Thai Quinoa Salad
This Thai Quinoa Salad is filled with fresh vegetables and tossed in a peanut ginger dressing. It’s a great lunch or dinner option, comes together in 25 minutes, and is perfect for meal prep!
Thai flavors are some of my favorites: salty, sweet, spicy – I love it all! This recipe is inspired by my love for Thai cuisine and a yummy, nourishing, balanced bowl. It’s also inspired by a quinoa bowl my friend brought over recently. The version she made was a little more Italian-inspired, with fresh basil and tomatoes. But I had some edamame I wanted to use, and then came this Thai Quinoa Salad!
If you’re in need of lunch or meal-prep ideas, this Thai Quinoa Salad is a great option. Lately, I’ve been prepping it for lunch every week. It’s super easy to make, incredibly nourishing and will keep you full. The hardest part is making the quinoa (which, if you’ve never made quinoa, is incredibly easy). The recipe is plant-based, vegan and gluten free.
Ingredients to make Thai Quinoa Salad
- Quinoa – a great source of plant-based protein and fiber. It’s hearty with a subtle nutty taste that is delicious!
- Veggies – there’s not shortage of veggies in this salad! It’s loaded with cherry tomatoes, broccoli florets, shredded carrots, red onion and cucumber.
- Edamame – a great source of plant-based protein.
- Peanuts – I love to add some roasted peanuts to this salad for some crunch. You can also use roasted cashews – tastes just as good.
- Dressing – made with peanut butter (you can substitute tahini if you have an allergy), lime juice, coconut aminos, rice vinegar, sesame oil and salt. It doesn’t get easier!
The ingredients pair so well together. Such a delicious and wholesome meal.
How to make Thai Quinoa Salad
- Cook the quinoa per package instructions.
- Prepare the veggies – chop the broccoli, shred the carrots, dice the red onion, chop the cucumber, halve the cherry tomatoes.
- Make the dressing – add all of the dressing ingredients to a bowl and whisk together until creamy, adding a bit of water as needed.
- Toss all of the ingredients together, coating it in the dressing. Garnish with roasted peanuts for crunch. Enjoy!
Substitution ideas
This salad is totally customizable, allowing you to make use of the ingredients you already have on hand.
- Swap out the veggies – use any veggies you have on hand. Some alternatives are shredded brussels sprouts, shredded cabbage, red bell peppers, etc. You can even add kale or spinach for some extra greens.
- Not feeling quinoa? – this salad would also work great with couscous or orzo.
- Switch up the dressing – if you’re not a fan of peanut butter (or have a peanut butter allergy), you can swap the peanut butter for tahini, cashew butter, or sunflower seed butter. I make it with tahini often and it’s so good!
More quinoa recipes you’ll love
- Baked Tofu, Spinach & Chickpea Quinoa Bowl
- Sweet Potato Burrito Bowls with Mango Corn Salsa
- Cauliflower, Sweet Potato & Chickpea Buddha Bowls
- Fall Harvest Quinoa Bowl
Thai Quinoa Salad
Ingredients
Salad
Peanut Ginger Dressing
- ¼ cup coconut aminos, or tamari or soy sauce
- ¼ cup peanut butter, or tahini
- ½ inch ginger, freshly grated
- 1 tbsp rice vinegar
- 2 tsp sesame oil
- ½ tsp salt
- 3-4 tbsp water, to thin
Instructions
- Cook the quinoa per package instructions. Let cool.
- Make the dressing by adding all of the ingredients to a bowl and whisking together until smooth and creamy. Add water 1 tbsp at a time to get a smooth consistency.
- Add all of the ingredients to a large bowl, pour the dressing in and mix together. Serve chilled and garnish with peanuts. Enjoy!
