I’m a recent convert to quinoa.
I had never really understood the hype around the whole grain and brushed past it at my local grocery store in search of brown rice, whole wheat pasta, oatmeal, or, who am I kidding here, Cheez-Its.
It was actually my older (wiser) sister who introduced me to the pinhead-sized grain, and I’ve been hooked ever since. Although she uses it in place of pasta to pair with her homemade arrabiata sauce, I found a summer-friendly take featuring fresh corn, chopped scallions and a quick-fix honey butter dressing. It’s fresh, simple and hard to stick to just one serving. And cooking quinoa is easier than you might think! Tune in to my video below for a few tips and tricks for how to guarantee your quinoa is extra-light and fluffy.
I’m kicking off the month of August by joining the Williams-Sonoma Cooks’ Network. I’ve been a big fan of the brand ever since I started cooking, and I can never seem to spend enough time (note “time” and not “money”) in their stores. Check out the right rail for a selection of their famous foods and high-quality kitchenware and stay tuned for special offers and giveaways.
I’m also heading to Nashville this October for the fourth annual Food Blog Forum seminar, where I’ll be speaking about recipe writing and development for Gourmet Live. I hope to see many of you there!
And finally, I’m currently in Rwanda hanging with the gorillas and getting a taste of authentic bush cuisine. And let’s be honest, trying not to become bush cuisine. Hah… (insert nervous laughter). But I didn’t want to skip a blogging beat, so I’ve entrusted my best buddy to make sure this post gets published. You’ll hear from me next on Wednesday, August 10, for the nation-wide Pickling Party, where I’ll be serving up a homemade condiment guaranteed to add a spicy bite to your next hot dog roast.
Craving more? Subscribe to Just a Taste to get new recipes, meal plans and a newsletter delivered straight to your inbox! And stay in touch on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and Instagram for all of the latest updates.
Ingredients
- 4 ears corn, shucked
- 1 tablespoon grated fresh lemon zest
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
- 1 Tablespoon honey
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 cups uncooked quinoa
- 4 scallions, chopped
Instructions
- Place the corn in a large pot and fill it with enough water to cover the corn. Cover the pot and bring it to a boil. As soon as the water comes to a boil, turn off the heat and let the pot stand, covered, for 5 minutes.
- Remove the corn from the pot and let it cool on a cutting board until it's easy to handle. Then, using a sharp knife, cut the kernels off the cob.
- Prepare the dressing by whisking together the lemon zest, lemon juice, melted butter, honey, salt and pepper in a large bowl.
- Rinse the uncooked quinoa in a sieve under cold water until the water runs clear.
- Cook the quinoa in a pot of of boiling salted water per the package directions.
- Add the quinoa, corn kernels and chopped scallions to the bowl with the dressing and toss until it's evenly coated. Season with salt and pepper and serve.
- ★ Did you make this recipe? Don't forget to give it a star rating below!
Nutrition
Shoutout
Did you try this recipe?
Share it with the world! Mention @justataste or tag #justatasterecipes!
This post may contain affiliate links.
Recipe adapted from Gourmet.
Used frozen corn because ears are outta season. Went great with roast chicken
Loved it. Next time will add a little red pepper flakes as we like some heat. Also I am looking forward to leftovers.
I’m so glad to hear that you enjoyed the recipe, Krystal!
Delish & bright
I’m so glad you enjoyed the recipe, Tiffany!
I’ve made this dish before but misplaced my recipe. I followed it u til I read to use 2 C. uncooked quinoa. I used 1 C. and thought it was a possible miss print.
Tasted great. With more quinoa, there would not be enough dressing.
Thanks for your note, Suzanne. This recipe is correct as written :) I’m so thrilled you enjoyed it!
This is a perfect summer side dish recipe, I love it !
I’m so thrilled you enjoyed the recipe, Matthew!
I’m making this today and had to leave a comment that I love this recipe! Been making it for years. Thanks for sharing it!
Yay! I’m so thrilled you’ve been enjoying the recipe, Lindsay!
What are good items to eat with this? I have never tried Quinoa and am not sure what to do with it!
Hi Lisa! I love serving this alongside Glazed Honey Garlic Shrimp (https://www.justataste.com/glazed-honey-garlic-shrimp-recipe/) or 5-Ingredient Beef Satays (https://www.justataste.com/5-ingredient-beef-satays-recipe/). Enjoy!
Made it for a small dinner party tonight. Everyone loved it!!!
So thrilled to hear this, Amber!
Made this for a vegan friend. Used olive oil instead of butter and agave nectar instead of honey. I also added some red bell pepper for more color. My friend LOVED IT… along with everbody at the potluck.
Woohoo! Love hearing this, Randi!
Different but oddly good. The kids didn’t like the sweet mixed with the chives. A lot of work for something that was ok but not delicious.
Thanks for your comment, Jules!
I have loved every recipe I have tried from justataste including this one. Thank you!!
Wow! SO thrilled to hear you’ve been enjoying Just a Taste, Nichole!
Delicious and very easy to prepare. Thank you for sharing
You are so welcome, MaryLou! I’m glad you enjoyed the recipe :)
I saw this recipe last week on TV and it was made by Annabel Langbein..
First time but not the last!!
I tried quinoa at a wedding reception for the first time a while back and thought it was time to give cooking it a try.
This recipe was simple and fantastic!! I cut the amounts in half and that was plenty for the wife and I.
It is a great change to rice and potatoes and much more flavorful!! It went perfect with a smoked steak.
I’ll definitely do this again and again!!
Thrilled you enjoyed the recipe, Rito! And thank you so much for rating it!
I had everything in my cupboard except quinoa so I used couscous & some cherry tomatoes I needed to use up! I must “Delish
I eat this cold with dill olive oil and Sicilian lemon balsamic vinegar it is wonderful
Yum! So glad you’re enjoying it, Pegi!
Am i suppose to eat this cold or hot?
Either! I prefer it room temp, but you could definitely chill it.
When NJ sweet corn is in season this is one of our go-to recipes! One time we didn’t have lemons on hand but we did have limes and we found we actually prefer the limes. Today I made it with shallots because again, we didn’t have scallions on hand but did have shallots. Also very good! I’m thinking of trying some dried ancho or aleppo pepper sprinkled on my serving too .
YUM! I’m so thrilled you’ve been enjoying the recipe, Kelly!
My husband and I love quinoa and we have eaten it for years in different variations. I made this one with salmon because lemon goes great with seafood. Against my better judgement however, I followed the recipe with the amount of butter and lemon. This had more butter in a serving, than we use in a month! My husband thought the amount of lemon overpowered the dish. I normally make our quinoa with a low sodium chicken stock, grilled chopped vegetables and seasonings. I appreciate you sharing and I will make adjustments accordingly.
Yumm…perfect with grilled shrimp or chicken!
Didn’t have lemons available so I used key limes instead and it turned out Amazing! Will definitely be making this again:)
If there’s 8 servings how much yields one serving? I made this just for myself and it made sooooo much. Hope I can eat it all before it goes bad. It’s delicious though : )
If anyone out there is a Gluten-Free Vegan (challenging as best), I made the recipe with Vegan Butter (Earth Balance) to remove the dairy. I also cut down the salt just a bit to accommodate for the butter as it has a slightly salty taste. It tasted pretty amazing. Thanks for the recipe, Kelly!
I love corn and quinoa, I just found my love for it! What can I use instead of scallions, not a huge fan of them? Thanks!
Is this supposed to be served warm or cold?
Kelly! I’ve been waiting & wanting to try quinoa, and I picked your recipe as my “go to” recipe! I totally loved it, and so did my husband! The dressing was the perfect compliment! Thank you so much!! Now I not only loved quinoa, my first attempt at cooking it was delicious thanks to you!!
Hello, I wanted to make this for a outdoor picnic, is this something that is served coos or warmed? Thanks! Kristina
This is delicious. I’m hooked.
This was absolutely wonderful. We’ve had a few quinoa fails at our house, but this recipe proved to be a winner with everyone.
For those who asked how to prepare, I typically rinse, use double the water for each cup of quinoa. Put it all in a pot, bring to a boil, reduce heat to low/simmer while covering. Usually after 15 minutes it is good to go. Just fluff up with a fork!
Would this freeze well? Thanks!
I just had this for lunch today and I’ve already shared the recipe with a friend of mine. So easy to make and so delicious! Thanks for a great recipe. :-)
Hopped on pinterest for a quinoa recipe I’d have the ingredients for, and this was the first I found that didn’t require a bunch of things. I admit I was a bit leery of the butter and honey in it, but YUM! I’m having a hard time keeping myself from finishing it off!
absolutely delicious! I added ground turkey to make it a bit heartier for a full dinner meal.
I have never tried Quinoa before and am nervous to make it…not to try it tho. I will making this next week, and it will part of our meal plan. It looks so yummy. Wish me luck :) Thanks for the recipe
Thank you for the recipe I made it the other night. I will be making it again- It’s now printed up and in my personal my cookbook so I never loose it.
This was delicious! Thanks for sharing the recipe. I added a bit of paprika for a little smokiness and also black beans and that was our meal tonight. I really love quinoa but am kinda new to it, too, so I’m always looking for new ways to prepare it. The dressing was yummy!
exquisite!……very, very nice. Will make again
Made this a few nights ago. The lemon flavor was a little too strong for my husband, but I absolutely loved it. I’ll be making it again on a night he’s out with the guys. :)
Thanks for the recipe!
Cannot wait to try this. Sounds delicious.
I have made this twice now, and it is DELICIOUS! So great! I just made it now with coconut oil instead of butter, and it is just as scrumptious as the batch I made with butter. Thank you for this find! I am addicted! :)
When chilled does it change the consistency of the dressing? I want to prep it before supper this evening but only if the cooling of the butter won’t make a difference.
I just made this for today’s gathering. One of the children is allergic to dairy so I substituted extra virgin olive oil for the butter. It is yummy!
This recipe rocks! The butter definitely adds another dimension. Perfect for summer bbqs. Thanks.
I cooked the corn husk and all in the oven @ 350 for a half hour, used half the butter suggested, and used a hot pepper raw honey. This was awesome awesome awesome. Thank you for posting!
I love it! What a nice addition to my side dishes. I am making it again tonight!
Along some talapia with lemon—Yum
I bought quinoa in bulk so how do prepare it? It looks so yummy
I love quinoa and am always looking to try new ways to serve it. Thanks for posting this. Instead of boiling the corn let me suggest you simply lay them in your grill to warm. Something about the grilling process that just makes the flavor of the corn that much better. I can’t wait to try this one.
This was a great dish! It was a fantastic compliment with the salmon I made. Kudos!
This was so delicious! We had it as a side dish for dinner, but I am taking the leftovers to eat as a salad for lunch tomorrow. Yum!!!
2 cups was perfect. This was so good, I could have eaten all 8 servings myself!
I can’t find any ears of corn right now so I will be using frozen or canned. How many cups do you think?
Hi Natasha! I would estimate about 2 cups of corn kernels. You really can do it to your specified preferences, but 2 cups would be my guess. Hope this helps and enjoy!
Can you freeze this dish? Any suggestions? Or does it last well in the fridge? I’m just cooking for one!
I often cook for one, Liza! I make this dish all the time and I just keep leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge (but trust me, they don’t last that long!).
looks delicious! I can’t wait to try this out. Do you serve this room temp or cold?
I prefer it room temp, but you could definitely chill it! This is one of my favorite quinoa recipes :)
Sorta flaked out on us in the recipe by not including how to prepare the quinoa, since it is widely available in the bulk section. Can you include that here somewhere? Thanks!
Mmmm….this was really great! I have had quinoa one time in my life and it was very good, so I was reluctant to make this, but in the end, your pictures persuaded me! :) I actually liked this, actually quite a bit! I like that it is healthy, and since I am eating healthier these days this is just what I needed. I’m so happy I found your site!
I love this recipe and blog…I posted it on my community foodie blog. Hope you can come check it out http://www.facebook.com/thefrenchiefoodie
Also, feel free to post you’re recipes or you’re favourite foodie tips on it whenever you like!
Thanks for featuring the recipe!
Is quinoa kind of like coucous? The same texture?
Thanks so much for stopping by, Alex! Couscous is similar to quinoa, but it’s generally considered to be a pasta, while quinoa is a whole grain (Although many disagree! See here: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/24/health/23recipehealth.html). The two foods have similar textures, but quinoa has a bit more of a nuttier bite (think “seed” rather than “tiny pasta”) and they have varying health benefits. Hope this helps!
Thank you for this recipe! I have been a bit fearful, if you will, of quinoa. As a former gastric bypass patient, I must take in ALOT of protein everyday, therefore I am always searching for new recipes that will help fulfill this. I had some leftover quinoa from a vegetarian burger recipe, so I went on the search for easy recipes. I came across yours and made it today. I have now eaten two (small) bowls and am in love! Thank you for this recipe!!!!
Thanks so much for your comment, Cassie, and I am so happy you enjoyed the recipe! I was scared of quinoa (mostly because I didn’t think I’d like the taste), but this recipe made me a convert! On Wednesday I’ll be posted a vegan recipe (I’m testing out this whole vegan cleanse thing), so stay tuned for many more healthy recipes to come. And best of luck to you!
Kelly, welcome back from the bush! I love your variation on quinoa here! The corn is a delicious addition! As my wife is gluten intolerant, we get to experiment with lots of quinoa options. On her gimmeglutenfree.com blog, she created a fabulous Quinoa Tabouli Salad we’ve served to guests on many occasions and everyone raves over it. All the best!
Thanks so much, Byron! I love the concept of quinoa and tabouli and will definitely check it out.
what a gorgeous dish!!
Loving these photographs, beautiful. This looks like a tasty summer salad – excellent for a family get together! Thanks for sharing.
Yes, it’d be great for a big get-together! Best of all, it’s healthy but still delicious. Enjoy!
What a wonderful summer salad, I’m intrigued by the fact that there’s butter in the dressing! How unusual.
The butter gives the salad the perfect touch of richness, while the honey and corn are a perfect combo!