Thai Quinoa Salad
This Thai Quinoa Salad is my favorite weekday lunch. It's quick, easy to prepare, and naturally vegan and gluten-free. Filled with crunchy veggies like carrots, cabbage, and cucumber, and topped with a delicious peanut or almond butter dressing, it's sure to impress.
Ingredients
For The Peanut Butter Dressing:
- 3 tablespoons Open Nature® almond or peanut butter, (unsweetened/unsalted)
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup, or honey
- 1/4 cup rice vinegar
- 2 tablespoons tamari, or soy sauce
- 2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
- 1 clove of garlic minced
- 1 tablespoon fresh ginger grated
- 1 teaspoon chili pepper sauce I used Sriracha – optional
- 1/4 teaspoon coarse sea salt
For The Salad:
- 3 cups cooked quinoa, warm or cold
- 3 small carrots, peeled and shredded
- 1 cup red cabbage, sliced thinly
- 1 red bell pepper, chopped
- 5 stalks of scallions, sliced thinly (both green and white parts)
- 2 Persian cucumbers, peeled and cut into small pieces
- 1 cup edamame or sugar snap peas
- ½ cup fresh cilantro, chopped
- 1 cup roasted and lightly salted nuts, chopped (I used cashews and almonds)
Instructions
- To make the dressing: Place all the ingredients in a jar and whisk until emulsified.
- To make the salad: Place the quinoa, carrots, cabbage, bell pepper, scallions, cucumber, edamame, and cilantro in a large salad bowl.
- Drizzle the dressing over the salad. Give it a toss. Garnish with cashews and almonds. Serve.
Notes
- Make Ahead: This salad is one of my favorite meal prep lunches because it stores well. Simply make the salad and dressing. Place the salad ingredients in individual meal prep bowls and store them with the dressing on the side. When ready to serve, drizzle it with the dressing and toss.
- Storage: You can store the leftovers in an airtight container for up to 2 days in the fridge. When ready to serve, give it a mix, give it a taste, and season with salt, if necessary.
Nutrition
Calories: 395kcalCarbohydrates: 40gProtein: 17gFat: 21gSaturated Fat: 3gSodium: 494mgPotassium: 770mgFiber: 9gSugar: 10gVitamin A: 6091IUVitamin C: 41mgCalcium: 95mgIron: 4mg
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!