Charred Chickpea and Corn Quinoa Salad
Fluffy quinoa base with charred chickpeas and corn kernels, fresh avocado, peppers, and herbs. Dressed with a lime-cumin vinaigrette. Quick-cooking grain salad ready in under 30 minutes, ideal for meal prep or light dinners.
Ingredients
- ½ cup uncooked quinoa
- canola or olive oil, for cooking
- ¾ cup corn kernels, scraped from 1 cob
- 1 19 oz can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
- ½ red or yellow pepper, chopped
- 2 green onions, chopped, or a chunk of purple onion
- 1 avocado, pitted and chopped
- fresh Italian parsley or cilantro, torn
- ¼ cup canola oil
- 2 tbsp lime juice
- 2 tbsp white balsamic or rice vinegarapple cider vinegar1:1vinegars
adds slight sweetness
- 2 tsp honey or brown sugar
- ¼ tsp cumin
Instructions
- 1
Rinse quinoa well in a fine sieve under cool water.
- 2
Cook quinoa in a pot of boiling salted water for 12 minutes until tender and the germ separates from the seed.
- 3
Drain quinoa in the sieve, return to pot off heat, cover with a tea towel and set aside to cool.
- 4
Heat oil in a heavy skillet over medium-high heat.
- 5
Add corn and drained chickpeas and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring often, until starting to turn golden.
- 6
Transfer charred corn and chickpeas to a bowl and add cooled quinoa, pepper, onions, avocado and parsley or cilantro.
- 7
Combine oil, lime juice, vinegar, honey and cumin in a small bowl or jar and shake or whisk to blend.
- 8
Drizzle dressing over salad and toss gently to coat.
- 9
Serve immediately.
Tips
Toast corn and chickpeas to boost flavor; skip this step if in a rush and add directly to salad.
Covering cooled quinoa with a tea towel produces fluffier texture.
Good to Know
Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Add avocado just before serving to prevent browning.
Prepare quinoa, charred vegetables, and dressing separately. Combine and add avocado within a few hours of serving.
Serve immediately after tossing to maintain texture contrast.
Common Mistakes
Do not skip rinsing quinoa to avoid gummy texture.
Do not skip the cooling step covered with tea towel to avoid dense, mushy quinoa.