(This Zucchini Corn Pesto Quinoa Salad recipe can be found on the site Closet Cooking here.)
Step by Step Instructions:
Here’s all you’ll need for this Zucchini Corn Pesto Quinoa Salad: Salt & Pepper, Reduced-Sodium Chick Peas, Reduced-Sodium Chicken Broth, Quinoa, Basil Pesto (your own or favorite jarred variety is perfect), about 4 cups of diced Zucchini, Olive Oil, about a cup of fresh or frozen Corn, 1/4 cup of sliced Green Onions, 1 Lemon, 1/4 cup of toasted Pine Nuts, and 2 cloves of Garlic.
Begin by chopping your veggies, if you haven’t yet. And then rinse your quinoa in a fine mesh strainer really well.
Then drain and rinse a can of chick peas.
Mince your garlic. I prefer this fabulous kitchen tool that you can pop your garlic cloves (skin and stem removed) in it, pop the lid on and twist away until it’s the desired amount of chopped-ness (that’s a word, right?!).
Start by cooking your quinoa since it’ll take the longest. In a small sauce pan add 1 3/4 cup of chicken broth (or water if you don’t have broth) along with your cup of rinsed quinoa.
Bring the mixture to a boil. Once it’s boiling, give it a good stir.
Pop the lid on the sauce pan and reduce the heat to low and simmer for 10-15 minutes (depending on what your quinoa instructions say) until the liquid is absorbed.
Heat a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat and add 1 tablespoon of olive oil to it.
When the oil is hot, careful add the corn, zucchini, and chopped garlic and stir pretty frequently until the veggies are tender and starting to brown. It’ll take about 10-12 minutes.
Here are the veggies all cooked and they have nice, brown bits on them which kicks up this salad a few notches!
Add salt and pepper to taste and give it a stir and remove the veggies from the heat.
Here’s the cooked quinoa. Once the liquid is absorbed, remove the quinoa from the heat and let it sit for 5 minutes.
After the quinoa has rested, grab a large bowl. It’s time to put this Zucchini Corn Pesto Quinoa Salad together! This makes a ton, so make sure you’ve got a big enough bowl to stir. Then add the quinoa, zucchini/corn/garlic mature, chick peas, green onions, toasted pine nuts, 2 tablespoons of lemon juice, and 1/2 cup of basil pesto. Gorgeous, right?!
Stir it until everything is well combined, and the Zucchini Corn Pesto Quinoa Salad is all done and ready to eat right away. Serve for a full meal if you want something light or as a side to your favorite chicken or fish. And the leftover reheat well. If you want some cheese, you can also top with crumbled goat cheese or Feta cheese. So good! Happy salad making!!
- 1 cup Quinoa, rinsed
- 1¾ cups water or reduced sodium Chicken Broth
- 1 tablespoon Olive Oil
- 2 cloves Garlic, chopped
- 4 cups Zucchini (about 2 medium-sized zucchini), diced
- 1 cup Corn, fresh or frozen
- Salt & Pepper, to taste
- 1 (15 ounce) can of chickpeas, rinsed and drained
- ¼ cup Green Onions, sliced
- ¼ cup Pine Nuts, toasted
- ½ cup Basil Pesto (homemade or store bought)
- 2 tablespoons Lemon Juice
- First things first, prep all of your veggies by chopping your zucchini, slicing you green onions, rinsing your chick peas, toasting your pine nuts, and mincing your garlic.
- In a small pan, combine 1¾ cup of chicken broth (or water if you prefer) with 1 cup of quinoa that has been rinsed. And bring the quinoa to a boil. Stir the mixture, pop on the lid, and reduce the heat to low and let it simmer for 10-15 minutes according to package instructions. Then when the liquid is absorbed, remove the pan from the heat and let it sit for 5 minutes.
- While the quinoa cooks, heat a large non-stick skillet over medium to medium-high heat. Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Once the oil is hot, carefully add the corn, zucchini, and garlic to the pan and sauté for about 12 minutes, stirring pretty frequently. You’re looking for the veggies to be tender and for them to get slightly brown. Once they are cooked, remove the pan from the heat.
- Time to put together the salad. In a very large bowl add the quinoa, cooked veggies, chick peas, sliced green onions, toasted pine nuts, 2 tablespoons of lemon juice, and ½ cup of the basil pesto to the bowl. Stir until everything is well combined and serve right away.
- Eat this for a light meal on its own or as a side for your favorite chicken or fish recipe. You can also top with some crumbled Feta or goat cheese for a tangy, salty bite if you choose as well. Enjoy!
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