Blueberry, Corn and Charred Lemon Salad

salad with lettuce, grilled corn, blueberries and lemon

Grilled lemon is the showstopper in this easy summer Blueberry, Charred Corn and Grilled Lemon Salad. You’ll look like someone who has serious kitchen chops!

Potlucks, neighborhood parties, even road trips are all part of summer eating. But the last thing we want is to be stuck in the kitchen. Summer cooking needs to be fresh and easy.

This stunning Blueberry, Charred Corn and Lemon Salad is my current obsession.

I ❤️ biting into a juice blueberry, sweet corn and zingy lemon!

Blueberry, Grilled Corn and Lemon Salad

The ingredients

  • lemon
  • sugar
  • Romaine lettuce or your favorite salad green
  • fresh corn on the cob
  • blueberries
  • olive oil and canola oil but you can use one or the other
  • maple syrup
  • ground ginger

The salad is so simple that I took it camping. I didn’t want to lose the fresh blueberries when we headed out of town so the salad went with us. I made the vinaigrette before leaving home. It’s just easier than hauling the ingredients.This recipe is the basic, oh, so easy version. If you want to take it up a notch, add:

  • Roast chicken or grilled shrimp
  • Toasted pecans or pumpkin seeds
  • Feta or blue cheese crumbles
  • Sprinkles of fresh chopped mint or basil

Full of healthful flavonoids, this salad delivers antioxidants by the forkful, but even better, it is so fresh and delicious people will just focus on its summertime flair.

How to grill lemon

Grilled lemon is a showstopper. You’ll be the one whose salad ends up on Instagram. They are easy to do but make you look like someone who has serious kitchen chops. Here’s how. Slice a lemon. Set on the grill. Flip and place on your salad. No lemons? No problem. Oranges work. So do grapefruit.

  • Slice lemon into 1/4-inch, sprinkle with just a smidge of sugar. Set lemons on medium-hot grill. Cook for 3-5 minutes until flesh is lightly browned. Turn slices over. Cook 2-3 more minutes. The browning comes from consistent heat, so no flipping every 30 seconds, right? Give them their space ’til they’re done.
  • You can eat them if you like. Some lemons are sweeter than others, some more bitter. Meyer lemons are a sweeter varietal.

Cook’s Note: You can char the lemon without the sugar; the sugar helps it caramelize.

lemon slices on the grill

grill sliced lemons until browned

How to choose a lemon

With lemons, look for fresh, firm, and heavy for it’s size. A heavier fruit means more juice. Rinse before using.

Benefits of blueberries

They’re called blue dynamos for a reason! Anthocyanins are responsible for the blue in the berry. These plant compounds also seem to reduce inflammation and promote heart and brain health. A good source of fiber and vitamin C, and just 80 calories in a cup, blueberries are pretty powerful package.

Blueberries are in season in summer so prices are lower and freshness is tops. Look for firm, dry blueberries with smooth skins. Refrigerate them when you get home and rinse before eating.

salad with grilled lemon and corn plus fresh blueberries

toss lettuce, blueberries, and corn with charred lemons

More summery salads…

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lettuce with fresh blueberries, grilled corn nd lemon salad

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Blueberry, Charred Corn and Lemon Salad

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

5 from 2 reviews

Juicy blueberries, smoky corn and lemon make this salad so delicious!

  • Author: Judy Barbe
  • Prep Time: 15 minutes
  • Cook Time: 15 minutes
  • Total Time: 30 minutes
  • Yield: 4 1x
  • Category: Salad
  • Method: Grilled
  • Cuisine: American

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 lemon, sliced in 1/8”-1/4” slices, remove seeds
  • 1/8 teaspoon granulated sugar
  • 1 head Romaine lettuce, chopped
  • 2 ears fresh corn on the cob, shucked (or 1 ¾ cup frozen)
  • 1 cup fresh blueberries
  • 3 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon canola oil
  • juice of ½ a grilled lemon, about 1 ½ tablespoons
  • 1 teaspoon maple syrup
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/8 teaspoon black pepper

Instructions

  • Heat grill to medium.
  • Sprinkle lemon slices and ½ lemon (fruit only) with sugar. Set lemons on hot grill. Cook for 3-5 minutes until flesh is lightly browned. Turn lemon slices over. Cook 2-3 more minutes. The browning comes from consistent heat, so no flipping every 30 seconds. Give them their space. Remove from grill; set aside.
  • Note: You can char the lemon without the sugar; the sugar helps it caramelize.
  • Place corn on grill, turn occasionally, for 5 minutes or until some browning occurs. Remove from grill. If using frozen,  heat a skillet over medium-high heat. Add corn, spread in a single layer, cook 5-7 minutes, until lightly charred, stir to prevent scorching.
  • Cut corn from cob by standing the tip of the cob on a cutting board. Hold corn by stalk and shave kernels from cob.  Turn cob a quarter of a turn to shave another row. Continue until cob is clean.
  • In salad bowl, toss lettuce with corn, and blueberries. Top with grilled lemon slices.
  • Combine olive oil, canola oil, lemon juice, maple syrup, ginger, salt and pepper in a small bowl; stir to blend. Drizzle over salad and toss just before serving.

Comments

  1. Another winner! We had it for dinner with a little grilled pork on the side…just the two of us ate it all! You are a wizard with fresh tastes & combos. Thank you!
    Heidi






    1. Author

      Great, Heidi! So pleased you’re enjoying the salad. Aren’t those little lemons the BEST?!

  2. Just discovered your site from Healthy Aperture featuring your recipes. I saw this one and thought, I have all those ingredients ready to go, so it got me going on a very pretty salad for the hot day we are having in October! I really like the approach to recipes that you have. There are lots of them I want to do. Thank you






    1. Author

      Hi Frances, thanks for the note and for stopping by. Don’t you love it when you have all the ingredients? Glad my recipe appeared at the right moment for you! If you’d like, sign up for my newsletter and you’ll hear from me a couple times a month with recipes and news. Judy

  3. Pingback: 20 delicious recipes to celebrate the Fourth of July at home – YumYumMenu

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