Thai Quinoa Salad
Colorful and flavorful Thai Quinoa Salad with peanut dressing. It is packed with protein from quinoa, edamame and peanuts.
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Ingredients
- ⅔ cup Quinoa*
Thai Peanut Dressing:
- ¼ cup Creamy Natural Peanut butter
- 3 tablespoons Low sodium Soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon Rice vinegar
- 2 tablespoons Agave Nectar or maple syrup, for non-vegan use honey
- 2~3 teaspoons Sriracha sauce or other Asian chili sauce, optional
- 2 teaspoon Sesame oil
- 2 Garlic cloves, finely minced
- 2 teaspoons Grated Ginger
- 1 tablespoon Lemon juice
- 3 tbsp Warm water
For the Salad
- ½ cup Grated Carrot
- 1 medium Red Pepper, finely chopped
- 1 medium English Cucumber, finely chopped
- 2 cups Edamame, thawed if frozen
- 4 Scallions, finely chopped
- 2 cups Red Cabbage, finely sliced
- ¼ cup Cilantro, finely chopped
- To taste Salt
- ¼ cup Roasted Peanuts, chopped (optional)
Instructions
Quinoa - Stove Top:
- Combine quinoa with 1⅓ cups of water in a medium size saucepan. Bring to a boil on medium-high heat. Lower the heat and cook covered until the quinoa is cooked through, about 17~20 minutes. Set aside for 5 minutes, then gently fluff the grains.
Quinoa - Instant Pot:
- Combine quinoa with 1¼ cups water in the instant pot. Cook on high pressure for 3 minutes. Make sure that the pressure valve is set to sealing. When the timer sounds, let the pressure release naturally. Open the lid and gently fluff the grains.
Make Thai Peanut dressing:
- In a small bowl, combine peanut butter, warm water, soy sauce, vinegar, agave, sriracha, sesame oil, garlic, ginger and lemon juice. Whisk until well combined. Taste and adjust seasoning accordingly by adding more soy sauce or agave or vinegar.
To make the Salad:
- Combine quinoa with the veggies in a mixing bowl. Add the dressing and mix well to combine. Sprinkle the roasted peanuts on top and serve. Enjoy!!
Video
Notes
- Feel free to use any color quinoa. I like using a combination of white with either black or red. That makes the dish extra colorful. Please note that there is no taste difference in the different colored quinoa.
- I love using either English or Persian cucumbers because they don't have to be peeled. But you can also American cucumbers, just make sure to peel them.
- Steamed broccoli, cauliflower, sweet corn etc. are also perfect in this recipe.
- Substitute edamame with baked tofu or cooked beans.
- I recommend using low or reduced sodium soy sauce.
- If rice vinegar is not available, use either white wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar.
- Add agave nectar or maple syrup if vegan. You can also use honey if not vegan.
- Making the dressing spicy is completely optional. If you like it spicy, then add either sriracha or other Asian chili sauce for some kick.
- Store any leftover quinoa salad in an airtight container chilled in the fridge for 1 day.
- If you want to make the Thai peanut salad ahead of time, then add the dressing just before serving.
Nutrition
Calories: 455kcal | Carbohydrates: 51g | Protein: 21g | Fat: 21g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 7g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Trans Fat: 1g | Sodium: 626mg | Potassium: 1073mg | Fiber: 11g | Sugar: 16g | Vitamin A: 4374IU | Vitamin C: 77mg | Calcium: 129mg | Iron: 5mg
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