corn & quinoa salad with buttermilk dressing

A yummy quinoa salad is definitely something you need in your recipe repertoire. This one has a nice summery twist with the fresh corn, tomatoes, and mint. The buttermilk dressing gives it an incredible creaminess that will make you crave this dish. Make a large batch of this dish, and you can enjoy it as a side with plenty of leftovers for lunch the next day. It could also serve as a great, easy-to-make accompaniment if you’re hosting family and friends this weekend for the holiday.

fresh corn is key

We are in a special little pocket of the year where fresh corn is at its most plentiful and most delicious. I grew up in Ohio where the late summer months were filled with great corn and you’re pretty much expected to love it. I lived about 5 minutes away from a little farmer’s market called Szalay’s Farm, where they would tractor in giant bins of fresh corn daily.

Almost every weekend in late July and August we would drive over and pick our dozen. Shucking corn on the patio in the early evening before dinner was practically a social event. Labor Day Weekend was often considered the last of the great corn, and we would relish every moment of it at our cookout.

a special kind of dressing

I never really used buttermilk much unless I was making pancakes. With this recipe, I’ve discovered that buttermilk dressing is wonderful, and is so delicious and creamy. You can choose to use the creme fraiche or not, but I found that it definitely thickens the texture and elevates the creaminess. The white wine vinegar, shallots, lemons, and garlic add an awesome tangy flavor as well. I would recommend whipping up a big batch of this dressing and using it on your salad the rest of the week.

get your market fare

Here’s what you’ll need for this amazing little salad with big flavor:

Quinoa This grain is definitely a pantry staple of mine. I always have it on hand and is usually my grain of choice!

Cucumber A fresh cucumber will add some nice, cool crunch to the salad

Corn Depending on how large they are, you’ll want to grab about 3-4 fresh ears of corn

Cherry or grape tomatoes These add some color and juiciness!

Red bell pepper This is optional, but adding some crunchy pepper is a good move

Mint If you’ve got fresh mint, definitely pull a few sprigs to add

For the dressing, you’ll want real buttermilk (I use Kate’s Creamery), creme fraiche, white wine vinegar, lemon juice, shallots, garlic, salt, pepper, and olive oil.

⟶ the recipe

corn & quinoa salad with buttermilk dressing

ingredients

1 cup cooked quinoa

1 cucumber, sliced

3-4 ears of corn

1 cup cherry or grape tomatoes, halved

½ red bell pepper, chopped

Handful of mint, chopped

For the dressing

¼ cup buttermilk

¼ cup creme fraiche

2 tablespoons white wine vinegar

1 lemon, juiced

2 shallots, minced

1 clove of garlic, minced

¼ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon ground pepper

2 tablespoons olive oil

Prep time

15 minutes

Cook time

0 minutes

Total time

15 minutes

4 servings

instructions

Prepare the dressing by whisking the buttermilk, creme fraiche, vinegar, lemon juice, shallot, garlic, salt, and pepper in a small bowl. Set aside or refrigerate for later.

Shuck the corn and scrape the kernels off each cob. Combine the quinoa, cucumber, corn kernels, tomatoes, red pepper, and mint in a large bowl.

Drizzle the dressing over the salad, and serve.

⟶ modifications

While the quinoa, corn, and dressing are definitely the anchors to this recipe, feel free to sub different supporting veggies. Avocados add some creaminess while endives add that extra crunch

⟶ make it ahead

I recommend making the dressing ahead, so you’re all ready to use it when it’s time to eat
If you’ve made too much dressing or don’t want to use it all, store it in a mason jar or airtight container for up to 5 days
I would also recommend cooking the quinoa ahead of time and setting it aside at room temperature for at least an hour or refrigerating it