by Jeanette 76 Comments
This Mexican Corn Quinoa Salad is a festive warm weather salad, perfect for a crowd. I love fresh corn, and although I enjoy it on the cob, I find it makes a great side dish when used in salads.
I think warm weather is finally here to stay, so I have been trying to take long walks outside, and visiting our local farmer’s market as much as possible.
I made this Mexican Corn Quinoa Salad for a large gathering of womenfor one of ourBible study celebrations.I’m always trying to concoct something new for this group of ladies, while keeping it on the healthier side.
The idea behind this salad comes from the Mexican street food called Esquites, which is served in little cups. It’s a mixture of boiled or sautéed corn, mayonnaise, Cojita cheese, cilantro and chili powder. Sometimes jalapeño peppers are added too. What I love about Esquites is the combination of sweet (from the corn), spicy (chili powder), and salty (Cojita cheese).
I find pan roasting the corn brings out the natural sugars and makes it taste even sweeter.
Let’s talk a little about the health benefits of corn – whole corn that is, not processed. I have to be honest – for years, I didn’t consider corn a healthy vegetable. It wasn’t until I picked up a copy of The World’s Healthiest Foods a few years ago, that I started paying more attention to the unique nutritional profile that different fruits and vegetables have.
Here are a couple of fun facts about corn you might be interested in:
- Corn is high in both soluble and insoluble fiber. We need both kinds of fiber in our diets. Dietary fiber helps reduce blood cholesterol levels and may lower our risk of heart disease.
- Corn contains two important carotenoids(lutein and zeaxanthin), which are relatives of vitamin A that support eye health and may have other disease-preventing properties.
- Corn is a good source of B vitamins (folate, B1, B3, B5, B6)which are essential for energy production and making red blood cells
The important thing to remember here is to eat corn in its whole form.
5 from 2 votes
This makes a big batch. This recipe is on the milder side because I made it for a large crowd and wanted to make sure it had broad appeal. Spice things up even more with additional cayenne pepper or chili powder.
CourseSide Dish
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes
Servings 20 as part of a buffet
Calories 120 kcal
Ingredients
- 2teaspoonsolive oil
- 3cupscorn
- 2clovesgarlicminced
- 4cupscooked quinoa
- 2 1/2cupscherry tomatoeshalved
- 1 1/2cupscooked black beans
- 1cupcojita cheesefeta or romano cheese would also work, crumbled
- 3tablespoonsfresh cilantrominced
- 3tablespoonsscallionsminced
- 2limesjuiced
- 1 1/2teaspoonchili powder
- a few dashes of cayenne pepper
- 2tablespoonsextra virgin olive oil
- sea saltto taste
- fresh ground pepperto taste
Instructions
Heat olive oil in a large skillet. Saute corn and garlic until corn has some brown spots (that's the caramelization that makes the corn even sweeter). Transfer to a large bowl and toss in the rest of the ingredients. Season to your liking with additional chili powder, cayenne pepper, salt and pepper.
Recipe Notes
Cut recipe in half for a smaller group.
Nutrition Facts
Mexican Corn Quinoa Salad
Amount Per Serving
Calories 120Calories from Fat 36
% Daily Value*
Fat 4g6%
Saturated Fat 1g6%
Cholesterol 6mg2%
Sodium 140mg6%
Potassium 211mg6%
Carbohydrates 16g5%
Fiber 2g8%
Sugar 2g2%
Protein 4g8%
Vitamin A 245IU5%
Vitamin C 8.1mg10%
Calcium 54mg5%
Iron 1.2mg7%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
If you like this recipe, you might like:
Chipotle Black Bean Corn Tomato Avocado Salad
Quinoa Corn Kale Tomato Salad
Corn Tomato Avocado Salsa Salad
Mexican Corn Tomato Feta Salad
Disclosure: This is a sponsored post by Kitchen PLAY in partnership with the Florida Sweet Corn Exchange for their “Put a Little Sweet in Your Step” event.
Mexican Chopped Salad with Cilantro Lime Yogurt Avocado Dressing Recipe
2019-05-01 05:00:00
jeanette
18
Mexican Corn Tomato Feta Salad Recipe
2018-06-20 05:00:38
jeanette
18
Gluten Free Mexican Taco Nacho Mac and Cheese Recipe
2015-04-21 05:00:20
jeanette
18
Gluten-Free Mexican Turkey Taco Meatloaf Muffins Recipe
2014-10-27 05:00:22
jeanette
18
Light Mexican Corn Salad Recipe (Esquites)
2013-07-03 09:30:25
jeanette
18
Mexican Chopped Salad with Lime Cilantro Dressing
2013-05-08 12:12:44
jeanette
18
9 Layer Mexican Dip Recipe for Super Bowl
2013-01-31 05:00:26
jeanette
18
Cha Cha Bowl (Recipe for Mexican Chicken and Black Bean Rice Bowl)
2012-05-25 06:00:28
jeanette
18
100+ Summer Salad Recipes
2021-06-21 00:00:31
jeanette
8
Healthy Summer Side Dish Recipes
2020-07-01 00:45:50
jeanette
8