Summer Vegetable Salad

We had some impromptu company one Sunday night, so I threw together a refreshing, crisp Summer Vegetable Salad with  what I could find in my fridge.

Learn how to make a beautiful composed salad with some simple tips.

Summer Vegetable Salad

When putting together a salad, I start with the greens. We typically have a box of spinach in the fridge, so that was my base. A couple ears of fresh corn, an English cucumber, carrots plus a juicy ripe tomato were cut into bite sized pieces.  I aim for a rainbow of veggies. A can of black beans and artichoke hearts rounded out the mix. My classic balsamic vinaigrette was drizzled atop the salad just before serving. Lots of crunch, a variety of textures and colors made for a terrific, refreshing side dish. 

How to Make a Composed Salad

I am a fan of the composed salad. Instead of just tossing all the ingredients together in a salad bowl, the main components are artfully arranged. I often line the ingredients in rows across a platter, but when working with a bowl, wedges seem to make more sense. Begin with a base of greens, then decide on what goes where according to colors and shapes.

Note how the carrots and beans are rounder items and they’re across from each other. The red bell peppers and the red tomatoes are also not adjacent. I thought the beans popped more when placed between the bright yellow corn and red tomatoes. There’s no real right or wrong, just use your judgment and it will be lovely!!  I did notice a little pile of black beans on the hubster’s plate when clearing the plates.

Shake up the ingredients any way you like. Some cheese chunks would be would be a great substitute for those beans. I love hearts of palm, too, and use them interchangeably with artichoke hearts. Make sure you try my favorite balsamic vinaigrette (link in the recipe). Just make sure to use a good quality vinegar for the best results.

More Summer Corn Recipes:

• Cajun Baked Shrimp and Corn Dip by The Weekend Gourmet
• Skillet Jalapeno Cornbread by Grumpy’s Honeybunch
• Mexican Corn Salad
• Bacon Corn Chowder
• Grilled Corn with Basil Butter
• Fresh Corn Pancakes
• Corn and Black Bean Salad
• Sour Cream Corn Dip
• More summer recipes in my Recipe Index

You May Need:

• Wusthof Gourmet Tomato Knife
• Oxo Swivel Peeler

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Summer Vegetable Salad

Summer Vegetable Salad | Spinach topped with a vibrant rainbow of toppings

Prep Time 20 minutes

Total Time 20 minutes

Yield 4 servings

Ingredients

• 5 ounces baby spinach, tough stems removed
• 2 ears fresh corn, cooked, then kernels sliced off the cob
• 1 tomato, cubed
• 1/2 English cucumber, peeled and cubed
• 1 jar artichoke hearts, drained and cut in half
• 1-2 carrots, peeled and chopped
• Black beans, I used about half a can, drained and rinsed
• My best [url]Balsamic Vinaigrette∞https://www.thatskinnychickcanbake.com/spinach-strawberry-pomegranate-feta-salad/[/url]

Instructions

1. Place spinach in a large serving bowl.
2. Arrange toppings over spinach.
3. Whisk vinaigrette and drizzle over salad before serving. Toss and serve.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

4

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 195 Total Fat: 4g Saturated Fat: 1g Trans Fat: 0g Unsaturated Fat: 1g Cholesterol: 6mg Sodium: 155mg Carbohydrates: 37g Net Carbohydrates: 0g Fiber: 10g Sugar: 16g Sugar Alcohols: 0g Protein: 9g