Quinoa Corn & Bacon Salad (Instant Pot or Stovetop)

Step 1

Rinse the quinoa under cold water and allow to strain in the sieve. Cut the corn cobs in two halves.

Step 2

Part 1 – Instant Pot method. Add the quinoa to the inner pot followed by water (1:25 grain to water ratio) and salt and stir through. Gently place the corn halves on top of the quinoa. If using frozen corn kernels, scatter them on top. Pop the lid on, lock and set the pressure cooker to Manual/Pressure Cook for 1 Minute at HIGH pressure. The Instant Pot will take about 5 minutes to build up the pressure. Once the timer is done, allow the pressure to release naturally, which will take about 10 minutes. So the total should be about 20 minutes max.

Step 3

Once the pressure is released, open the lid and remove the corn to a bowl to cool slightly. Fluff the quinoa with a spatula and allow to cool in the pot or in a salad bowl. The liquid should all be absorbed and the quinoa should be fluffy. If there is still any liquid left, strain quinoa through a sieve.

Step 4

Part 1 – Stovetop. Add quinoa, water and salt to a pot and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to simmering, add the corn on top and cover with a lid. Cook for 10-12 minutes until the quinoa is fluffed up and liquid is mostly absorbed. Keep an eye on the pot so the bottom doesn’t burn (if the pot is wider, it might take less time for the water to get absorbed). If it feels like quinoa is not completely cooked but the liquid is absorbing too quickly, add a little more hot water to the pot. The corn will steam on top but you can also cook it in a separate pot.

Step 5

Part Prepare other ingredients. While the quinoa and corn are cooking, pan-fry bacon rashers in two batches if needed, until crispy on each side. We didn’t add any oil to the pan as the fat in the bacon released enough oil while rendering. Once crispy, remove to a plate with some paper towel to absorb excess fat. Diced cooked bacon into small strips or cubes.

Step 6

Prepare the remaining salad ingredients and whisk the dressing in a bowl or a small jar.

Step 7

Part Assemble the salad. You can serve this quinoa corn salad in a flat platter or in a deep salad bowl. Simply combine pre-cooked quinoa with most of the other ingredients and the dressing, reserving a little bit of corn, feta, bacon, veggies and herbs to garnish the top of the salad. Drizzle any remaining dressing over the top.