Summer Elote Quinoa Salad

Please don’t ask me how many dollars I have given to sweetgreen over the years during elote salad season. But in my journey to spend less money out, I’m trying to recreate some of my favorite meals that I typically order out, and this Summer Elote Quinoa Salad did not miss. Whether you’ve had the elote salad from sweetgreen or not (don’t worry I’ve had enough for the both of us), you will LOVE this hearty, creamy, corny, and most importantly delicious salad. And regardless of if you’re a sweetgreen fiend like me, you just might save a couple of dollars if you choose to make this instead of eating out. And because kale keeps well in the fridge, you can store this one for up to five days – perfect for meal prep!!

Summer Elote Quinoa Salad ingredient notes:

Quinoa: Packed with fiber and protein, quinoa is one of my favorite grains to use in a salad like this in order to get a fluffy texture. You can use dried white or tricolor quinoa here, however note that white quinoa tends to cook a bit faster than tricolored.

Cabbage: The perfect base for any meal prepped salad, cabbage is crunchy and sturdy, helping it hold up well in the fridge even when dressed. You can use purple or white cabbage here, although I prefer purple just for the beautiful color it brings to the bowl.

Corn: Adding a bit of sweetness against the (mild) heat of the cilantro-lime dressing, corn adds a pop of color to your bowl and a boost of fiber. I like to use a can here, but you could also opt for frozen, or char your own fresh corn for a smokier flavor.

Goat Cheese: For a touch of creaminess, don’t skip out on the goat cheese. You can also use feta, but note it will have a saltier flavor, whereas goat cheese is milder. You can slightly melt the goat cheese by adding it while the quinoa is still warm.

Cilantro: If you don’t have the cilantro soap gene, this tangy herb gets used in both the salad itself and the dressing. It’s citrusy, bright, and adds a freshness to the dish that keeps it tasting delicious day after day. If you’re not a fan of cilantro, you can use fresh parsley!

SUMMER ELOTE QUINOA SALAD

Recipe by Jenn Lueke

4.4 from 107 votes

Servings

Adjust servings

+

–

4

servings

Prep time

20

minutes

Cooking time

15

minutes

Please don’t ask me how many dollars I have given to sweetgreen over the years during elote salad season. But in my journey to spend less money out, I’m trying to recreate some of my favorite meals that I typically order out, and this Summer Elote Quinoa Salad did not miss. Whether you’ve had the elote salad from sweetgreen or not (don’t worry I’ve had enough for the both of us), you will LOVE this hearty, creamy, corny, and most importantly delicious salad. And regardless of if you’re a sweetgreen fiend like me, you just might save a couple of dollars if you choose to make this instead of eating out. And because kale keeps well in the fridge, you can store this one for up to five days – perfect for meal prep!!

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Ingredients

• For the Elote Quinoa Salad

• 1 cup dry white or tricolor quinoa

• 9 ounces shredded cabbage or coleslaw mix

• 5 ounces finely chopped curly kale (about 4 cups)

• 4 ounces shredded carrots (about 1 cup)

• 15 ounce can corn, drained (or 1 1/2 cups frozen and thawed)

• 1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved (about 1 1/2 cups)

• 5 ounces crumbled goat cheese

• 1/2 cup roughly chopped cilantro leaves

• For the Cilantro-Lime Dressing

• 1/2 cup roughly chopped cilantro leaves

• 1 small jalapeno pepper, seeded and diced

• 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar

• 3 tablespoons olive oil

• juice and zest of 1 lime

• 1 tablespoon pure maple syrup

• 1 teaspoon garlic powder

• 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt, additional to taste

• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

Directions

• Bring 2 cups of salted water to a boil over medium-high heat. Stir in the quinoa, reduce the heat to low, and cover. Cook until fluffy, about 15 minutes. Remove from the heat and cool for about 10 minutes.
• Meanwhile, make the cilantro-lime dressing: add the cilantro, jalapeno, apple cider vinegar, olive oil, lime juice, lime zest, maple syrup, garlic powder, salt, and black pepper to a blender or food processor. Blend on high-speed until completely smooth, 45 to 60 seconds. Taste and add additional salt if desired. If needed, add water, one tablespoon at a time, to thin.
• Add the cabbage and kale to a large mixing bowl and pour in the dressing. Use tongs or clean hands to massage the dressing into the greens until fully coated. Let sit for five minutes.
• Add the cooked quinoa, carrots, corn, cherry tomatoes, goat cheese, and cilantro to the mixing bowl and toss to evenly disperse. Chill in the refrigerator until serving or refrigerate in a sealed container for up to four days.

Notes

• Storage: Refrigerate in a sealed container for up to 4 days.
• Protein: To add more protein to this salad, consider topping it off with chickpeas, rotisserie chicken, salmon, shrimp, steak, or tofu. You really can’t go wrong!

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