Sharon Palmer RD

Published on August 18, 2024

Looking for a hearty summer salad for your next potluck, party, or outdoor meal? Here’s one of my all-time favorite healthy picnic salads: this rustic Picnic Potato and Corn Salad with BBQ Dressing. Featuring romaine lettuce, cubes of cooked potatoes, grilled corn (use frozen if you’re in a rush), tomatoes, cucumbers, lima or butter beans, and a vibrant homemade BBQ salad dressing, this gluten free vegan potato salad is virtually a balanced meal in one, providing plant-protein, healthy carbs and fats, and a boatload of veggies, all in one salad bowl. This yummy picnic salad recipe is the perfect meal prep recipe solution, as you can dish up four entrée sized portions and enjoy them for healthy meals on the go during the week. I love to tote this satisfying salad along to dinner parties as my contribution to the table, as I know it will provide a nutritious, tasty plant-powered addition to the table. And did I mention this plant-powered salad recipe is packed with color, delicious flavors, and aromas? Plus, it’s a budget friendly meal relying on a few pantry staples in combination with fresh seasonal produce. What’s better than that!

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Picnic Potato and Corn Salad with BBQ Dressing

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5 from 3 reviews

Author: The Plant-Powered Dietitian
Total Time: 30 minutes
Yield: 8 servings 1x
Diet: Vegan

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Description

This rustic Picnic Potato and Corn Salad with BBQ Dressing features romaine lettuce, cubes of cooked potatoes, grilled corn (use frozen if you’re in a rush), tomatoes, cucumbers, lima or butter beans, and a vibrant homemade BBQ salad dressing, making it a gluten free vegan balanced meal in one.

Ingredients

Scale

Picnic Salad:

1 pound thin-skinned potatoes (i.e., Yukon Gold, red skin)
2 ears fresh corn (or 1 1/2 cups frozen fire-roasted corn, thawed)
4 cups chopped Romaine lettuce (about one small head)
1 (15-ounce can) lima or butter beans, drained (or 1 3/4 cups cooked from dried)
1 medium cucumber with peel, sliced
1 cup halved cherry tomatoes
½ red onion, thinly sliced

BBQ Dressing:

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons vegan barbeque sauce, prepared
1 lemon, juiced
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
¼ teaspoon salt (optional)
¼ teaspoon black pepper

Garnish:

¼ cup chopped fresh parsley

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Instructions

Cook fresh potatoes in boiling water until tender yet firm when pierced with a fork, about 10-15 minutes. Drain and cool. Peel and chop into 1-inch cubes. Set aside.
Meanwhile, grill corn on preheated grill for 10-15 minutes, turning as needed, until cooked and golden on both sides. Let cool and remove from cob. Alternatively, use 1 ½ cups frozen fire-roasted corn, thawed, drained. Set aside.
In a large (3-quart) salad bowl, add chopped Romaine lettuce. Arrange cooked, cooled, cubed potatoes; cooled, cooked (or thawed frozen) corn, lima or butter beans, cucumber slices, cherry tomatoes, and red onions slices.
To make BBQ Dressing: Mix together olive oil, BBQ sauce, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, salt (optional), and black pepper in a small bowl with a whisk.
Drizzle dressing over the salad bowl. May toss together to distribute ingredients.
Garnish with fresh chopped parsley.
Serve immediately or chill until serving time. Makes 8 servings (about 1 ½ cups each). If you are not going to serve this salad immediately, cover and chill and add dressing right before serving.

Notes

Try cooking dried beans, following package directions, to feature in this recipe.

May substitute another type of cooked bean, such as chickpeas, kidney beans, or black eyed peas.

This recipe is delicious for meal prep. For entrée sized salad meals or bowls, divide ingredients among 4 (3-cup size) containers, cover, and refrigerate for up to 5 days (reserving dressing to add later).

I love to serve this salad in my natural bamboo salad bowl, pictured above. Try this bamboo salad bowl for serving this recipe.