Description
This Dairy-Free Mexican Street Corn Quinoa Salad is a fun spin on Mexican Street Corn! With a boost of complete protein from the quinoa and the delicious dairy-free smoked paprika dressing, this is sure to be on your summer picnic side dish rotation!
Ingredients
- 1 cup quinoa, uncooked
- 2 cups water
- 1–2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 (15 ounce) cans of corn (may also use frozen or fresh corn)
- 1/3 cup red onion, diced
- 1 cup dairy-free feta cheese
- 1/4 cup fresh cilantro minced, a few leaves left for garnish
The Dressing
- 1/4 cup vegan mayonnaise
- 1/2 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 2 tablespoons lime juice, more for garnishing if desired
- 1/2 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Instructions
- Boil 2 cups of water in a small saucepan and cook the quinoa according to package directions, about 15 minutes until all the water is absorbed.
- While the quinoa is cooking, heat the olive oil in a large skillet medium high heat. Add the corn and saute until slightly charred, approximately 7-10 minutes if the corn is fresh or canned. If it’s frozen, it may take longer.
- To make the dressing, add all dressing ingredients and whisk/stir until smooth.
- Place the cooked quinoa to a large bowl along with the corn. Next, add the red onion and ½ cup of the dairy-free feta cheese. Pour the dressing into the bowl and toss to mix the salad well. Let the salad cool for at least 10-15 minutes and then add the remaining half of the cheese and the cilantro. Toss to combine. Garnish with more fresh cilantro and feta and serve!
Notes
You may make this salad a few hours ahead of time, just be sure to cover until you’re ready to serve. This salad is best served at room temperature.
I used white quinoa in this recipe, but you can use any quinoa variety you’d like.
Frozen, fresh, or canned corn all work for this recipe, but canned or fresh corn works best. Charring the corn gives this salad a more authentic Mexican Street Corn flavor.
I used Follow Your Heart vegan feta cheese in this recipe and it’s perfect if you can find it. If not, you may use another dairy-free cheese or omit the cheese and it’s still delicious!
I used Vegenaise vegan mayo, but if you can’t find that brand you may use another vegan mayonnaise.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Additional Time: 0 hours
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Salads
- Cuisine: Mexican