

corn, asparagus, and basil barley risotto

Corn, Asparagus, and Basil Barley Risotto

creamed corn with garam masala

Creamed Corn with Garam Masala

late summer vegetable stew with brown butter cornbread

Late Summer Vegetable Stew with Brown Butter Cornbread

From Around the Web:

Healthy Chipotle Sweet Corn Fettuccine from Pinch of Yum

Jalepeno Popper Corn Swirls from Cinnamon Spice and Everything Nice

Creamy Millet Corn Chowder with Greens from The First Mess

Simple Corn Tostada Salad from Clementine Daily

Caprese Corn Salad from Very Culinary

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57 Responses to Golden Corn Salad with Tomatoes, Mozzarella, and Fresh Basil

  1. Sune Moolman says:

    I’m in favour of approaching the open market. I’m sure you’ll find something great!
    Great salad, it looks delicious!

  2. Kelster says:

    143??? My bedroom is 140 square feet. Wow. Is there a kitchen inthat 143 sq feet?

  3. haha, love your upbeat attitude towards packing. Annnnd love that you’re continuing the salad trend. Want this!

  4. It’s not the end of the summer yet!!! Enjoy it while it’s still here. The salad lood so fresh and tasty, I might just whip one up for lunch. Good luck with the flat hunting!

  5. You will find something! And I’m sure it’s going to be better than 143 square feet! Good luck.
    And yessss to this amazing salad!!

  6. Sues says:

    Oh man, I do not envy your apartment hunt. I mean, 143 square feet?? Even for NYC standards, that is WAY too tiny! Also? Oven. Good luck!! At least you have food like this to sustain you 🙂

  7. Ah good luck with your apartment search!!! I do fully support your command center method, I’m sure Mike is more than capable of doing all the actual work;-)

  8. Trisha says:

    You are the kale salad diva. Seriously, you make the most delicious looking kale salads I’ve seen anywhere. I’ll take this one for sure. Apartment hunting is the WORST. You guys will find something great though, I’m sure! In the mean time, bites of this salad would surely calm me down.

  9. What a rebel you are for not wanting to live in a bedroom! We laugh all the time about how my entire first apartment would more than fit into our master bedroom, but yes, that’s only fun for the first year or two of college.

    Also, massive thanks for embracing August in all its summer-ness. Bring on the corn and tomato and basil!

  10. A fantastic use of summer produce, Joanne. The salad looks simple, satisfying and good for you.

  11. I swear we are the same person sometimes! High-five for corn, tomato, and basil recipes today!! 🙂

  12. Beth says:

    143 square feet is insane! Good luck to you, with the packing and the moving.

  13. I don’t blame you for going rogue!!! Oh NYC how I do NOT miss apartment hunting in that city…

  14. Heather says:

    I can’t even imagine an apartment that is only 143 square feet… that’s ridiculous! I think you’re making a good decision to go rogue!

  15. Good luck with your move! Can’t believe you whipped up this gorgeous salad in your 143 square food pad.

  16. Sounds like a great decision, Joanne! Have you found anything yet?? 🙂
    I love your ‘command centre’ technique as much as I love the sound of this salad … what a great collection of wholesome, tasty ingredients there are in there. Mmm … I could definitely eat this every day for lunch this week!

  17. danielle says:

    That needs to be my lunch today – yum!

  18. cheri says:

    What a wonderful salad that is comprised of some of the best summer flavors. Also, like the sound of your command center, I should have one.

  19. Bring on the salads! I want summer to NEVER end!!

  20. Meg says:

    Oh dear god — 143 square feet?! You’ve got to be kidding me. Press on and don’t look back!

  21. Karly says:

    Moving/packing is the worst. This salad is the best. That is all.

  22. I have employed the command center every time we’ve moved, too. It’s the way to go. As is this salad for dinner every night of the week for the rest of the summer.

  23. Monica says:

    I was wondering what I could do with some basil my neighbor kindly gave me! This salad looks awesome!
    And you described packing in my house. I am totally the one “directing” while my husband does the heavy-lifting. 🙂 And good luck in your apt search…looking out in the open market sounds good.

  24. Good luck! I think finding good your own place is a better solution 🙂

  25. I hope you find an apartment soon! Love this salad! Perfect for all of the sweet corn I have on the counter right now!

  26. Lynn says:

    And if I remember correctly – you were going to have to share that with someone else, too??? I’m glad you are ditching that idea. Hope you find something good.

    Here’s something good looking – that salad.

  27. Julia says:

    I can’t wait to hear that you’re settled into your new place and that it’s all going swimmingly…the day will come, m’lady, it certainly will. In the meantime, this is the perfect meal to keep you going strong – looks so fresh and tasty!

  28. Great salad – I love the addition of the boiled potatoes in there!

  29. 143 square feet? I mean…what? That’s not a living space. That’s barely even a closet! In other news, the packing game you were playing with The.Boy will serve you well when you have kids.

  30. That’s the way I “”””””””””””like”””””””””” to pack too. Mum does all the work, while I sit there telling her what to toss and what to keep……. evil? maybe, maybe…. But there’s no other way around, is it?
    Sighs because I’m moving away from home next Monday and I’ll have to pack as well :””””( Packing sucks so I guess I’ll have to make myself a batch of this gorgeous salad to make up for the pain.

  31. Kate says:

    Good luck in the apartment search!

  32. Oy. So sorry you’re having to deal with this moving madness. I hope you find something you love and FAST! 143 square feet is cray. Good for you for not settling.

  33. This salad needs to be my lunch today. Seriously, I know summer is almost over, but BRING ON the freshy-fresh veggies! 🙂

  34. I am a little ashamed to report that I’ve gotten disillusioned with corn this year. I had a couple of so-so batches and haven’t been making it much…. But this looks fantastic and I LOVE the addition of kale. Thanks for sharing!!

  35. That looks absolutely fantastic! Love the kale in there 🙂

  36. Pam says:

    NO WAY would I be able to live in 143 square foot apartment… going rogue sounds like a fantastic idea!!!

    The salad also was a fantastic idea and I wish I had a bowl right now. YUM.

  37. Girl-as stressful as apt hunting in nyc is–you have totally made the right call! Good luck finding a new place!

  38. Eileen says:

    Salads with kale are definitely a lifesaver, since you can just throw them in the fridge and eat them whenever. 🙂 Good luck with your apartment search!

  39. Megan says:

    This salad looks incredible… and I don’t often feel that way about salads. So packed with awesome ingredients. Agh. Still wishing you luck with the whole apt ordeal.

  40. Joyti says:

    “End of summer”??? Already??? Wow.

    The salad looks and sounds delicious – so much good stuff packed into it 🙂

  41. Christine says:

    143 square feet? And I whine at my 600 sq. ft. It’s a freakin’ mansion! But then I’m not in NYC or LA proper. Still, at 30, one deserves better. And I must say this salad IS! Bookmarked in “Hot Dinner Solutions”. Thank you so much! Good luck!!!

  42. P says:

    Such a beautiful salad! Corn really adds a great amount of sweetness to salad 🙂

  43. I hope the perfect apartment comes up soon. The whole process sounds ridiculously stressful…although this salad would offer some help I suspect. It looks beautiful 🙂

  44. Katerina says:

    I hope you will find a better apartment! This salad will give you the necessary boost to search!

  45. Delicious bright salad, it looks so fresh 😀

    Cheers
    Choc Chip Uru

  46. Hotly Spiced says:

    I agree that I think it’s time you went rogue. You certainly couldn’t be worse off. I don’t think it would be good to start off married life in a cupboard – you’ll need more space just for the wedding gifts! And you need an oven! Definitely need an oven. Good luck with the open market and I’ll pray a good apartment in the right location comes your way xx

  47. The very best iof luck with your apartment hunting. At least you are eating well. Joanne. I think yiu will be fine

  48. Johanna GGG says:

    good call! well I hope it is with your housing – and I guess this is a sooner or later thing anyway! whereas the corn salad is an immediate thing – looks delicious – bring on summer!

  49. Reeni says:

    Love having salads like this on hand for munching on! Full of yummy summer veggies that I can’t get enough of! Good luck with your apartment hunting!

  50. I love all the ingredients in this salad. I know that you will find a great apartment.

  51. Kelly says:

    Yikes, 143 square feet – you definitely made the right call going rogue. Love everything about this salad, it looks amazing!

  52. grace says:

    i love all of these ingredients! if i’m being honest, i’m drawn to anything containing corn. 🙂

  53. I hope you find a wonderful new place that has plenty of space for you and the.boy to live and enjoy life.

  54. Chris says:

    It’s not the end of summer, it’s not the end of summer, it’s not the end of summer!

    This looks like a great dish, Joanne, very summery!!!! PS: I refuse to accept the end of summer. I just will it.

  55. Love this colorful salad and I’ve got plenty of tomatoes in the garden to make it. 🙂

  56. This salad has so many of my favorite things in it – this would totally hit the spot right now!

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