30 Minute Crunchy Thai Quinoa Salad with Peanut Dressing

This Crunchy Thai Quinoa Salad is perfect for days when it is hot outside. The quinoa acts as a perfect base for this salad that is loaded with all kinds of crunchy vegetables and then tossed in a peanut cilantro dressing. This salad is pure heaven in a bowl!

*Originally published June 14, 2021 and updated with new copy and photos 1/13/22.

One of the things that I love best about when the weather starts to turn warmer is the brightness and freshness of the in season vegetables. This Crunchy Thai Inspired Quinoa Salad is the perfect mix of flavors and textures. The quinoa acts as a soft base and the bell pepper, cabbage, carrot, and cucumber bring the crunch factor. Add the peanut and cilantro dressing, man you're done for. This salad isn't authentically Thai, and I want to state that I have no professional knowledge of authentic Thai cuisine, however this salad is inspired by the classic Thai flavors that most people know and love.

For more delicious Asian Inspired recipes, check out this Pad Woon Sen, this Sweet and Sour Tofu or this Kung Pao Tofu!

What Makes This Thai Inspired Quinoa Salad So Great

• 30 Minutes Start to Finish- This Thai Salad will be on your table in 30 minutes flat! Quinoa cooks pretty quickly so that makes this dish perfect for when you are in a rush. This is perfect for those busy weekdays when you are rushed for time but want a healthy and nourishing meal.
• Whole and Nourishing Foods-Full of whole foods, this Crunchy Thai Quinoa Salad is plant-based and gluten-free. It is full of power foods such as quinoa, carrots, cucumber, bell pepper, and cabbage.
• Perfect Meal Prep or Shareable Dish- This meal stretches a long way so it is the perfect shareable dish to bring to your next potluck or to meal prep! The great thing about this salad is that it is delicious whether it is served hot or cold and it lasts for up to 5 days in the fridge so it is perfect for those healthy, power packed lunches.

Ingredient Notes

• Quinoa- The base of this Crunchy Thai Salad is quinoa. Quinoa is a whole grain that is also gluten-free. It is loaded with nutrients and adding quinoa to your diet is a great way to increase your daily intake of important vitamins, minerals and fiber. If you don't have quinoa on hand, you can swap it out for brown rice, or you can avoid the grains all together and serve this salad with a base of crunchy Brussel sprouts!
• Vegetables- This salad contains bell pepper, cabbage, carrots, and cucumbers. However you can feel free to add whatever vegetables you like. The more the merrier! I bet this salad would be great with some grilled summer squash or some heirloom tomatoes.
• Edamame- To really make this a protein powered dish, we added edamame. Edamame is whole, immature soybeans. If you prefer to keep this recipe soy-free, feel free to leave out the edamame.
• Peanut Sauce- The peanut sauce for this Thai salad is made with a mixture of peanut butter, cilantro, coconut aminos, sesame oil and a few other ingredients. If you find cilantro soapy, feel free to leave it out.

See the recipe card for full ingredient list and quantities.

Instructions

How to Make the Quinoa

• Add the quinoa and water in a medium pot. Bring to a boil, cover, and reduce the heat. Simmer for 15 minutes.
• Remove the pot from the heat and let it sit, covered, for 10 minutes more, then fluff with a fork.

How to Assemble the Bowls

• Dice the bell pepper, cabbage, carrot, and cucumber
• In a high-speed blender, combine all of the ingredients for the peanut dressing and blend until smooth.
• Layer the quinoa on the bottom of the dish and then top with your vegetables and drizzle the dressing on top.

Hint: If the peanut sauce is too thick for you, you can thin it out by adding a little bit of water to the dressing.

Substitutions

• Soy-Free- Skip the edamame and add some canned white beans to boost the protein in this dish.
• Low-Sodium- The coconut aminos in this recipe have over 70% less sodium than soy sauce, however if you are still looking to make this low sodium, try using an unsalted peanut butter and if you cook your quinoa in broth, use salt-free broth.
• Fresh Fruit-Try adding some mango for a delicious fresh burst of fruit!

Variations

• Spicy- Try making this peanut sauce spicy by adding crushed red pepper flakes to the sauce.
• Fresh Herbs Garnish your bowl with some fresh Thai basil before serving.
• Tofu- Try swapping out the edamame for tofu for a different source of plant-based protein.

FAQ's

Equipment

Equipment can have a big impact on how a recipe turns out. See below for the equipment you will need to make this recipe.

• Stock Pot
• Glass Mixing Bowls
• High Speed Blender

Storage

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. This recipe is perfect for meal prepping, I store mine in these glass containers and eat as lunch throughout the week.

You can make this Crunchy Thai Salad up to 4 days in advance. I would recommend storing the dressing separately until ready to serve.

These ingredients don't stand up well to freezing.

Top Tips:

• You can either serve this Thai Salad warm or cold. My favorite way to eat these is cold so I make the quinoa the day before and refrigerate it.
• This salad makes for the perfect meal prep lunches. They don't need to be reheated and last all week in the fridge. I like to make them and then portion them out into glass containers and take them with me to work each day!
• Make sure to rinse your quinoa before cooking it. Quinoa is coated in a substance called saponin, and if you don’t rinse it off your salad will wind up tasting bitter.

Other Asian Inspired Recipes You'll Love

• Vegan Vietnamese Style Spring Roll Bowl
• Vegan Egg Roll in a Bowl
• Asian Style Chopped Salad
• Gluten-Free Korean Inspired Curry Rice
• Easy Vegan Kung Pao Tofu
• Vegan Sweet and Sour Tofu
• Vegan Poke Bowl with Grilled Watermelon
• Gluten-Free Pad Thai

30 Minute Crunchy Thai Quinoa Salad with Peanut Dressing

kaydimaggio

This Crunchy Thai Quinoa Salad is perfect for days when it is hot outside. The quinoa acts as a perfect base for this salad that is loaded with all kinds of crunchy vegetables and then tossed in a peanut cilantro dressing. This salad is pure heaven in a bowl!

5 from 14 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 30 mins

Total Time 30 mins

Course Entree

Cuisine Asian

Servings 5 bowls

Calories 504 kcal

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

FOR THE BOWLS

• 4 cups cooked quinoa
• 1 red bell pepper diced
• 2 carrots diced
• 1 cucumber diced
• 1 cup chopped red cabbage
• 1 cup cooked edamame
• 1 green onion sliced

FOR THE PEANUT CILANTRO SAUCE

• ⅛ cup cilantro
• ½ cup peanut butter
• ½ cup water
• 2 tablespoons Coconut Aminos
• 2 tablespoons sesame oil
• 1 tablespoon ginger
• 3 cloves minced garlic
• 1 tablespoon maple syrup
• Juice of one lime

Instructions

 

• Add two cups of uncooked quinoa to a mesh strainer and rinse well. Add the quinoa and four cups of water to a large pot and bring to a boil. Once boiling, reduce to a simmer and simmer for 15-20 minutes, until all the water has evaporated.
• Remove from heat and let sit, covered for 10 minutes, then fluff with a fork
• While the quinoa is cooking, dice all your vegetables up and set them aside. 
• To make the sauce, add all ingredients to a high-speed blender or a hand mixer and blend until smooth. 
• When quinoa is finished cooking, assemble the bowls starting with the quinoa, vegetables, edamame, and then the sauce. Sprinkle some green onions on top and serve either hot or cold. 

Notes

• You can either serve this Thai Salad warm or cold. My favorite way to eat these is cold so I make the quinoa the day before and refrigerate it.
• This salad makes for the perfect meal prep lunches. They don't need to be reheated and last all week in the fridge. I like to make them and then portion them out into glass containers and take them with me to work each day!
• Make sure to rinse your quinoa before cooking it. Quinoa is coated in a substance called saponin, and if you don’t rinse it off your salad will wind up tasting bitter.

Nutrition

Serving: 1bowlCalories: 504kcalCarbohydrates: 61.5gProtein: 17.8gFat: 22.8gSaturated Fat: 4gSodium: 506mgFiber: 8.2gSugar: 9.1g

Keyword Asian, Quinoa, Salad, Thai

Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

Food Safety

• Cook to a minimum temperature of 165 °F (74 °C)
• Don't leave food sitting out at room temperature for extended periods
• Never leave cooking food unattended
• Use oils with high smoking point to avoid harmful compounds
• Always have good ventilation when using a gas stove

See more guidelines at USDA.gov.