Asian Dressing Quinoa Salad (Printable Version)
Fluffy quinoa with crisp cabbage, carrots, edamame and a zesty sesame-lime dressing for a bright, quick meal.
# What You Need:
→ Salad Base
01 - 1 cup uncooked quinoa
02 - 2 cups water
03 - 1 cup shredded purple cabbage
04 - 1 cup shredded carrots
05 - 1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
06 - 1 cup shelled edamame, cooked
07 - 3 green onions, thinly sliced
08 - 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
09 - 1/4 cup roasted peanuts or cashews, roughly chopped (optional)
→ Asian Dressing
10 - 3 tablespoons tamari (gluten-free soy sauce)
11 - 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
12 - 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
13 - 1 tablespoon honey or maple syrup
14 - 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
15 - 1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger
16 - 1 garlic clove, finely minced
17 - 1 teaspoon sriracha or chili sauce (optional)
18 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
19 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
# How To Make It:
01 - Rinse quinoa thoroughly under cold water to remove bitterness. Combine quinoa and water in a medium saucepan, bring to a rolling boil, then reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer for 12 to 15 minutes until all liquid is absorbed and grains are tender. Fluff with a fork and allow to cool completely to room temperature.
02 - While the quinoa cools, shred the purple cabbage and carrots into thin strips. Slice the red bell pepper into thin julienne pieces, thinly slice the green onions, and ensure the edamame is shelled and fully cooked. Roughly chop the fresh cilantro.
03 - In a small bowl or mason jar, combine tamari, rice vinegar, toasted sesame oil, honey or maple syrup, lime juice, grated ginger, minced garlic, sriracha if using, salt, and black pepper. Whisk vigorously until the dressing is smooth and fully emulsified. Taste and adjust seasoning as desired.
04 - In a large serving bowl, combine the cooled quinoa, shredded cabbage, shredded carrots, sliced bell pepper, edamame, green onions, and chopped cilantro. Pour the dressing over the salad and toss gently until every component is evenly coated.
05 - Sprinkle chopped peanuts or cashews over the top if desired. Serve immediately at room temperature, or refrigerate for 30 minutes to allow the flavors to meld together for a more developed taste.
# Helpful Hints:
01 -
- The dressing comes together in about sixty seconds and tastes like something from a restaurant you cannot afford to visit every week.
- It holds up beautifully in the fridge for days, making it the kind of lunch that actually gets better as the week goes on.
- Every single vegetable in here adds a different crunch, so no bite feels the same.
02 -
- Hot quinoa will wilt the cabbage and turn your crunchy salad into a sad warm slaw, so patience at the cooling step is not optional.
- The dressing separates as it sits, so always give the salad a good toss right before serving, even if it has been in the fridge.
03 -
- Freeze your fresh ginger in a zip top bag and use a microplane to grate it straight from frozen, it lasts months and grates into a fine paste that disappears into the dressing perfectly.
- Toast your nuts in a dry skillet for two minutes before chopping them, it takes almost no effort and the flavor difference is dramatic.