Corn and Avocado Salad with Quinoa
Make the most of your leftover corn cobs with this Corn and Avocado Salad. Red quinoa, feta, cilantro, and red pepper perfectly complement the corn, while a hint of chipotle powder and lime adds a Mexican flair.
Are you looking for the ultimate side dish for BBQ season? Or you’ve got leftovers of corn on the cob?? Try this fantastic Corn and Avocado Salad with feta, cilantro, red quinoa and lime with a touch of habanero heat. It’s a dreamy, refreshing salad, plus looks fantastic and perfectly balanced! Now, an excellent reason to buy those corn on the cob big bags in special!
Corn Season
Corn season is big, where I’m from; Canada! It’s got such wide varieties, and usually, you buy an enormous amount and eat it pretty much every night for two or three weeks in a row at the end of the summer… but sometimes you want to make a change because corn on the BBQ gets boring after the fifth time. Finding lovely recipes with fresh corn isn’t easy, but now this will accompany BBQ meat or seafood! It’s the perfect side dish for your summer gatherings, plus easy to make ahead or bring for a picnic.
Trend
There aren’t many recipes online with fresh corn, although it’s a fantastic and naturally sweet ingredient that the kids love! So, this year, let’s innovate and go further with our fresh corn! Make soups, salads or even could stuff potatoes and make croquetas with them, etc. A fun new way to cook your corn is in its leaves on the BBQ. You soak the cob with the leaves for an hour and then cook it for 15 minutes on the BBQ at high heat, and you’ll get great corn!
Fun Facts About Corn
You would think corn is a vegetable, but corn is actually both a grain and a fruit. It comes in many colours, from white to purple, and it was first cultivated 10,000 years ago in Mexico.
Kid-Friendly Version
If you intend to make this for young kids, you better do a version without the cilantro and habanero powder. Although the heat isn’t much, for an immature palate, it might be overwhelming. I suggest using a bit of sweet paprika and leaving a lovely lime wedge for the kids to squeeze; they love this part!
FAQ
Can I use canned corn instead?
Yes, I made a mix of both for this particular salad.
Can I replace the cilantro?
Yes, I know many people dislike cilantro, so for this salad, mint or fresh basil would be great too!
Could I replace the habanero powder with fresh hot chilli?
Yes, even better, but don’t go too strong; it’s got way more heat fresh.
Any other spice I could use instead of habanero powder?
Yes, you can use a bit of cayenne, Kashmiri chilli powder or spicy paprika.
Corn & Avocado Salad
Ingredients
- 1 avocado diced
- 450 g corn about 3 cobs
- 150 g feta cheese
- 100 g quinoa
- 30 g fresh cilantro
- ½ red bell pepper diced
- 2 limes
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp chipotle powder
- ⅓ tsp garlic powder
- salt and pepper
Instructions
- Start by cooking the quinoa. Rinse and barely cover with water in a small pot. Let it cook for 10 minutes covered, then remove the fire.
- Cut the corn from the cob or add the corn cans to a big bowl.
- Top with the avocado, pepper, cilantro, quinoa and crumbled feta.
- Add the powdered chipotle and garlic and squeeze a lime or two on top.
- Finish it up with a drizzle of olive oil, salt and pepper.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
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Did You Make This Recipe?
Share your thoughts on it! Leave a comment or share a picture and tag me @littlenomadsrecipes on Instagram.
This is so healthy and creative. Now I know how to make an interesting side dish the next time I really want to cook a big meal. Thanks for also provide info about storage and answering key questions. Great recipe.
Stay tuned, I’m planning another corn salad version soon! You’ll have plenty more to try!
Looks fresh, delicious and super easy
Love this combo of adjectives! Couldn’t agree more!
This looks not only good, but beautiful! Can’t wait to try this! Thanks for the recipe.
We eat with our eyes too!
Looks amazing.
I will try it.
Let me know how it goes!
This looks so, SO good! I have all the ingredients for this recipe and am totally going to try this tonight. Fingers crossed my kids eat it (although who am I kidding…it’s plain pasta again for them tonight!)
Hahah! I know those kids are difficult! I always have a plan B with them but always try to make them eat at least one bite of the plan A first! They say after 5 times they get used to it… Keep on the good work mama!
Looks amazing, can’t wait to try it!
Let me know your verdict! Enjoy!
Love this combo of adjectives! Couldn’t agree more!
Absolutely love this salad! The sweet corn with the creamy avocado and salty fete are so good together. Can’t wait to make is again with local Ontario corn!
yummy corn season is at the door!!! Yum! Enjoy!
Such a great idea! I often have a few leftover cobs of corn and these are the flavours to pair them with. Quinoa is so easy to make ahead of time too. PLUS this is one of those salads that tastes even better after a day or two.
Exact, quinoa is easy breezy to make ahead of time and this salad is great a day or two after if you don’t add the avocado.
This salad looks beautiful, full of colors and is really summery. I love the combination of corn and avocado.
Thanks for the lovely comment!
Combination of corn and avocado in the salad was just heavenly. I will definitely be making it again.
Do people actually have leftover corn on the cob? Not in my house. A friend is looking me up with farm fresh local corn and I am making this salad. I am so bored with the usual BBQ sides!
We buy those packs of 50 at the farm and yes, sometimes we do too much or get saturated with it. But good to make a change, and also doable with canned corn outside of season!
The perfect summer salad! The whole family was thrilled and could not get enough! Thank you!
Glad it was a hit!
Absolutely beautiful salad! Bursting with flavor that just shouts summer!!
Thanks!
Yum! What an incredible summer salad. Thanks for the recipe!
Thanks!
this salad turned out amazing! love all of the colors and the flavors melded so perfectly together! so good!
Glad you enjoyed!
this corn salad is so lovely! It’s the perfect summer light meals I’ve been longing for! Great flavours!
Thanks, enjoy!
Great idea for using up extra corn. I think this would go really well with bbq ribs this summer.
Couldn’t agree more!
Very interesting salad. Like the uniqueness. Definitely a healthy salad. Thanks for sharing your recipe.
I like to give a different touch to recipes. Thanks for stoping by!