Description

This Thai peanut quinoa salad is loaded with red cabbage, carrots, edamame, bell pepper, green onions and cilantro, tossed in a creamy homemade peanut sauce. It’s colorful, crunchy, full of plant protein and keeps well in the fridge for easy lunches.

Ingredients

Units

For the Thai peanut sauce:
1/3 cup natural peanut butter*
3 tablespoons tamari
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger
1 clove garlic, grated or pressed
1 tablespoon very warm water, plus more as needed
For the salad:
1/2 cup uncooked quinoa
3 cups shredded red cabbage or coleslaw mix
1 medium carrot, grated or julienned
1 cup frozen shelled edamame
1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
5 green onions, thinly sliced
1/2 cup fresh cilantro, roughly chopped
1/2 cup dry roasted peanuts, roughly chopped

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Instructions

Rinse the quinoa, then add it to a small pot with 1 cup of water. Bring to a boil, cover, reduce the heat to low and simmer for 15 minutes. Turn off the heat, let it sit covered for 5 minutes, then fluff with a fork. Spread it on a plate to cool.
Cover the frozen edamame with very hot water for a few minutes, then drain well.
In a small bowl, whisk together the peanut butter, tamari, lime juice, rice vinegar, sesame oil, ginger, garlic and 1 tablespoon of warm water. Add more warm water, 1 teaspoon at a time, until the sauce is smooth and pourable.
In a large bowl, combine the cooled quinoa, cabbage, carrot, edamame, bell pepper, green onions and cilantro. Pour the peanut sauce over the top and toss until everything is coated.
Top with the chopped peanuts right before serving.

Notes

*Peanut butter: Use a natural peanut butter made with just peanuts and salt, and stir it well before measuring. Substitute almond butter if preferred.

Nut-free: Substitute the peanut butter for sunflower seed butter and omit the chopped peanuts.

Gluten-free: Tamari is gluten-free soy sauce, so this salad is naturally gluten-free.

Make ahead: The salad keeps for 3 to 4 days in an airtight container in the fridge. Keep the chopped peanuts separate and add them when you serve it so they stay crunchy.