Description
This Vegan Thai Quinoa Salad is fresh, colorful, and loaded with crunchy vegetables, fluffy quinoa, edamame, cilantro, and peanuts. Everything is tossed in a creamy peanut-lime dressing with ginger and garlic for a satisfying plant-based salad that’s perfect for lunch, meal prep, or an easy dinner.
Ingredients
Scale
Salad
- 1 cup uncooked quinoa
- 1 1/2 cups red cabbage, finely sliced
- 1 large red bell pepper, diced
- 1/4 cup red onion, finely diced
- 1 cup shredded carrots
- 1/2 cup edamame
- 1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
- 1–2 green onions, chopped
- 1/4 cup chopped peanuts, for garnish
- Crushed red pepper flakes, optional
Peanut Dressing
- 1/4 cup creamy peanut butter or almond butter
- 1–2 teaspoons freshly grated ginger
- 1 garlic clove, finely minced
- 2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce or tamari
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- Juice of 1/2 lime
- 2–4 tablespoons warm water
Instructions
- Cook the quinoa: Rinse the quinoa well under cool water. Cook according to the package directions until tender. Fluff with a fork and allow it to cool completely.
- Prepare the vegetables: While the quinoa cooks, finely slice the cabbage and prepare the bell pepper, red onion, carrots, edamame, cilantro, and green onions.
- Make the peanut dressing: Whisk together the peanut butter, ginger, garlic, soy sauce or tamari, maple syrup, rice vinegar, and lime juice. Add 2 tablespoons of warm water, then gradually add more as needed until the dressing is smooth and pourable.
- Assemble the salad: Place the cooled quinoa in a large bowl. Add the cabbage, bell pepper, red onion, carrots, edamame, cilantro, and green onions.
- Dress the salad: Pour the peanut dressing over the quinoa mixture and toss well until everything is evenly coated.
- Serve: Top with chopped peanuts and, if desired, crushed red pepper flakes. Serve immediately or chill before serving.
Notes
- Let the quinoa cool completely before combining it with the vegetables to help preserve their crisp texture.
- For a gluten-free salad, use certified gluten-free tamari instead of regular soy sauce and verify the labels of other packaged ingredients.
- Start with 2 tablespoons of water when making the dressing and add more only as needed.
- For meal prep, keep the peanuts separate and sprinkle them over the salad just before serving so they stay crunchy.
- The dressing may thicken after refrigeration. Stir in a splash of warm water to loosen it.
- Use maple syrup rather than honey to keep the recipe fully vegan.
- Add extra lime juice, ginger, or red pepper flakes to adjust the dressing to your taste.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Salad
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Thai-inspired
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/4 of recipe
- Calories: 420 kcal
- Sugar: 9 g
- Sodium: 500 mg
- Fat: 18 g
- Saturated Fat: 3 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 14 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 52 g
- Fiber: 8 g
- Protein: 15 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg