Confetti Corn
At the height of summer, fresh, at their peak vegetables are flooding the markets. Sweet corn, volumes of zucchini, bright bell peppers not to mention fresh herbs. When my crisper bins are positively bursting, I skip the side of rice or couscous and instead, opt for full on veg, like this Confetti Corn.
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Corn is starchier than other vegetables, so I find its great to take the place of grains in a dish like this. Just strip the corn from the cob using one of these convenient little corn strippers. You can also use a sharp knife. Rest the cob vertically on its base and run the knife down the side between the kernels and the cob.
Chop the zucchini so that’s just slightly larger than the corn kernels — ideally, all the vegetables should be roughly the same size, so they cook evenly — but it’s also for presentation and ease of piling on a fork . Give the onion and bell pepper the same treatment.
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Saute the vegetables for a few minutes.
Then stir in the corn kernels and add the chopped garlic and thyme.
A squeeze of lemon and a little zest plus fresh scallions brighten the flavors.
Confetti Corn is the best of summer and is delicious with anything grilled – like chicken, pork chops even seafood and it’s simple enough for a weeknight! It’s so colorful and bright, even the pickiest eaters will dive right in! Bonus!
If you don’t have fresh corn, try this fall corn sauté for another great corn skillet side dish.
More vegetable side dishes to try:
- Mixed Vegetable Medley
- Eggplant Rollatini Recipe
- Creamed Spinach
- Garlic Green Beans Recipe
- Snow Peas with Garlic & Ginger
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Confetti Corn
INGREDIENTS:
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 zucchini diced into half-inch pieces
- 1 red bell pepper seeded and diced into half-inch pieces
- 1 yellow onion diced
- pinch salt
- 3 ears corn kernels cut from the cob or two cups frozen corn, thawed
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 1 tablespoon thyme leaves chopped fresh
- 1 lemon zest and juice to taste
- ¼ cup italian parsley chopped
- 3 scallions white and green parts, chopped
- salt and pepper to taste
DIRECTIONS:
- In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium to medium high heat.
- Add zucchini, bell pepper and onion and a pinch of salt to the pan and sauté until slightly softened but not browned, 3-4 minutes.
- Add corn and sauté for an additional 2-3 minutes.
- Add garlic and thyme, cooking for an additional minute, until fragrant. Remove from heat.
- Add scallions and a quarter of the lemon zest and juice – taste for seasoning — add more zest and/or juice if desired.
- Toss to combine.
- Season to taste with salt and pepper
NOTES:
NUTRITION:
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Lisa this salad is not only colorful but also healthy one . I am fan of these kind of salad. I need to look for those corn strippers, It is really messy job when you dealing with corn cob where corn kernels are flying all around.
I love all the color! This looks like a great, healthy option for me to share with my family.
Glad you like it Lindsey!
This is so healthy and beautiful! I’m telling everyone about this. really a nice combination of flavors.
Corn is my favorite summer staple. I love what you have done with it here! I could eat this seven days a week.
What a healthy, delicious summer dish! Beautiful too! Giving this a try, for sure!
I love colorful dishes and this looks perfect! It looks both delicious and tasty! I can’t wait to serve this at my next family gathering which is looming on the horizon! Thanks for the recipe!
Is there anything better than sweet, summer corn? No, but this confetti corn is a close second! I absolutely love all the summertime flavors you packed into here and cannot wait to make it for our next BBQ!
Thanks so much, Megan!
I make something very similar to this as a quick and delicious side dish. Lovely colors.
It’s a great way to use up all the fresh veg, right?!
All the ingredients for this recipe are in my fridge so it’s going to be the side for dinner along with some crab cakes…yummo – already looking forward to dinner. Also, give your mom a big hug for me…I was so sad to hear about her accident. She’s lucky to have you nearby to help out as she recoups.
This dish looks beautiful, perfect for the changing season! I hope your mother is feeling better, I know how frustrating limited mobility can be. Even worst with all the construction she has going on!
Thanks for your well-wishes! I’ll pass them on to her. Definitely not fun being laid up when you’re in the middle of a construction zone!