This vegan quinoa salad recipe combines a lot of ingredients (17, to be exact) into one of the most flavorful salads that you’ll ever eat. But don’t worry, it’s easy to make and takes just 20 minutes to prepare and 20 minutes to cook. This Thailand inspired salad features quinoa, edamame, carrots, cabbage and English cucumbers – with added cilantro, scallions, garlic and ginger for a really, really flavorful taste.
Why you’ll love this vegan quinoa salad recipe:
- Quinoa makes this salad super-powerful. It possesses a natural nutty flavor that this recipe amplifies even more with creamy natural peanut butter. Combined, these ingredients create a salad that features about 9 grams of protein, 5 grams of fiber and 34 carbs. It’s a very balanced meal featuring whole, healthy ingredients!
- This salad is great for meal prepping for two reasons: first, this recipe can easily be served cold so there is no risk of it drying out and second, this recipe will stay good in the refrigerator for up to five days which makes it perfect for batching – just be sure to store it in an airtight container. As is, this recipe will create for salads but can be scaled up to use for meal prepping additional meals.
How to make this quinoa salad perfect:
- Add tofu or chickpeas: This quinoa salad is really flavorful. But if you’re looking to boost the protein value of this salad, add in tofu or chickpeas. Tofu is the perfect addition to this recipe because it will take on the flavor of the dish it’s in. Chickpeas are a great option because they will make this salad more filling.
- Substitute the veggies: While I opted for carrots, cabbage and English cucumbers for this recipe, you can easily substitute or add in your favorite veggies. Broccoli, spinach or peppers would make great additions to this salad.
Other vegan recipes you may enjoy:
Mediterranean Quinoa Pasta Salad Recipe: This is a Mediterranean take on a classic quinoa pasta recipe – and it’s great for meal prepping!
Jerk Spice Tofu Recipe: Spice up your next meal with this jerk tofu recipe.
Kimchi Fried Rice Recipe: A high flavor, low calorie recipe that makes a tasty main dish or side dish.
Vietnamese Spring Rolls Recipe: Enjoy the healthy, delicious and natural flavors of your favorite veggies.
Vegan Quinoa Salad
Ingredients
- 3 tbsp low sodium soy sauce
- 2 tsp grated ginger
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 1/4 cup natural creamy peanut butter
- 1 tbsp rice vinegar
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 tsp sesame oil
- 2 tbsp agave nectar
- 3 tbsp warm water
- 2 cups quinoa, cooked
- 1 medium red pepper, chopped
- 2 cups edamame
- 1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
- 4 scallions, chopped
- 1 cup grated carrot
- 2 cups red cabbage, sliced
- 1 medium english cucumber, chopped
Instructions
- Cook the quinoa as directed on the product packaging.
- Mince the garlic cloves.
- In a small bowl, combine the soy sauce, ginger, lemon juice, peanut butter, rice vinegar, garlic cloves, sesame oil and agave nectar.
- Add warm water and combine.
- Chop the red pepper, cilantro, scallions and English cucumber. Slice the red cabbage.
- In a large bowl, combine the quinoa, red pepper, edamame, cilantro, scallions, carrot, red cabbage and English cucumber.
- Add the previously created salad dressing and combine.
- Place the salad in a bowl and serve.
