If I had to choose a favorite summer salad, this healthy street corn salad would be it (…Josh agrees). This recipe is a take on Mexican-inspired street corn made with quinoa (to make it a full meal!), lots of summer produce, and a simple chili-lime avocado oil mayo dressing.
Cheese and mayonnaise get a bad rap for being “unhealthy” but this salad is here to prove my theory that everything is upgradeable in a #realfood way. Keep reading for my favorite quality feta and mayo options, including plant-based alternatives!
Feta Cheese (Vegan Options!)
Did you know that authentic feta cheese is not made from cow’s milk?!
Feta is traditionally made from sheep or goat’s milk (or a combination of the two), which can be easier to digest for some people.
Authentic feta cheese is usually a lot less salty than Greek-style feta made with cow’s milk. My all-time favorite feta is this one from Mt. Vikos; it’s organic and grass-fed – a little goes a long way!
To make this street corn salad vegan, there are some great vegan feta cheese options on the market. My favorite vegan feta brands are Esti Plant-Based Feta and Violife Feta. If you’re feeling ambitious, you could also try to make this homemade vegan feta!
Healthy Mayonnaise Options
Many common mayonnaise brands use commercial vegetable oils, like soybean oil, canola oil, and sunflower oil. These oils are often highly processed with chemical solvents, extreme heat, bleach, and deodorizers, which damage the oil and become inflammatory to the body. Luckily, there many healthier options out there!
My favorite mayonnaise is made from avocado oil, which is either cold-pressed or expeller-pressed guaranteeing that chemicals and/or heat aren’t used so that all the delicate fatty acids and nutrients in the oil remain intact.
For avocado oil mayonnaise, I like Chosen Foods and Primal Kitchen Foods.
For a vegan option, Veganaise is a good choice!
Vegan Street Corn Salad
To make this salad completely vegan, simply use vegan feta cheese (like Esti Plant-Based Feta or Violife Feta) and vegan mayonnaise (like Veganaise).
The Summer Meal Plan
This recipe is a favorite from the Loveleaf Co. Summer Meal Plan: 14-days of healthy, easy, seasonal recipes so you can feel your best this season. The Summer Meal Plan uses my signature Meal Method where you’ll make a few staple components early in the week and then use those components throughout the week to easily throw together 20-minute weeknight meals. Start the meal plan.
Healthy Street Corn Salad
- Prep Time: 15
- Cook Time: 15
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 4 1x
- Category: Salad
- Method: Mix
- Cuisine: Mexican-Inspired
- Diet: Gluten Free
Description
A healthy street corn salad recipe, full of summer flavor. Made with corn, quinoa, cherry tomatoes, and a chili-lime avocado oil mayo dressing. Gluten-free with a vegan option!
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup uncooked quinoa
- 2 cups of corn kernels (frozen, unsweetened canned, or 4 fresh cobs)
- 1/2 cup minced red onion
- 1/2 cup chopped cilantro, plus more for serving
- 1 cup (8 oz) cherry tomatoes, quartered
- 4 oz feta cheese, crumbled and divided (vegan if desired, see notes)
- 3 tablespoons quality mayonnaise (vegan if desired, see notes)
- juice of 1 lime
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 1 teaspoon liquid sweetener (maple syrup, agave syrup, or honey)
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
Instructions
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Cook the quinoa. Add 1/2 cup quinoa and 1 cup of water to a saucepan and bring to a boil. Cover, decrease the heat to low, and cook 15-20 minutes until all the water is absorbed. Remove from heat and let steam, covered, for 5 minutes.
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Meanwhile, prep the corn. If using frozen corn, thaw and move on to Step 4. If using canned corn, drain and rinse and move on to Step 4.
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If using corn on the cob, boil a large pot of water. Once boiling, add the corn and cook for 3 minutes until the starchiness is just gone. Drain and immerse it in ice water to stop the cooking and to set the color. When the corn is cool, cut the kernels off the cob, cutting close to the cob.
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Add the corn, onion, cilantro, cherry tomatoes, quinoa, and 3 oz crumbled feta to a large bowl.
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Make the dressing. In a small bowl, mix together the mayonnaise, lime juice, chili powder, cumin, garlic, liquid sweetener, and salt.
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Add the dressing to the large bowl with the other ingredients and stir so that everything is coated in the dressing. Add more salt to taste.
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Divide the corn salad between four bowls. Garnish with more cilantro and another ounce of crumbled feta cheese.
Notes
Feta Cheese. Make this salad dairy-free by using dairy-free feta cheese. My favorite vegan options are Esti Plant-Based Feta and Violife Feta. If you’re feeling ambitious, you could also try to make this homemade vegan feta!
Mayonnaise. My favorite type of mayonnaise is avocado oil mayonnaise (I like Chosen Foods and Primal Kitchen Foods). For a vegan option, Veganaise is a good choice.
Vegan Street Corn Salad. To make this salad completely vegan, simply use vegan feta cheese (options above) and vegan mayonnaise (options above).
Keywords: healthy mexican street corn salad, healthy street corn, vegan street corn salad, vegan mexican street corn
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