The vivid colors of this salad match the bright flavor of the dressing, lively and zippy from the lime juice and chili powder. This dish doubles as a side dish or a light, summery main course.
When fresh sweet corn is in season, I find any excuse to work it into a meal. When it’s not in season, I rely on frozen corn, a much better bet than corn that has racked up many miles to reach your table.
Making the quinoa in the Instant Pot means you can focus on chopping the tomatoes and making the dressing while the quinoa cooks. In the end, all that’s left is to mix together the ingredients. (And eat.)
A few tips: To save a step, look for quinoa labeled “pre-rinsed.” If you do rinse your quinoa, take care. Quinoa grains are small and can fall out the bottom of many strainers and colanders.
Secondly, you can use your microwave to shuck corn: Cut 2 inches off the stalk end of each cob (where nature provides the cob’s “handle”), leaving the husk in place. Microwave on a plate on high for 2 minutes. Remove from the microwave and use a kitchen towel to grasp a cob by the uncut end. (Careful, the corn is hot.) Pull the husk away from the corn, bringing the silk cleanly with it.
Satisfy your sweet tooth with this easy-to-make recipe for Instant Pot Quinoa with Sweet Corn and Tomatoes.
1. Info for Instant Pot Quinoa with Sweet Corn and Tomatoes
- Cook Time: 20 min
- Total Time: 20 min
- Servings: 4
- Calories: 387.8 kcal
2. Ingredients for Instant Pot Quinoa with Sweet Corn and Tomatoes
- 1 cup white quinoa, rinsed in a fine-meshed strainer and drained*
- 1/4 teaspoon salt, plus a pinch
- 1 1/2 cups corn kernels, frozen or from 2 large or 3 small ears of corn **
- 2 pints grape tomatoes
- 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lime juice, from 1 lime
- 1 teaspoon honey
- 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
- fresh chives
- fresh parsley
3. Directions:
- Place the quinoa in the inner pot, followed by 1 cup of water and a pinch of salt. Stir to combine.
- Close and lock the lid. Set the valve to Sealing. Press Cancel, then press Manual (or Pressure Cook) and use the Pressure (or Pressure Level) button to select High Pressure. (The buttons will vary depending on your Instant Pot model.) Set the time to 1 minute.
- When the cooking cycle ends, press Cancel. Allow the appliance to cool and release pressure naturally, about 10 minutes.
- While the pressure is being released, prepare the dressing and the salad ingredients.
- For the dressing: Place the olive oil, lime juice, honey, 1/4 teaspoon of salt, and chili powder in a Mason jar with a lid (or an airtight container) and shake to combine.
- For the salad ingredients: Cut each tomato into two halves. Place the corn and tomatoes in a large serving bowl. (If using frozen corn, adding the warm quinoa in the next step will help thaw the corn.)
- Remove the lid from the Instant Pot after the pressure has been released. (The small metal float valve next to the pressure-release valve will sink back into the lid and the lid will no longer be locked). Use a fork to fluff the quinoa.
- Taking care because the inner pot is hot, add the quinoa to the large bowl with the corn and tomatoes. Toss to distribute evenly. Pour half of the dressing over the salad, toss to distribute, and then pour the remaining dressing over the salad before tossing again. Garnish with chopped chives and parsley. Serve at room temperature or chilled.
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