Thai Peanut Quinoa Salad
This Thai peanut quinoa salad is a delicious, protein-packed recipe combining nutty quinoa, crispy vegetables, and a creamy peanut dressing for an easy, healthy meal full of bold flavors.
Ingredients
- ½ cup quinoa uncooked
- 1 cup water
- 4–5 cups shredded mix of cabbage (any color), carrots, broccoli slaw
- 1 cup sliced snap peas
- 1 red bell pepper thinly sliced
- 6 green onions thinly sliced
- ½ cup cilantro roughly chopped
- ½ cup dry roasted peanuts roughly chopped + extra for topping
- 2 tsp sesame seeds
- Fresh lime wedges
- ⅓ cup natural peanut butter
- ¼ cup coconut aminos (or tamari)
- 3 Tbsp lime juice
- 2 tsp rice vinegar
- 1 ½ tsp toasted sesame oil
- 1 tsp minced fresh ginger (or ¼ tsp ground ginger)
- 1 clove garlic minced (or ½ tsp garlic powder)
- ½ tsp red pepper flakes
- ½ tsp sea salt
- Warm water as needed
Instructions
- Rinse the quinoa thoroughly in a fine-mesh strainer. In a small pot, combine the rinsed quinoa with water, bring to a boil over medium heat, then reduce the heat to low and cover. Let it simmer until the water is absorbed, about 12-15 minutes. Remove from heat and let sit, covered, for 5-10 minutes. Fluff with a fork and set aside to cool.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the shredded cabbage mix, snap peas, red bell pepper, green onions, cilantro, peanuts, sesame seeds, and cooled quinoa.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the peanut butter, coconut aminos, lime juice, rice vinegar, sesame oil, ginger, garlic, red pepper flakes, and sea salt. Add warm water, one teaspoon at a time, to reach your desired consistency.
- Pour the dressing over the salad and toss gently to coat all ingredients evenly.
- Top with additional peanuts, cilantro, and a squeeze of lime juice. Enjoy!