Some evenings, I want something that doesn’t need a lot of cooking. That’s exactly where this corn and paneer salad comes in — a bowl I first threw together on a night I had paneer and no real plan. The crunch of fresh vegetables, the soft bite of paneer, and that garlicky dressing won me over instantly, and now it’s become a regular in my kitchen.
Why Love This Recipe?
- This salad is colorful, filling, and a lot healthier than it feels while eating it.
- The garlic-lemon dressing pulls the corn’s sweetness and the soft paneer together like they were made for each other.
- I usually eat it chilled for lunch, though it pairs up well next to grilled kebabs or wraps too.
- It comes together in fifteen to twenty minutes; boiling the corn is really the only cooking involved.
- If this wins you over, try a chickpea cucumber salad or a paneer tikka salad with mint yogurt dressing next.
The Ingredients:
To make the salad:
- 1 cup sweet corn (boiled)
- ½ cup paneer (cut into small cubes)
- ¼ cup cucumber (cut into small pieces)
- 1 piece green capsicum (cut into small pieces)
- ½ piece red capsicum (optional, cut into small pieces)
- 1 piece tomato (cut into small pieces)
- 1 piece onion (small, finely chopped)
- 1 piece green chili (finely chopped)
- ½ tsp black pepper powder
- Coriander leaves (a handful, finely chopped)
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil (or any neutral vegetable oil)
- 2 tbsp lemon juice (or white vinegar)
- 1 tsp garlic (crushed)
- Salt as per taste
- ½ tsp sugar powder (or honey)
- 1 tsp chili flakes
How to Make Corn Paneer Salad? (Step by Step Guide with Photos)
Step 1: Make the salad dressing by mixing 2 tbsp of extra virgin olive oil, 2 tbsp of lemon juice, 1 tsp of crushed garlic, salt as per taste, ½ tsp of sugar powder and 1 tsp of chili flakes.
(Pro tip: Let the dressing sit for 5 minutes before adding it because the sugar and salt need that time to dissolve and the raw garlic bite softens just enough).
Step 2: Take 1 cup of boiled sweet corn in a mixing bowl and add ¼ cup of cucumber, 1 piece of green capsicum, ½ piece of red capsicum, 1 piece of tomato, 1 small onion and 1 piece of green chili, all cut into small pieces, along with the salad dressing made in step 1. Mix nicely.
Step 3: Now add ½ cup of small paneer cubes and ½ tsp of black pepper powder. Mix or toss gently.
Step 4: Finally, mix a handful of finely chopped coriander leaves.
(Pro tip: Toss the coriander in right before serving, not earlier as it wilts fast and the salad loses its fresh look within the hour).
Step 5: Your tasty and healthy corn paneer salad is ready.
Customize Your Recipe
- Grilling the paneer first gives it a smoky edge worth trying at least once.
- Swap in grilled corn on the cob during peak season; the char changes the whole flavor profile.
- Roasted peanuts or pomegranate seeds add crunch and a nice sweet contrast against the tang.
- Short on time? Skip the dressing altogether and just squeeze lemon over chaat masala instead. Works fine.
- Chickpeas or sprouts ramp up the protein without messing with the overall taste much.
- A spoonful of hung curd in the dressing rounds out the tang and makes the whole thing feel a bit richer.
Corn Paneer Salad Recipe Quick Fixes
Salad’s gone watery; what happened?
Cucumber and tomato release water as they sit. Salt them lightly and drain for five minutes before adding in Step 2.
How do I make this milder for kids?
Drop the green chili, go light on the chili flakes. It still tastes good, just without the heat.
Onion smells too strong; what can I do?
Soak the chopped pieces in cold water for twenty minutes, then dry them off before mixing in.
Recipe Card
Corn Paneer Salad
Ingredients
To make the salad:
- 1 cup sweet corn boiled
- ½ cup paneer cut into small cubes
- ¼ cup cucumber cut into small pieces
- 1 piece green capsicum cut into small pieces
- ½ piece red capsicum optional, cut into small pieces
- 1 piece tomato cut into small pieces
- 1 piece onion small, finely chopped
- 1 piece green chili finely chopped
- ½ tsp black pepper powder
- Coriander leaves a handful, finely chopped
To make the dressing:
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil or any neutral vegetable oil
- 2 tbsp lemon juice or white vinegar
- 1 tsp garlic crushed
- Salt as per taste
- ½ tsp sugar powder or honey
- 1 tsp chili flakes
Instructions
- Make the salad dressing by mixing 2 tbsp of extra virgin olive oil, 2 tbsp of lemon juice, 1 tsp of crushed garlic, salt as per taste, ½ tsp of sugar powder and 1 tsp of chili flakes. (Pro tip: Let the dressing sit for 5 minutes before adding it because the sugar and salt need that time to dissolve and the raw garlic bite softens just enough).
- Take 1 cup boiled sweet corn in a mixing bowl and add ¼ cup of cucumber, 1 piece of green capsicum, ½ piece of red capsicum, 1 piece of tomato, 1 small onion and 1 piece of green chili, all cut into small pieces, along with the salad dressing made in step 1. Mix nicely.
- Now add ½ cup of small paneer cubes and ½ tsp of black pepper powder. Mix or toss gently.
- Finally, mix a handful of finely chopped coriander leaves. (Pro tip: Toss the coriander in right before serving, not earlier as it wilts fast and the salad loses its fresh look within the hour).
- Your tasty and healthy corn paneer salad is ready.
