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quinoa, tuna and corn salad

August 28, 2013 by Marin Mama 13 Comments

quinoa, corn and tuna saladQuinoa, quinoa, quinoa.  I’m sure you’re seeing that word everywhere these days and that some of you are tired of seeing recipes with quinoa, but here’s another recipe just incase you’re not tired of it yet.  I admit I did go on a hiatus from cold quinoa dishes for about a year, as I was tired of eating it day after day.  I discovered new and unique ways to enjoy quinoa like sautéed in a patty or cheesy cake, perfect for lunch or as a side dish to your favorite soup or salad.  I also discovered I liked quinoa in the morning mixed in with some steel-cut oats or quinoa flakes mixed with goji berries.  In fact I’m having a bowl of my 5 minute hot quinoa cereal as I type this post, so good!

For some reason, maybe it was the heat of summer or just that I was craving tuna one day, but I decided to take a break from my cold quinoa hiatus and make up this salad.  This salad was calling out to me and I couldn’t ignore it. It’s a simple salad of quinoa mixed with some corn, tuna and fresh herbs, tossed with a simple dressing of  olive oil and white wine vinegar.  It’s the perfect salad to serve up for lunch or for a simple dinner.  You don’t even need to serve it up on a bed of greens, as it tastes great on its own. Not a fan of tuna or want a vegetarian option?  No worries, toss in some garbanzo beans or some crumbled feta or cheddar cheese in lieu of the tuna.  Quinoa is the base here, so add to it what you want!

quinoa, corn and tuna salad

quinoa, tuna and corn salad:

recipe adapted from Wholesome Kitchen
Serves 4

  • 2 cups cooked quinoa, cooled – 1 cup dry quinoa equals approximately 3 cups cooked, you can use the leftover cup of quinoa for something else.  I used the extra quinoa in my morning steel-cut oats
  • 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 cup frozen corn kernels or fresh cooked corn – I used frozen white corn
  • 2 tablespoons fresh chopped chives
  • 1/4 cup fresh flat leaf parsley – finely chopped
  • 1/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves, finely chopped
  • 15-ounce can of tuna, drained
  • 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
  • 1 small head of Boston lettuce or butter lettuce, leaves torn – You want a soft lettuce here.  

Let’s prep up your ingredients.  Cook your quinoa according to package directions.  I made my quinoa up the night before, as I wanted to have it cool.  You can cook up the quinoa fresh, but you will want to rinse it under cold water in a fine mesh strainer after it’s been cooked to cool it down.  I usually use chicken or veggie broth in lieu of water when cooking up my quinoa as it gives it a bit more flavor. 

Now it’s time to heat up the frozen corn.  Take 1 tablespoon of olive oil and heat it up in a skillet over medium-low heat. Add in the corn and sauté for a few minutes until warmed through.  Set the corn aside to cool a bit.  You can also let the corn thaw out and throw it in the skillet for a minute or two as well.  I do that most of the time.

DSC_0088Wash and chop up your chives, cilantro and parsley.  Rinse and tear your lettuce leaves, drain your tuna. Look at those ingredients below, they look scrumptious just the way they are.

DSC_0098  Get our a large bowl and add in the 2 cups quinoa, corn, chives, parsley and cilantro.  Toss to combine.

DSC_0001Roughly flake in the tuna to the salad.  Gently toss to combine.

DSC_0001-2Whisk together the 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil and the 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar in a small bowl or liquid measuring cup.  Pour over the salad and toss well to combine.

DSC_0120Place the torn lettuce leaves on some salad plates.  Top the quinoa mixture over the lettuce and give a quick toss.  Serve immediately.  The salad taste great as leftovers on day two, just be sure to keep the lettuce leaves separate from the quinoa salad when storing the quinoa.

quinoa, corn and tuna salad

quinoa, corn and tuna saladLike quinoa salads?  Then you have to try this Thai style quinoa salad that my friend Sharon made.  It’s amazing!

quinoa, tuna and corn salad
 
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Ingredients
  • 2 cups cooked quinoa, cooled - 1 cup dry quinoa equals approximately 3 cups cooked, you can use the leftover cup of quinoa for something else. I used the extra quinoa in my morning steel-cut oats
  • 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 cup frozen corn kernels or fresh cooked corn - I used frozen white corn
  • 2 tablespoons fresh chopped chives
  • ¼ cup fresh flat leaf parsley - finely chopped
  • ¼ cup fresh cilantro leaves, finely chopped
  • 15-ounce can of tuna, drained
  • 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
  • 1 small head of Boston lettuce or butter lettuce, leaves torn - You want a soft lettuce here.
Instructions
  1. Let's prep up your ingredients. Cook your quinoa according to package directions. I made my quinoa up the night before, as I wanted to have it cool. You can cook up the quinoa fresh, but you will want to rinse it under cold water in a fine mesh strainer after it's been cooked to cool it down.
  2. Now it's time to heat up the frozen corn. Take 1 tablespoon of olive oil and heat it up in a skillet over medium-low heat. Add in the corn and sauté for a few minutes until warmed through. Set the corn aside to cool a bit. You can also let the corn thaw out and throw it in the skillet for a minute or two as well. I do that most of the time.
  3. Wash and chop up your chives, cilantro and parsley. Rinse and tear your lettuce leaves, drain your tuna.
  4. Get our a large bowl and add in the 2 cups quinoa, corn, chives, parsley and cilantro. Toss to combine.
  5. Roughly flake in the tuna to the salad. Gently toss to combine.
  6. Whisk together the 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil and the 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar in a small bowl or liquid measuring cup. Pour over the salad and toss well to combine.
  7. Place the torn lettuce leaves on some salad plates. Top the quinoa mixture over the lettuce and give a quick toss. Serve immediately. The salad taste great as leftovers on day two, just be sure to keep the lettuce leaves separate from the quinoa salad when storing the quinoa.
Nutrition Information
Serving size: serves 4
3.5.3251
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Filed Under: lunch, meatless meals, Quinoa, salads, side dishes, vegetarian Tagged With: meatless meals, quinoa, salads, sidedishes

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Kathy says

    July 7, 2014 at 9:39 pm

    YUM! I just came across this recipe today. It is delicious – the perfect light summertime salad! Thanks for another great recipe. Your turkey burgers are in regular rotation at our house too! 🙂

    Reply
  2. Christy@SweetandSavoring says

    August 31, 2013 at 2:38 pm

    You’ve reminded me how much I love quinoa salads. My favorite is lightly sauteed spinach and cannellini beans with several garlic cloves, tossed with quinoa, olive oil, red pepper flakes, and maybe some chunks of mzozarella cheese 🙂 Garbanzo beans are a good idea, too!

    Reply
    • jackiegrandy says

      September 2, 2013 at 2:58 pm

      Ohhh, your salad sounds amazing girl! I’m totally going to give it a try. 🙂

      Reply
  3. Kristina @ Love & Zest says

    August 29, 2013 at 11:16 pm

    I’ve been having some extra strong tuna cravings lately! Is it weird that I’ve been doing tuna + mayo and that is all?.. so simple yet so good This recipe looks yummo!

    Reply
    • jackiegrandy says

      September 2, 2013 at 2:57 pm

      Thanks Kristina. It’s weird but I was craving tuna as well. Before I made this salad I haven’t had tuna in years. 🙂

      Reply
  4. Nik@ABrownTable says

    August 29, 2013 at 6:36 pm

    That is a delicious looking quinoa salad and I love that you added in some tuna!

    Reply
    • jackiegrandy says

      September 2, 2013 at 2:54 pm

      Thanks Chris! The tuna in the recipe is what spoke to me, as I haven’t had tuna in so long. 🙂

      Reply
  5. 2 sisters recipes says

    August 28, 2013 at 10:19 pm

    We love quinoa no matter how its made or mixed with, and the more the better! And, yours sounds great too!

    Reply
  6. Mary says

    August 28, 2013 at 8:25 pm

    We’re quinoa fans here so this is right up our alley!! Delicious lovely healthy salad –
    Mary x

    Reply
  7. Sharon B. says

    August 28, 2013 at 5:46 pm

    Oh my gosh, thanks for the shout-out my friend! I love this combo with tuna and corn, what a great idea. Sounds lovely for summer. I’m definitely going to pin this one. Your quinoa recipes are always appealing to me. But then again, everything you cook is appealing! 🙂 Have a great day, girl! Thanks again. xoxo, Sharon

    Reply
    • jackiegrandy says

      September 2, 2013 at 2:56 pm

      Hi Sharon! Your quinoa salad was just too good not to link to, plus your photograph was totally gorgeous and I love anything Thai inspired. The tuna in the salad is what spoke to me and what got me to try this salad in the first place. I’m not a huge tuna fan, but was craving it when I made this salad! 🙂

      Reply
  8. Pamela @ Brooklyn Farm Girl says

    August 28, 2013 at 5:40 pm

    I love seeing all your ingredients out and seeing so much green! Great job on this corn salad – yum!

    Reply
  9. Jaclyn says

    August 28, 2013 at 3:56 pm

    With all the quinoa recipes out there, I actually don’t make it all that often. I really should though because I’m all about trying to eat healthy during the week. I can’t believe I’ve never tried it with tuna, I love love tuna and eat it all the time. This is a great way to mix it up, I’ll be making it soon!

    Reply

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Hi! Welcome to Marin mama cooks! My name is Jackie Reale! I'm a natural chef, creator and manifestor. I showcase healthy recipes for the everyday cook.About Me...

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