A light yet super flavourful Thai inspired quinoa salad that is extra crunchy & really easy to make ! Perfect as a light lunch or sides.
It is literally summer everyday in Malaysia. This is why I do not have soups recipe ( yet ! ) up on my blog. I will be literally sweating buckets having soups and stews on a hot afternoon. That is why, salads are one of my go-to lunches !
This Thai quinoa salad is one of my best creation of all time, and it is super easy to make. All it takes is 30 mins and minimal cooking. I really like making a big batch as they store well in the fridge hence I will have lunches ready to go for the next few days.
What you will need :
Feel free to use swap any of the veggies with the ones you have on hand ! Zucchini, cucumber and tomatoes are few of the veggies that works really well in this recipe.
Tips for making the best salad
- Remember to rinse your quinoa ! This helps remove the outer coating ( saponin ) that is what cause it to taste bitter. I recommend rinsing it 3 times before cooking it.
- To boost the protein content for this salad, feel free to add in some beans in this recipe ! I recommend using chickpeas are edamame.
- Feel free to add in more seasonings, if needed.
- Smooth natural peanut butter works best in this recipe ! But if you are using crunchy ones, you might want to use a little more.
- If you allergy to peanuts, swap the peanut butter and peanuts for cashew butter and cashews.
How to cook fluffy quinoa
- Start by rinsing your quinoa. Rinse it for at least 3 times.
- In a skillet/ pot, add in your quinoa, water and salt. Ratio of quinoa to water is 1:2.
- Bring the mixture to a boil. Then lower the heat to a simmer and place the lid on.
- Let it cook for 15-20 minutes, or until the quinoa has absorbed most of the water.
- Remove it from heat and let it steam, with the lid on for 5 minutes. Use a fork to fluff up the quinoa.
Recipe Q & A
Use tamari in place of soy sauce, and this recipe will be gluten-free.
It should last in the fridge for 3-4 days.
I usually just eat it on its own, but feel free to pair them with some tofu or beans to bump up the protein content. Or serve it like you will serve any side salad.
Yes. Simply omit the sesame oil and use date syrup in place of maple syrup.
Here are more light lunch recipes that you may like :
- Vegan Peanut Noodles with Crispy Tofu
- Easy Tomato Cucumber Quinoa Salsa Salad
- Easy Veggies Pasta Salad Recipe
- Thai Crunch Salad by The Ovenist
Crunchy Thai Quinoa Salad
Ingredients
For the peanut dressing
- 2 tablespoons smooth peanut butter*
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce / tamari
- 1/2 tablespoon maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon chili powder ( optional )
For the salad
- 1/2 cup uncooked quinoa
- 1 1/2 cups shredded red cabbage
- 1/2 medium carrot juilienned
- 1/2 red bell pepper diced
- 1/2 cup green peas
- handful of chopped peanuts ( to garnish )
Instructions
- Start by rinsing the quinoa for at least 3 times. In a skillet / pot, combine quinoa with 1 cup of water and a pinch of salt and bring the mixture to a boil. Turn down the heat to a gentle simmer and place the lid on.
- Let it cook for 15-20 minutes, or until most of the water have been absorbed by the quinoa. Remove it from the stove top and let it steam with the lid on , for about 5 minutes.
- In the meantime, make your peanut dressing by combining all ingredients needed for the dressing.
- In a large bowl, combine all veggies and the quinoa. Pour in the dressing and stir until the dressing is evenly distributed. Give it a taste and add more seasonings, if needed.
- Serve it immediately or let it chill in the fridge for 1-2 hours if you prefer it to be cold. Top it with chopped peanuts, if using.
Notes
Such a healthy and delicious salad!Thanks for sharing.
Its my pleasure !
Wow, what a colorful and healthy looking salad! I can't wait to try this!
Thanks ! Hope you like it
Love this recipe Meesha! Loving Asian flavoured salads and using ingredients that are not quintessentially Asian. Fell like that is such a great fusion of ingredients and produce! I'm Malaysian and I certainly don't miss the "too hot to walk outside" heat!
Thanks ! Haha its sure hot out here 🙂
What a delicious quinoa salad. And I especially like the crunch of it. Thank you for sharing!
I LOVE quinoa salads, but have never tried one with Thai seasonings! This would be so great to have stocked in the fridge for lunches, especially when it's too hot to cook. Thanks for this recipe!
Its my pleasure ! Hope you like it 🙂