Quinoa Salad with Fresh Corn, Tomatoes, Avocado & Lime
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This summery quinoa salad with crisp corn, juicy tomatoes, spicy jalapeños, creamy avocado, and fresh lime is as healthy as it is filling.
This summery quinoa salad is a must-have for healthy summer eating. Quinoa (pronounced keen-wah)—a high-protein seed with a fluffy, slightly crunchy texture—is cooked with olive oil, onions, and vegetable broth for extra flavor. Once it’s cool, it’s tossed with crisp corn, juicy tomatoes, spicy jalapeños, creamy avocado, and a squeeze of fresh lime. You can make it ahead of time; just be sure to add the avocado at the last minute to keep it from discoloring.
Table of Contents
“This was my first time cooking quinoa. It is fabulously delicious. I couldn’t stop eating it. I will definitely make it again.”
What You’ll Need To Make Quinoa Salad With Corn, Tomatoes, Avocado And Lime
- Extra-Virgin Olive Oil: Adds richness to the salad and is used to sauté the onions for a flavorful base.
- Yellow Onion: Provides a sweet and savory depth to the salad.
- Quinoa: A protein-packed grain that serves as the base of the salad.
- Vegetable Broth: Adds extra flavor to the quinoa while it cooks.
- Grape Or Cherry Tomatoes: Adds a fresh, juicy sweetness and vibrant color.
- Fresh Cut Cooked Corn: Offers a sweet crunch and bright flavor to the salad.
- Scallions: Adds a mild onion flavor and a bit of color.
- Jalapeño Pepper: Brings a subtle heat and a touch of spice.
- Fresh Cilantro: Adds a fresh, herbaceous note to the salad.
- Lime Juice: Provides a zesty tang that brightens the dish.
- Avocado: Adds creaminess and a rich texture, balancing the flavors and textures in the salad.
- Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements
Step-By-Step Instructions
Heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat. Add the onions and cook, stirring frequently, until soft and translucent, about 5 minutes.
Add the quinoa and continue cooking, stirring constantly for 3 to 4 minutes. Add the broth and stir in ½ teaspoon salt. Bring to a boil. Cover the pan, reduce the heat to low, and simmer for 17 to 20 minutes, or until liquid is absorbed and quinoa is cooked. You’ll know it is done when the little “tails” sprout from the grains. (If necessary add 1 to 2 tablespoons more water if the quinoa is not cooked by the time all the liquid is absorbed.)
Transfer the contents to a mixing bowl and put in the refrigerator to chill, about 1 hour.
When the quinoa is cool, add the remaining tablespoon of olive oil, tomatoes, corn, scallions, jalapeno, cilantro, remaining ½ teaspoon salt, and lime juice. Taste and adjust seasoning, if necessary. Right before serving, scatter the avocado chunks over top. The quinoa will cling to the avocado, so it’s best to scatter it over top rather than mix it in.
Right before serving, scatter the avocado chunks over top. The quinoa will cling to the avocado, so it’s best to scatter it over top rather than mix it in.
Enjoy!
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Quinoa Salad with Fresh Corn, Tomatoes, Avocado & Lime
This summery quinoa salad with crisp corn, juicy tomatoes, spicy jalapeños, creamy avocado, and fresh lime is as healthy as it is filling.
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- ½ cup chopped yellow onion, from one small onion
- 1 cup quinoa, rinsed (or pre-washed)
- 1¼ to 1¾ cups vegetable broth (see note)
- 1 teaspoon salt, divided
- 1 heaping cup grape or cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1¼ cups fresh cut cooked corn, from 2 cobs
- 2 scallions, white and green parts, finely sliced
- 1 small jalapeño pepper, seeded and finely chopped
- ⅓ cup chopped fresh cilantro
- 2 tablespoons lime juice, from 1 large lime
- 1 avocado, cut into bite-sized chunks
Instructions
- Heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat. Add the onions and cook, stirring frequently, until soft and translucent, about 5 minutes.
- Add the quinoa and continue cooking, stirring constantly for 3 to 4 minutes. Add the broth and stir in ½ teaspoon salt. Bring to a boil. Cover the pan, reduce the heat to low, and simmer for 17 to 20 minutes, or until liquid is absorbed and quinoa is cooked. You'll know it is done when the little "tails" sprout from the grains. (If necessary add 1 to 2 tablespoons more water if the quinoa is not cooked by the time all the liquid is absorbed.) Transfer the contents to a mixing bowl and put in the refrigerator to chill, about 1 hour.
- When the quinoa is cool, add the remaining tablespoon of olive oil, tomatoes, corn, scallions, jalapeno, cilantro, remaining ½ teaspoon salt, and lime juice. Taste and adjust seasoning, if necessary. Right before serving, scatter the avocado chunks over top. The quinoa will cling to the avocado, so it's best to scatter it over top rather than mix it in. The salad will keep nicely in the fridge for 2 to 3 days.
- Note: Different brands of quinoa call for different amounts of liquid. I’ve given a range, so refer to the package instructions for the correct amount.
- Note: Be very careful when chopping jalapeño peppers. The juices and seeds can irritate your skin so it's a good idea to wear gloves; at the very least, keep your hands away from your eyes and wash them well when done.
Nutrition Information
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- Per serving (4 servings)
- Calories: 357
- Fat: 17g
- Saturated fat: 2g
- Carbohydrates: 45g
- Sugar: 6g
- Fiber: 9g
- Protein: 9g
- Sodium: 614mg
- Cholesterol: 0mg
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
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This is such a simple and relish recipe to make! Always popular at gatherings. Doesn’t keep very long in the fridge for leftovers as the tomatoes dry out and avocado gets brown.
FINALLY!! I understand why quinoa has always been so off when I’ve made it in the past, thank you so so much for your directions regarding the liquid ratio! This dish sounded fresh and delicious, but I never expected all the ingredients to come together like they did. It was the most flavorful and delicious quinoa I’ve ever had 🙂 Thank you for another amazing recipe!
This recipe is fantastic! I made it about once a week during the summer. I followed the recipe each time and it was delicious. Great to have as a meal to cut down on my meat consumption.
My daughter and I love this dish.We are not a fan of chilled quinoa, so we add the corn, tomatoes, etc directly to the quinoa once it has cooked eat it without chilling. It is amazing!
I made this salad on Sunday and I have been taking this to work for lunches. It has made me look forward to lunch each day. The avocado I add at the last minute so the color stays bright. The flavor is wonderful, the lime juice adds such freshness. I also used red quinoa which added a deeper color.
My family of four loved this salad, and we ate it as our main course. It was great to see my two toddlers devour so many healthy ingredients. I’m looking forward to compliments when I bring this to summer potluck parties.
Thanks Jen. This was perfect. Yesterday was Good Friday so the husband and the MIL couldn’t eat meat and I’m observing Passover so no pasta. The whole menu came from you. Blackened tilapia, garlicky roasted broccoli and this. My MIL said everything was wonderful.
If I didn’t add the avocado, how long will this salad last? I’ve had your Thai quinoa salad two days later and it was still great. Is this similar
It’s probably best on the first day or two, but keeps nicely for several days.
This was excellent. I cooked the white part of the scallions into the quinoa and used half of the oil to save calories and it was fine.
This was really delicious, fresh, healthy with a little kick to it!