Thai Peanut Quinoa Salad Recipe
Bold and beautiful, this Thai Peanut Quinoa Salad recipe is as delicious as it is gorgeous! It's full of healthy carrots and cabbage, protein-packed quinoa, crunchy peanuts and finished with a homemade Thai peanut salad dressing
Servings: 5 servings
Ingredients
Quinoa Salad
- 1 ¼ cups quinoa rinsed and drained
- 2 ¼ cups water or vegetable broth
- 1 tsp. salt to taste
- 1 cup matchstick carrots
- 1 red bell pepper finely diced
- ¼ head red cabbage thinly sliced
- ¼ cup basil finely chopped
- ¼ cup cilantro finely chopped
- ½ cup peanuts or cashews salted, coarsely chopped
Thai Peanut Dressing
- ⅓ cup peanut butter creamy
- 2 Tbsp. soy sauce or Tamari
- 2 Tbsp. rice vinegar
- 2 Tbsp. lime juice freshly squeezed
- 1-2 Tbsp. honey or pure maple syrup, to taste
- ½ tsp. ginger paste or finely minced fresh garlic
- 1 tsp. garlic finely minced
- 1 tsp. sesame oil
- ½-1 tsp. Sriracha sauce optional
- ¼ cup water
Instructions
- Cook the Quinoa: Add quinoa, water, and salt to a medium-sized pot over high heat and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover the pot with a lid and cook for 15 minutes. Turn off heat and keep covered for another 10-15 minutes.1 ¼ cups quinoa, 2 ¼ cups water, 1 tsp. salt
- Make the Peanut Sauce: Add all of the Thai Peanut Dressing ingredients to a bowl, except for the water, and whisk until smooth. Slowly add in the water, 1 tablespoon at a time, until your desired consistency is reached.⅓ cup peanut butter, 2 Tbsp. soy sauce, 2 Tbsp. rice vinegar, 2 Tbsp. lime juice, 1-2 Tbsp. honey, ½ tsp. ginger paste, 1 tsp. garlic, 1 tsp. sesame oil, ½-1 tsp. Sriracha sauce, ¼ cup water
- Stir Everything Together: In a large bowl combine cooked quinoa, carrots, bell pepper, cabbage, basil, cilantro, and peanuts. Drizzle dressing over all of it and mix well until combined.1 cup matchstick carrots, 1 red bell pepper, ¼ head red cabbage, ¼ cup basil, ¼ cup cilantro
- Serve Thai quinoa salad with additional basil, cilantro and coarsely chopped peanuts. Enjoy!¼ cup cilantro, ½ cup peanuts or cashews
Video
Notes
Prep-Ahead Instructions:
You can make the cooked quinoa and the dressing the day before you put everything together.
Storage Directions:
A quinoa salad will last in the refrigerator for up to 4-5 days in an airtight container if stored properly between servings. You can freeze the quinoa salad for up to 2 months, but it's best without the dressing. Allow it to thaw in the fridge before enjoying again.
Recipe Tips
- Make it work. Opt for cashews or another nut instead of peanuts and peanut butter.
- Change it up. Choose other fresh veggies, like sugar snap peas, red onion, or even broccoli.
- Plus it up. Chopped kale adds extra color and added nutrients.
- Prep ahead. This hearty salad is perfect to meal prep lunches all week, so make a big batch.
- Serve it up. Top with green onions for an added zing!
Nutrition
Calories: 295kcal | Carbohydrates: 26g | Protein: 11g | Fat: 18g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 6g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Sodium: 748mg | Potassium: 529mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 4984IU | Vitamin C: 62mg | Calcium: 69mg | Iron: 2mg
