This sweet and spicy Quinoa Peach Salad is packed with fresh peaches, lightly charred corn, and salty cotija cheese. It’s simple to make and drizzled with a tangy chipotle vinaigrette.
Believe it or not, this quinoa peach salad was inspired by Starbucks. They used to have a really delicious chicken quinoa salad with corn, feta, and a spicy chipotle dressing. Sadly, they did away with it, but the memory of it is what gave us inspiration for this recipe.
We leaned a little more into the southwest flavors of the original and opted for cotija cheese instead and made a simple chipotle vinaigrette. We also added fresh, summery peaches that pair really well with the saltiness of the cotija and balance out the spice in the vinaigrette.
Feel free to add any protein of your choice or keep it vegetarian. Another good topping we like to add is crunchy tortilla strips. If you like summery salads, you can also try our Roasted Fennel Salad with Orange Champagne Vinaigrette or this simple Creamy Cucumber Salad.
Ingredient Notes
The full list of ingredients and their quantities is in the recipe card below. Here you’ll find notes on specific ingredients as well as any substitutions.
- Arugula: This recipe uses a whole 5 oz container.
- Quinoa: We use tricolor quinoa, but you can use whichever you prefer.
- Corn: You’ll need 1 cup which is about the same amount as one ear of corn. You can also use frozen corn if that’s what you have on hand.
- Red Onion: Slice them as thin as you can.
- Peaches: We used large yellow peaches, but any variety is fine, including nectarines.
- Cotija Cheese: Block form is best so you can get large crumbles out of it.
- Extra-Virgin Olive Oil: For the base of the vinaigrette.
- Apple Cider Vinegar: You can use white wine vinegar as a substitute, but you may want to start with 3 tbsp and adjust from there.
- Chipotle Peppers in Adobo Sauce: An essential ingredient for a spicy, smoky vinaigrette.
- Honey: This balances out the flavors and acidity in the vinaigrette.
Step-by-Step Instructions
This section provides a general overview as well as any pictures to guide you through the recipe. The full detailed recipe instructions are in the recipe card at the bottom of the post.
STEP 1: Cook the quinoa. Add rinsed quinoa to a saucepan with water and bring to a boil. Cover and cook for 15 minutes until the water has been absorbed. Leave it covered for a few minutes then fluff with a fork and set aside to cool.
STEP 2: Make the chipotle vinaigrette. Add all the ingredients to a tall mixing cup and blend until smooth.
STEP 3: Cook the corn. Heat olive oil in a pan over medium heat then add the corn. Toss frequently until lightly browned.
STEP 4: Dress the salad. Toss the arugula with the quinoa, red onions, and half of the peaches, corn, and cotija. Top the salad with the remaining peaches, corn, and cotija then drizzle with the chipotle vinaigrette.
Expert Tip
Rinse the quinoa prior to cooking it. Place it in a fine mesh sieve and run it under cold water while agitating it with your hands. Doing this will get rid of any bitterness that comes from saponins on the outside of the quinoa. Be sure to properly drain it before cooking.
FAQ
The salad should last about 1-2 days in the fridge. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or store the leftovers in an airtight container. Ideally, you want to store the salad and the dressing separately to prevent it from getting soggy.
Yes, you can use crumbled feta instead.
If you made this Quinoa Peach Salad recipe, please let us know by leaving a star rating and review down below. We’d love to hear from you!
📖 Recipe
Quinoa Peach Salad with Chipotle Vinaigrette
Equipment
- Immersion Blender
Ingredients
Quinoa Peach Salad
- ½ cup (90 g) uncooked quinoa rinsed in a fine mesh sieve
- 1 cup (250 ml) water
- ½ tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 cup (160 g) corn about 1 corn cob
- 5 oz (142 g) arugula
- 1 cup (80 g) thinly sliced red onion
- 2 peaches sliced
- 4 oz (113 g) cotija crumbled
Chipotle Vinaigrette
- ½ cup (125 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
- 4 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 3 chipotle peppers in adobo
- 2 tsp honey
- 2 large cloves garlic
- ¼ tsp fine sea salt plus more to taste
Instructions
- Add the rinsed quinoa and water to a small saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Cover and reduce to low heat and cook for 15 minutes until the water has absorbed. Turn off the heat and let it sit, covered, for 3 minutes. Fluff with a fork and set aside to cool.
- Meanwhile, put all the ingredients for the vinaigrette into a tall mixing cup and use an immersion blender to blend everything until smooth. Set aside.
- Heat ½ tbsp of olive oil in a medium pan over medium heat. Add the corn to the pan and stir frequently until lightly browned.
- To a large salad bowl, add the arugula, cooked quinoa, and red onions. Add half of the corn, peaches, and cotija and toss to combine.
- Top the salad with the remaining corn, peaches, and cotija. Drizzle with your desired amount of vinaigrette and serve.
Notes
- You can use frozen corn kernels if you don’t have fresh corn.
- You’ll likely have a bit of leftover vinaigrette which you can use for future use. Store it in an airtight container and keep it in the fridge for up to 3-4 days.
- The recipe makes between ¾ and 1 cup or about 200 ml of dressing.
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