corn and watermelon arugula salad

last updated on October 29, 2026

Summer is still hanging on, so we have to make these last days of summer count by making this corn and watermelon arugula salad! This salad is seriously fresh and comes together quickly. And with the easy homemade dressing, this will be your new favorite salad.

Ever since I was little I have been obsessed with watermelon. We have a picture of me as a little girl, dressed in a watermelon dress and watermelon hat, eating a piece of watermelon that was 3 times the size of my head. I’m pretty confident that I could beat most people in a watermelon eating contest. So putting watermelon in my salad sounds like a fantastic idea to me. Plus when it is paired with the corn and the vinaigrette, OHH it is so good.

The dressing for this salad is a simple maple balsamic vinaigrette. It only has 4 ingredients but is so flavorful. You could even double the dressing so you have extra to keep in the fridge for your next salad! We don’t want the arugula to get soggy at all, so it is best to toss the arugula with the dressing right before serving! It can be within 30 minutes of serving, but try to not make it much longer than that.

I love adding pecans to this salad, but if you don’t like pecans you can use whatever nut you want! Or, if you are allergic to nuts, try adding a type of seed instead, like pepitas or sunflower seeds. That way you still have the crunch, without the anaphylactic shock, lol.

If you want other summer recipes while summer is still hanging on, here are some of my favorites!

• summer whipped lemon ricotta dip
• chicken peach summer skillet
• summer blt
• lemon orzo pasta
• roasted tomatoes and burrata

corn and watermelon arugula salad

[category] Salad, Side Dish

[published] August 29, 2021

[PREP] 15 minutes mins

[COOK] 5 minutes mins

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Ingredients

• 6 cups arugula
• 2 cups watermelon cubed
• 2 ears fresh corn
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1/4 cup parmesan cheese
• 1/4 cup pecans

maple balsamic vinaigrette

• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
• 1 tsp maple syrup
• 1/2 tsp garlic salt

Instructions

1. Heat a cast iron skillet or large pan over medium high heat. Drizzle both ears of corn with olive oil and add to the pan once its hot. Cook on each side for 1-2 minutes, charring the corn slightly. Remove from the pan and let it cool for a couple minutes then cut the corn off the cob.
2. Cut watermelon into small cubes and transfer to a paper towel to let excess water drain.
3. To make the dressing, add olive oil, balsamic vinegar, maple syrup, and garlic salt to a bowl. Whisk until fully combined.
4. Add arugula to a large bowl and pour on the dressing. Toss until well combined. Add watermelon, corn, parmesan, and pecans. Serve immediately and enjoy!