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I’ll admit it—quinoa wasn’t love at first bite. Like a lot of people, I wasn’t quite sure what all the excitement was about. But over the years, a handful of really good recipes have completely changed my mind, and this Quinoa and Corn Salad is one of them.
I first discovered it in Power Foods: 150 Delicious Recipes with the 38 Healthiest Ingredients (affiliate link) from the editors of Whole Living. The original recipe was full of fresh, colorful ingredients, but it was also much higher in calories than I wanted because of the generous amount of olive oil and very large serving size. With a few simple adjustments, I ended up with a lighter version that’s every bit as satisfying.
Studded with sweet corn, crisp red bell pepper, fresh cilantro, creamy avocado, and crunchy toasted pumpkin seeds, this salad is one I return to throughout the summer. It makes a wonderful side dish with grilled chicken, fish, or shrimp, and it’s hearty enough to enjoy on its own for lunch.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Fresh, colorful, and full of texture
- A lighter take on the original recipe
- Perfect for summer meals and picnics
- Great as a side dish or light lunch
- Naturally vegetarian and gluten-free
Ingredients & Notes
- Quinoa – Rinse well before cooking to remove any bitterness.
- Fresh corn – Sweet summer corn is my favorite, but frozen corn works well when fresh isn’t available.
- Fresh lime juice – Brightens all the flavors.
- Chili powder and cumin – Add gentle Southwestern warmth.
- Garlic – Fresh garlic gives the dressing lots of flavor.
- Extra-virgin olive oil – I reduced the amount from the original recipe and never missed it.
- Red bell pepper – Adds sweetness and crunch.
- Scallions – Mild onion flavor.
- Jalapeño – Adds a little heat. Use more or less to suit your taste.
- Fresh cilantro – Brings freshness to the salad.
- Avocado – Best added just before serving.
- Raw pumpkin seeds (pepitas) – Toast them lightly for the best flavor and crunch.
- Red leaf lettuce (optional) – A pretty way to serve the salad.
How to Make this Quinoa & Corn Salad
- Prepare the quinoa. Bring the water to a boil in a small saucepan. Stir in the quinoa and let it return to a boil. Stir, cover and reduce the heat to a gentle simmer. Cook until the quinoa has absorbed all the water and is tender, but still chewy, about 15 minutes. (Cooking Stovetop Quinoa)
- Add corn. Turn off the heat and fluff the quinoa with a fork. Place the corn kernels on top of the quinoa, cover the pan and let stand for 5 minutes. Stir corn into quinoa and transfer the mixture to a large bowl to cool.
- Prepare dressing (while quinoa is cooking). While the quinoa is cooking you can prepare the dressing. In a small bowl (affiliate link), whisk together the lime juice, chili powder, cumin, garlic, olive oil and 1/4 teaspoon salt.
- Make the salad. Add the dressing, red pepper, scallions, jalapeno, and cilantro to the quinoa and corn mixture, tossing until everything is well combined. Taste and season with salt if desired.
- Add avocado. When you’re ready to serve, cut the avocado in half lengthwise, discard the pit, and then peel the avocado and thinly slice it.
- Serve: Line a large platter with the lettuce leaves, if desired. Mound the quinoa salad in the middle of the platter and then arrange the avocado slices and lime wedges on the side. Sprinkle with pumpkin seeds and serve.
Recipe Tips
One of the reasons I like revisiting cookbook recipes is that they often provide great inspiration, even if I end up making a few changes. In this case, reducing the olive oil by half and serving a more realistic portion created a salad that better fits my everyday approach to healthy eating without sacrificing flavor.
How Many Calories and Weight Watchers Points?
According to my calculations, each serving of this salad has about 190 calories.
WW Points: 6
To see your WW Points for this recipe, track it in the WW App!
(You must be logged into WW on a smartphone or tablet.)
5 PointsPlus (Old plan)
If you’ve made this Gluten-Free Quinoa Salad with Corn and Toasted Pepitas, please give the recipe a star rating below and leave a comment letting me know how you liked it. And stay in touch on Pinterest, Facebook, Instagram and Twitter for the latest updates.
Quinoa and Corn Salad with Toasted Pumpkin Seeds
Ingredients
- 2-3/4 cup water
- 1-1/2 cups quinoa, rinsed and drained
- 2 ears corn (kernels cut from the cob)
- 1/4 cup fresh lime juice, 2-3 limes, plus 1 lime cut into wedges for serving
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- Kosher salt
- 1 red bell pepper, seeded and diced
- 3 scallions, trimmed and thinly sliced
- 1/3 jalapeno chile, diced
- 1/4 cup coarsely chopped cilantro
- 1 ripe, firm avocado
- 1/4 cup raw hulled pumpkin seeds, toasted
- 1 head red-leaf lettuce (for serving, if desired)
Instructions
- First prepare the quinoa. Bring the water to a boil in a small saucepan. Stir in the quinoa and let it return to a boil. Stir, cover and reduce the heat to a gentle simmer. Cook until the quinoa has absorbed all the water and is tender, but still chewy, about 15 minutes.
- Turn off the heat and fluff the quinoa with a fork. Place the corn kernels on top of the quinoa, cover the pan and let stand for 5 minutes.
- Stir corn into quinoa and transfer the mixture to a large bowl to cool.
- While the quinoa is cooking you can prepare the dressing. In a small bowl (affiliate link), whisk together the lime juice, chili powder, cumin, garlic, olive oil and 1/4 teaspoon salt.
- Add the dressing, red pepper, scallions, jalapeno, and cilantro to the quinoa and corn mixture, tossing until everything is well combined.
- Taste and season with salt if desired.
- When you’re ready to serve, cut the avocado in half lengthwise, discard the pit, and then peel the avocado and thinly slice it.
- Line a large platter with the lettuce leaves, if desired. Mound the quinoa salad in the middle of the platter and then arrange the avocado slices and lime wedges on the side. Sprinkle with pumpkin seeds and serve.
Notes
(Must be logged into WW on a smartphone or tablet.) 5 PointsPlus (Old plan)
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Source: Power Foods: 150 Delicious Recipes with the 38 Healthiest Ingredients (affiliate link)
More Quinoa Recipes to Enjoy
If you like Quinoa and Corn Salad Made Lighter, you may also like
Corn cooked or uncooked?
Hi Lyn, I used uncooked corn. ~Martha
Sounds perfect for these hot days. Pretty, too! Love the simple idea (ha!) of cutting fat and portion in order to stay on program, but still eat what you’d like. (My example is always a turkey burger on whole wheat bun with salad instead of a burger and fries.) You have been an encouragement to me!
Nice post, Martha; thanks.
Hi Alyce,
Thanks for your kind words. It’s my passion to live a happy, healthy, slim and balanced life and help others do the same, so it warms my heart to think I’ve offered some encouragement to you. Turkey burgers with salad and veggies are one of my go-to meals too!
That is exactly what I would have done Martha! 😉