Quinoa Caprese Salad with Summer Corn worth repeating

Enjoy this colorful, hearty Summer Corn & Quinoa Caprese Salad packed with veggies, protein, and flavor!

With Memorial Day Weekend behind us, this is the unofficial start of summer. That means the start of barbecue, picnic, and summer pool party season!

When We'm not feasting on amazingly decadent food, wine, and beer at events and during the travels for work, We try to balance the meals at home with healthier fare that is still hearty and filling. This Summer Corn Quinoa Caprese salad does the trick.

Summer Corn & Quinoa Caprese Salad

When We first created this salad a few years ago, We basically grabbed what We had in the refrigerator and pantry at the time. Those are often the best creations, aren't they? We love using what we have, throwing it all together, and seeing what sticks.

This is one that stuck and We continue to make it over and over. We make it all summer long, every summer. We've had friends make it and tell me it's always a hit at summer BBQs and summer picnics. It is truly a DELICIOUS summer salad!!

Fresh Summer Vegetables

All of the ingredients in this salad are fresh summer ingredients. They're items we tend to have in abundance and need to use up, or items We usually have in the pantry as a staple.

We always have spinach to use up because we buy it in large batches. We will grow the own spinach soon… simply need to clean up the veggie garden in the new house! Spinach is great to use up in salads like this, in sauces, in smoothies, and sauté some up for breakfast.

Quinoa is one of the ancient grains We almost always have stocked in the pantry because it's so great to toss into salads or side dishes for some grain-free protein.

And being summer, that means an abundance of tomatoes and corn. We LOVE summer corn! It's so sweet and We adore the texture corn adds to any dish.

You might notice that lately We've had a thing for creating twists on the classic Caprese salad (like the Melon & Prosciutto Caprese Salad and the Pesto Caprese Tartines). Being mostly dairy-free, We only have cheese on the rare occasion that it's served at events, but We can't resist the incredible combo of mozzarella + tomatoes + basil. What IS it about that combo that is so tempting and addictive? So We simply take the enzymes and try to limit the personal intake of mozzarella to a couple of bites, while watching everyone else around me fully enjoy the combos :)

Bon Appetit, friends! Hope you enjoy every last bit of summer – whether out there adventuring, or on a plate with this recipe!

More summer recipes

Summer Corn & Quinoa Caprese Salad Recipe

Corn and Quinoa Caprese Salad

By Marlynn Schotland Prep Time: 5 mins Cook Time: 20 mins Cooling time: 10 mins Total Time: 35 mins Servings: 4 servings A hearty, vibrant salad packed with vitamins and protein.

Ingredients

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
2 cups spinach leaves, either chopped or torn
2 cups cooked quinoa
2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
1 cup cooked corn kernels, either 1 cup frozen kernels, cooked; or kernels from about 2-3 cooked corn on the cobs
½ cup sliced mozzarella cheese
¼ cup chopped fresh basil leaves
salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

Cook quinoa according to package directions.
Cook corn – fresh or frozen – and set aside.
Allow quinoa and corn to cool at room temperature before adding to the salad.
In a small bowl, combine olive oil and balsamic vinegar; set aside.
In a large bowl, combine remaining ingredients.
Slowly pour olive oil + balsamic vinegar dressing over salad and mix gently.
Salt and pepper to taste, as needed.

Notes

This recipe makes 4 main entree salads, or it can feed up to 8-10 people if serving as a side salad at a potluck, picnic, or party.

Nutrition

Calories: 263 kcal, Carbohydrates: 30 g, Protein: 9 g, Fat: 13 g, Saturated Fat: 3 g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 2 g, Monounsaturated Fat: 7 g, Cholesterol: 11 mg, Sodium: 199 mg, Potassium: 479 mg, Fiber: 4 g, Sugar: 5 g, Vitamin A: 1968 IU, Vitamin C: 22 mg, Calcium: 115 mg, Iron: 3 mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

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This blog post was originally published in August 2016. It has been updated with new photos and updated text, but the recipe remains the same tasty summer salad recipe.