A big bowl of this colorful salad comes together easily and is perfect for backyard barbecues, potlucks, and at-the-ready meals throughout the week!
A fresh, colorful addition to a backyard barbecue or potluck, this vibrant salad is equally well suited to packed lunches and speedy dinners.
The recipe has many attributes: filling fiber, plant-based protein, and a wide range of other nutrients. But I love this salad most for its great taste and versatility. The rainbow of colors is rather appealing too!
I must credit my longtime friend, Bill, for originally sharing this recipe with me. The dish has long been his go-to for summer entertaining, and he felt certain my readers would enjoy it.
I’ve adapted his recipe ever so slightly and have found that it’s equally delicious in the colder months. Plus, the versatile dish is really convenient to have on hand as I piece together lunches and dinners throughout the week.
(As someone who likes savory food for breakfast, I have even enjoyed a bowlful of this sunny salad first thing in the morning. A topping of diced avocado adds a little something extra!)
Naturally gluten-, dairy-, and nut-free, this recipe is also ideal when taking a dish to a potluck or when making a meal for a friend. It’s also portable and keeps for the better part of a week.
Once the ingredients are combined, the salad can simply be scooped into a bowl and enjoyed. The flavors meld and improve over time, adding value to the advance prep option.
Because the recipe is vegetarian (and vegan without the optional feta), the salad also offers a welcome plant-based option for guests when needed.
Did you know? Frozen edamame and corn are both are blanched before freezing and may be used thawed and without further cooking.
When serving for my family, I like to plate with a simple protein to transform the salad into a filling meal. When it comes to leftovers, I often make extra vinaigrette and then bulk up the leftovers with chopped chicken or chunked salmon (canned works well), a handful of greens, some chopped avocado, and sprinkle of crunchy seeds. Then I drizzle with the extra vinaigrette as needed.
Serving options: Pictured here with Perfectly Grilled Shrimp and Blueberry Lemon Cornbread, Confetti Salad is equally well suited to steak, chicken, and fish. Or serve as an appetizer with chips (we like Fritos Scoops – they’re sturdy and good for dipping) or as a plant-based main dish. In the latter case, you may wish to plate over a bed of arugula and top with chopped avocado and a hearty sprinkle of pepitas and/or sunflower seeds.
More serving suggestions: Donovan, Emily, and I ate Confetti Salad for lunch on a recent photo shoot day. Donovan and Emily stirred in some Cilantro Lime Rice, which was conveniently on hand. It was a delicious idea, which my family has since replicated.
For a recent dinner, I served Confetti Salad with Chili Lime Chicken and Baked Rice (which can be made with brown or white rice). The salad also pairs beautifully with Marinated Hangar Steak, which can be made with other cuts of beef, like flank, ribeye, skirt, and flatiron.
Bill drizzles and sprinkles olive oil, red wine vinegar, salt, and pepper to taste. For the sake of a reliable recipe for all, I have quantified these ingredients, but feel free to follow Bill’s lead if you prefer. I also added a teaspoon of Dijon mustard to the vinaigrette; this creates a hint of emulsification and allows the flavors to pop without tasting mustardy.
Keeping the chopped pieces small will create a uniform look (like confetti!) and ensure more flavor in each bite.
Confetti Salad’s flavor improves over time, so try to prepare it at least two hours in advance – a full day in advance is fine too. Leftovers will continue to taste great for four days or so. When adding the optional fresh basil or avocado, however, I stir them in just before serving. They may also be used as a garnish.
I’d love to know if you try this recipe. (Bill would too!) Leave a comment, rate it, and don’t forget to tag a photo @fountainavenuekitchen on Instagram and Facebook. Your feedback is always appreciated.
Confetti SaladPrep Time: 15 minutes Total Time: 15 minutes Yield: 9+ cups
A big bowl of this colorful salad comes together easily and is perfect for backyard barbecues, potlucks, and at-the-ready meals throughout the week!
For the salad:
- 1 (10-ounce) bag (2 cups) corn, thawed if frozen*
- 1 (10-ounce) bag (2 lightly rounded cups) shelled frozen edamame, thawed**
- 2 cups (1 pint/12 ounces) cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1 (15.5-ounce) can black beans, rinsed and well drained
- 1 large red bell pepper, diced (or color of choice; could use half each of two different colors)***
- ¾ cup pitted and sliced or quartered Kalamata olives (~110g/4oz)
- ⅓ cup minced red onion
- Optional: ~ ¼ cup chopped fresh basil; 1 avocado, diced; ½ – ¾ cup crumbled feta cheese
For the vinaigrette:
- ¼ cup (60 ml) red wine vinegar
- ¼ cup (56 ml) olive oil
- 1 teaspoon (5g) Dijon mustard
- ¾ teaspoon fine sea salt, plus more to taste
- ¼ teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
Instructions:Prepare the vinaigrette: In a small bowl, whisk together the vinegar, oil, Dijon, salt, and pepper. Set aside. Prep ahead tip: The vinaigrette may be mixed ahead and left on the counter for up to 2 hours or refrigerated for longer storage. Alternatively, you may simply pour the vinaigrette ingredients over the salad items once in the bowl and toss well to evenly distribute.
Mix the salad ingredients: In a large bowl, combine the corn, edamame, tomatoes, black beans, bell pepper, olives, and onion. Pour the vinaigrette over top and toss to combine. If possible, cover and refrigerate for up to two hours, tossing occasionally. Prep ahead tip: The salad may be prepared up to a day in advance as the flavors improve over time. Stir in any optional ingredients just before serving.
Storage: Leftovers will keep in the refrigerator, covered, for 4-5 days.
Notes:*In season, I like to use leftover grilled or steamed corn on the cob.
To quickly thaw frozen corn and edamame, add to the strainer used for draining and rinsing the beans and run cool water over top. Make sure to drain well.
**Be sure to purchase shelled edamame, not edamame in the pod.
***I often used slightly over half of a red and orange bell pepper for 1½ cups total and keep the chop around the size of the corn kernels.
No Dijon? While it enhances the flavor of the vinaigrette and provides a hint of emulsification (without tasting mustardy), it may be omitted. Also, if you go heavy some of the ingredients, simply increase the olive oil and red wine vinegar to ⅓ cup each and add an extra pinch of salt and pepper to taste.
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- 1 (10-ounce) bag (2 cups) corn, thawed if frozen*
- 1 (10-ounce) bag (2 lightly rounded cups) shelled frozen edamame, thawed**
- 2 cups (1 pint/12 ounces) cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1 (15.5-ounce) can black beans, rinsed and well drained
- 1 large red bell pepper, diced (or color of choice; could use half each of two different colors)***
- ¾ cup pitted and sliced or quartered Kalamata olives (~110g/4oz)
- ⅓ cup minced red onion
- Optional: ~ ¼ cup chopped fresh basil; 1 avocado, diced; ½ – ¾ cup crumbled feta cheese
- ¼ cup (60 ml) red wine vinegar
- ¼ cup (56 ml) olive oil
- 1 teaspoon (5g) Dijon mustard
- ¾ teaspoon fine sea salt, plus more to taste
- ¼ teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
Prepare the vinaigrette: In a small bowl, whisk together the vinegar, oil, Dijon, salt, and pepper. Set aside. Prep ahead tip: The vinaigrette may be mixed ahead and left on the counter for up to 2 hours or refrigerated for longer storage. Alternatively, you may simply pour the vinaigrette ingredients over the salad items once in the bowl and toss well to evenly distribute.
Mix the salad ingredients: In a large bowl, combine the corn, edamame, tomatoes, black beans, bell pepper, olives, and onion. Pour the vinaigrette over top and toss to combine. If possible, cover and refrigerate for up to two hours, tossing occasionally. Prep ahead tip: The salad may be prepared up to a day in advance as the flavors improve over time. Stir in any optional ingredients just before serving.
Storage: Leftovers will keep in the refrigerator, covered, for 4-5 days.
*In season, I like to use leftover grilled or steamed corn on the cob.
To quickly thaw frozen corn and edamame, add to the strainer used for draining and rinsing the beans and run cool water over top. Make sure to drain well.
**Be sure to purchase shelled edamame, not edamame in the pod.
***I often used slightly over half of a red and orange bell pepper for 1½ cups total and keep the chop around the size of the corn kernels.
No Dijon? While it enhances the flavor of the vinaigrette and provides a hint of emulsification (without tasting mustardy), it may be omitted. Also, if you go heavy some of the ingredients, simply increase the olive oil and red wine vinegar to ⅓ cup each and add an extra pinch of salt and pepper to taste.
Thank you again for a tasty fun idea Ann!
This recipe is simplicity. It takes a minute to chop up all the veggies, but usually one would be preparing everything for a meal anyway. I chopped up the ingredients. There were a couple of differences, I can’t eat corn, so I got a yellow pink heirloom tomato, and already had orange and red bell peppers which I prefer the flavor to a yellow or it could have been brighter with the yellow color. I did buy a yellow squash but chickened out in using it at the last minute. My vinegarette was with natural apple cider vinegar and a spoon of raw honey. I loved it but added a healthy splash of balsamic vinegar and more sweet red onion and it was perfect. For extra enjoyment and healthy goodness some chopped pickled beets on top after mixing, because that beet color goes into everything. Love the flexibility of using what you have available/ can eat/want to eat. One of the best things about Ann’s recipes is that there are options for people who have dietary restrictions.
Thank you for your thoughtful review and kind words, Carol. I’m delighted the confetti salad was a success and worked with your dietary restrictions. So many of us have them and it’s nice to not feel like we are missing out!
I am going to try this for Tovah! She eats chick pea salad for breakfast sometimes. Weird for a 9 year old and even more weird when she was 3!
I hope Tovah enjoys the confetti salad, Jane – please report back – and I think “weird” is interesting. I bet Tovah is a gem. Please tell her I’d eat chickpea salad with her any time of day!