golden girl salad

A secret summer ingredient makes the dressing for this crunchy, mouthwatering salad extra creamy and bright.

Golden Girl Salad Recipe

This dressing isn’t like most of my others. It’s puréed in a blender, and while most of the ingredients look familiar, there’s one secret that makes it extra creamy and colorful: corn. It’s so incredibly delicious, with the corn giving the classic vinaigrette extra body and sweetness, and the turmeric gives the salad anti-inflammatory benefits while brightening the color. Packed with juicy tomatoes and crunchy peppers and cabbage, I’ll be bringing this salad to gatherings for the rest of the summer.

Ingredients for Golden Girl Salad

  • 2 tablespoons and 1 teaspoon fine sea salt, divided

  • 3 ears corn, shucked

  • 1/2 head green cabbage, finely shredded (1 1/2 cups)

  • 1 yellow bell pepper, seeds and ribs removed, finely chopped

  • 1 bunch scallions, white and light green parts finely chopped

  • 1 bunch chives, finely chopped

  • 8 ounces cherry tomatoes, halved lengthwise, cut into thirds

  • 8 ounces Sungold tomatoes, halved lengthwise, cut into thirds

  • 2 garlic cloves

  • 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

  • Juice of 2 lemons

  • 2 tablespoons white vinegar

  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder

  • 1/2 teaspoon turmeric

  • Corn tortilla chips, for serving

How to Make a Golden Girl Salad

  1. Fill a large pot with cold water and add 2 tablespoons salt. Heat over high and add corn. Bring to a rapid boil, then remove from heat and cover pot; set aside until ready to use.

  2. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, toss cabbage, bell pepper, scallions, chives, cherry tomatoes, and Sungold tomatoes to combine.

  3. Carefully remove corn from pot and cut kernels off the cob (I like to use a fork to anchor it and cut it inside a bowl so it doesn’t go flying); reserve 1 cup corn for the dressing. Add remaining corn to bowl with vegetables. 

  4. In a high-powered blender (in this order), blend reserved 1 cup corn, garlic, oil, lemon juice, vinegar, 1 teaspoon salt, pepper, garlic powder, and turmeric until smooth.

  5. Pour dressing over salad and toss to combine. Serve with chips alongside.    

What You’ll Need

We selected these products because we love them, and hope you do too. Baked by Melissa has an affiliate relationship, so we may get a commission if you purchase something through our links. Items are sold by the retailer, not Baked by Melissa.