This Israeli Corn Salad with Pickles is tangy with a chewy bite that’s irresistible. Once you’ve had corn and pickles in the same bite, you’ll be obsessed…this is the corn salad to beat all others…it’s flavorful, colorful and has the perfect zing.
Israeli corn salad always has pickles…and I wouldn’t have it any other way. When you see corn salad on menus, it usually is referring to Mexican street corn salad...which is also super tasty, but a totally different vibe than this corn and pickle situation.
I make this in the summer with fresh corn and all year long with frozen corn. It’s all things tangy and tasty with a subtle but satisfying dressing. In Israel, they serve corn and pickle salad at buffets for breakfast, as side dishes at lunch and dinner, and you’ll find it on all the take out menus.
Sometimes corn salad is mixed with mayonnaise, sometimes the corn is charred on a grill before cutting it off the cob, but corn salad always has pickles in Israel…and that’s a good thing. A real good thing.
Ingredients and Substitutions
- Corn: Use fresh corn and cut it off the cob for a chewy bite. Either fire roasted or regular frozen corn will work well too. I do not recommend canned corn in this recipe. It doesn’t have the right texture, and I find it to be watery, even after drained.
- Pickles: Use YOUR favorite type. I like spicy dills. Half sour pickles , full sour pickles or kosher dill pickles are also great as are bread and butter pickles and sweet pickles. You can buy whole pickles, slices, or spears. Pickle chips, often used in sandwiches are another option. You will cut the pickles into small dice, so go for the flavor you want as a priority rather than the shape of the pickle.
- Red peppers: I love the way red bell peppers add a pop of color to this salad, but you could also use orange, yellow or green peppers.
- Shallots: Diced red onion, scallions or spring onions would be good substitutions.
- Olive oil: A couple tablespoons olive oil mixes up beautifully with the pickles in this salad. If you prefer a creamier corn salad, then take 5 minutes to make homemade vegan mayo…better than store bought in every way.
If you love fresh corn, you should definitely try my vegan corn chowder and zucchini corn fritters…both recipes can be made with frozen corn as well.
How to make it
It’s important to drain pickles on a towel or paper towel before dicing, or your pickle salad will be soggy.
Lay pickles on a clean dish towel or a few pieces of paper towel to drain while you prep the other vegetables.
Shuck corn and then lay on its side. Use a large chef’s knife to cut close to the cob, releasing kernels.
Turn ear ⅛ rotation and cut those kernels off. Continue until all sides of all ears of corn have been completed.
Remove the bell pepper core and then chop into a small dice. Peel shallot and then cut into small dice.
Cut drained pickled into long strips and then across so they are in small dice, about the size of corn kernels.
Load diced pickles, peppers, and shallots into bowl with corn kernels.
Drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with white pepper and mix well. Let sit for flavors to mingle and then mix again. Serve cold or at room temperature.
How to Serve and Store Corn Salad
- Store Israeli corn and pickle salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week. Stir well each time you serve it, to bring up the juices from the bottom of the bowl.
- Serve with falafel, tofu shawarma, or anything shoved into a pita or wrap. Corn and Pickle Salad a great side dish to bring to all the potlucks, picnics and bbqs and awesome served with black bean veggie burgers.
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📖 Recipe
Israeli Corn Salad with Pickles
Ingredients
Ingredients:
- 4 ears corn
- ½ cup diced dill pickles drain and then small dice
- 1 red pepper diced
- 2 shallots diced
- ¼ teaspoon white pepper
- 2 tablespoon olive oil optional
Instructions
Directions:
- Take about 6 spears of pickles out of the jar and lay them on a few layers of paper towels.
- Shuck corn and lay flat on a cutting board. Use a sharp chef's knife and cut kernels off, close to the cob. Turn ¼ turn and cut kernels off again. Continue until you've gone all the way around and there are no kernels left on the cob. Place kernels into a medium sized bowl.
- Dice red pepper and shallots and add to the bowl.
- Press pickles with the paper towel to get remaining moisture off. Dice and add to the bowl.
- Mix well. Sprinkle with pepper, drizzle with olive oil and then mix again.
- Corn and pickle salad can be stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container for a week. Be sure to mix well before serving as the pickles will continue to emit juice and you want the "sauce" to be evenly distributed in every bite!
Notes
Nutrition
Note
The nutrition calculations were done using online tools. To obtain the most accurate representation of the nutritional information in any given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients you used. You are ultimately responsible for ensuring that any nutritional information is accurate, complete and useful.
Tirtza
This is my original recipe.
Many years ago I came up with it and my sister-in-law had a caterer friend who liked it and started adding it to her menus.
Later it became a standard all over Israel.
Why do you write such nonsense about mayonnaise?
Mayonnaise, like any fatty food, can lead to obesity and, well, inflammation is different for different people. Some people get inflammation of the linings of their blood vessels leading to arteriosclerosis, some people get inflammation of the linings of the joints, causing arthritis. People get inflammation from all sorts of things and it is unlikely that a little bit of mayonnaise is the cause of it. Still, point well made, the salad can work just as well, even better maybe without the mayo.
I used green onions, not shallots, It requires a bit of vinegar and then a bit of oil (your preference).
That is way-way too many pickles.
The original calls for a lot less, and if you are worrying about a little mayo you should worry a lot more about all that salt in the pickles.
Why make it difficult? a grind or two of plain old black pepper and a dash of pipil harif will work just as well and are easier to find than the white pepper.
But I am sure your salad is delicious….B’Tayavon
Debra Klein
One of the beauties of this salad is how easy it is to customize to your tastes and dietary needs. Less pickles, black pepper instead of white? It’s all good. Enjoy!
Jenni
So simple and so tasty! I made it without the oil, and I thought it was perfect. Even my veggie-curious husband loved it!
Debra Klein
Totally agree….and good for hubby for giving it a try.