Description
A fresh and vibrant Crunchy Thai Quinoa Salad combining fluffy quinoa with colorful vegetables and a creamy nut butter dressing, topped with crunchy nuts and a zesty lime finish. This wholesome salad is packed with texture, flavor, and nutrients, perfect as a light meal or side dish.
Ingredients
Salad
- 1 cup dried quinoa
- 1 3/4 cups water
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 large red bell pepper, cored and diced
- 1 cucumber, diced
- 1 cup carrots, diced
- 1/4 red cabbage, shredded
- 2–3 scallions, thinly sliced
- 1/2 cup cilantro (lightly packed), chopped
- Handful of peanuts or cashews, optional
Dressing
- 4 tablespoons nut butter (peanut, almond, cashew, or sun butter)
- 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon tamari, nama shoyu, soy sauce, or coconut aminos
- 1 inch knob of ginger, minced or grated
- Juice of 1–2 limes, divided
- Mineral salt, to taste
Instructions
- Cook the Quinoa: In a medium pot, combine the quinoa, water, and garlic powder. Bring to a boil, then cover, reduce the heat to low, and simmer for 15 minutes. Remove the cover, fluff the quinoa with a fork, and let it rest for 10 minutes to finish steaming.
- Make the Dressing: In a small bowl, whisk together the nut butter, pure maple syrup, tamari, minced ginger, and the juice of 1 lime. Add water 1 tablespoon at a time, as needed, to thin the dressing to your desired consistency. Season with mineral salt to taste, adjusting flavors as needed.
- Assemble the Salad: In a large mixing bowl, combine the cooked quinoa, diced red bell pepper, cucumber, carrots, shredded red cabbage, sliced scallions, and chopped cilantro. Drizzle the nut butter dressing over the mixture and toss gently to coat everything evenly. Alternatively, you may toss the quinoa and veggies first and add the dressing just before serving.
- Serve: Spoon the salad into individual bowls. Top with an optional handful of crunchy peanuts or cashews and squeeze the juice of the remaining lime wedge over each serving for extra brightness.
Notes
- For a quicker quinoa cook, use a pressure cooker or Instant Pot to prepare the quinoa.
- Adjust the thickness of the dressing by adding more or less water depending on preference.
- This salad keeps well refrigerated for 4 to 5 days—store leftovers in an airtight container.
- For a gluten-free version, ensure that the tamari or soy sauce used is gluten-free.
- Feel free to swap out vegetables or nuts to suit your taste or seasonal availability.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Salad
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Thai-inspired
