Cold Quinoa Salad with Roasted Corn and Cherry Tomatoes
A vibrant and hearty cold quinoa salad featuring sweet roasted corn, juicy cherry tomatoes, and a tangy lime dressing perfect for warm weather meals. This Mediterranean-inspired summer cookout recipe (vegetarian), ready in about 65 minutes, pairs quinoa, water, fresh corn kernels for a weeknight-friendly dinner that comes together with one pan and minimal cleanup. Each serving lands at about 250 calories and feeds 6, so it slots cleanly into a weekly meal plan and pairs well with a quick salad or grain on the side. Tap "Plan a meal with the AI" below to drop this recipe into your week and send the ingredients straight to Instacart. Nutrition values are approximate, calculated from USDA FoodData Central (fdc.nal.usda.gov) — verify against ingredient labels for any health-driven dietary plan.
Ingredients
- 1 cup, rinsed quinoa
- 2 cups water
- 1 1/2 cups (about 2 ears) fresh corn kernels
- 1 1/2 cups, halved cherry tomatoes
- 1 medium, diced red bell pepper
- 1/4 cup, chopped fresh cilantro
- 3 tbsp, freshly squeezed lime juice
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 1/2 tsp ground cumin
- 3/4 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
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Instructions
- Step 1: In a medium saucepan, bring 2 cups water to a boil. Add 1 cup rinsed quinoa, reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes until quinoa is tender and water is absorbed. Fluff with a fork and transfer to a large bowl to cool.
- Step 2: Preheat oven to 425°F. Toss 1 1/2 cups fresh corn kernels with 1 tbsp olive oil and 1/4 tsp salt. Spread on a baking sheet and roast for 15 minutes, stirring halfway, until lightly charred and fragrant. Let cool.
- Step 3: Add the cooled roasted corn, 1 1/2 cups halved cherry tomatoes, 1 diced red bell pepper, and 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro to the quinoa.
- Step 4: In a small bowl, whisk 3 tbsp lime juice, 2 tbsp olive oil, 1/2 tsp ground cumin, 1/2 tsp salt, and 1/4 tsp black pepper. Pour dressing over salad and toss gently to combine. Chill in refrigerator for at least 30 minutes before serving.









