Green Bean and Sweet Corn Salad with Herbs

Skip to Recipe

A light, summery side that’s perfect for cookouts, BBQs, or any weeknight dinner. This crisp and colorful green bean salad balances sweet corn, snappy beans, and fresh herbs with a zippy honey mustard vinaigrette. It's simple, fresh, and full of texture.

A salad made with green beans, corn kernels, red onion, and fresh herbs, arranged on a white plate.

This post may include affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.

WANT TO SAVE THIS RECIPE?

Enter your email below & I'll send it straight to your inbox. Plus you'll get great new recipes from me every week!

This summer salad recipe uses the season's most prevalent veggies and allows them to shine on their own. It pairs perfectly with chilled pickled shrimp for a simple weeknight dinner or serve alongside a bolder dish like harissa chicken legs.

📖Why My Recipe Works

No Filler- This recipe focuses on the primary flavor of sweet corn and the texture of the green beans. While most green bean salad recipes use the kitchen sink approach, I skipped the extra cheese and nuts to focus on fresh summer flavors.
Light Dressing- Based on the dressing from my mixed potato salad, it is light in flavor to allow the fresh herbs do the heavy lifting.

🧾Ingredient Notes

Green Beans -Use fresh green beans, not frozen for the best texture.
Fresh Corn - The recipe slightly blanches the corn but you can also use it raw right off the cob or lightly grill like in my corn and zucchini salad.
Red Onion - For a milder flavor, use shallots or soak red onion in cold water for 10 minutes. To make it tangy, substitute diced pickled red onions.
Herbs- I prefer dill and basil, but you can experiment with using different combos like parsley and tarragon. Just make sure you use fresh herbs.
Olive Oil - Choose a good-quality extra virgin olive oil for the dressing base.
Red Wine Vinegar - You can use any light vinegar as a substitute, like rice vinegar or champagne vinegar.
Honey - A pinch of sugar keeps this recipe vegan.
Mustard - I prefer to use Dijon but grainy mustard works as well.

Fresh basil, crisp green beans, red onion, corn, and dill sit alongside small bowls of honey, red wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, and olive oil—perfect for crafting a vibrant green bean corn salad.

⏲️How to Make Corn and Green Bean Salad

Glass bowl filled with water contains three ears of corn and a handful of green beans on a white surface.

You can use the same pot of salted water to blanch both the corn and the beans. It is better to slightly undercook because even in the ice bath, the veggies will continue to cook.

Three ears of corn and a pile of fresh green beans are arranged on a cloth-covered surface.

Drain in a colander and then move the corn and green beans to a dry towel. Once dry, you can refrigerate (covered) until you are ready to use.

A bowl containing a yellow liquid mixture with a fork resting inside, placed on a dark plate against a white background.

Whisk together the dressing ingredients (or shake in a small jar). You can make the dressing up to a week in advance.

A hand holding a bowl of dressing above a platter of green beans, corn, and chopped red onions, ready to be poured over the vegetables.

Assemble the salad right before serving.

👩🏻‍🍳 Expert Tips

Excess water can dilute the dressing. Let the veggies drain fully AND pat them dry with a towel.
Do let the beans sit in the ice water, then will become soggy and lose their crispness.
Place the cob upright in the center hole of a Bundt pan. Slice down so the corn kernels fall neatly into the bowl without flying everywhere.