Thai salad is full of color, flavor, and nutrient-rich ingredients.
Quinoa, fresh veggies, and herbs, are tossed with crunchy peanuts in a zesty homemade dressing.
Bring this energizing salad to picnics and potlucks all summer.
Thai Quinoa Salad
- Serve this versatile Thai quinoa salad as a hearty and delicious side dish.
- Try it as a main with added chicken, beef, pork, shrimp, or tuna.
- Mix and match ingredients you love or what’s on hand!
Ingredients and Variations
Quinoa – Delicious served hot or cold, quinoa is so easy to prepare, that you might want to make extra and freeze portions for future recipes! Other grains to try are couscous, wild rice, or farro. Or go grain-free and use salad greens or cold sesame noodles as a base.
Vegetables – Cabbage, bell peppers, carrots, and grape tomatoes are easy to find and add color and crunch to Thai Quinoa salad. Cucumbers, radishes, snow peas, water chestnuts, baby corn, edamame, and bean sprouts are also fun add-ins.
Toppings – Peanuts, pistachios, walnuts, sunflower, or pepitas (pumpkin seeds) add pops of protein and extra crunch.
Dressing- This easy dressing comes together with ingredients from the pantry and fridge. Replace honey with any sugar-free substitute if desired. In a pinch for time? Use a bottle of Asian soy dressing, marinade, or vinaigrette.
Variations – Switch out chickpeas for black beans or cannellini beans, if desired. Sun-dried tomatoes are a tangy sub for tomatoes, or add some sliced black olives for even more color. Add noodles for a boost to carb loaders. Chunks of papaya, mango, kiwi, or blueberries add healthier benefits and natural sweetness.
How to Make Thai Salad
Make this refreshing and uber-healthy Thai salad up to a day ahead and the flavors will blend even more.
- Prepare dressing per recipe directions below.
- Mix cooked quinoa with half of the dressing.
- Toss in cabbage, peppers, onion, carrots, cilantro, chickpeas, and tomatoes with remaining dressing.
- Garnish with green onions, peanuts, lime wedges, and extra cilantro before serving if desired.
Keeping Thai Salad Fresh
- Refrigerate Thai quinoa salad in an airtight container for up to 4 days. Thoroughly stir leftovers before serving.
- Add leftovers to a wrap or lettuce leaves for a portable meal, or scoop some onto a bed of lettuce, if desired. It’s also delicious for filling wonton cups.
- We don’t recommend freezing Thai quinoa salad as the thawed ingredients won’t be as firm as fresh.
More Tasty Salads To Try!
Did you make this recipe for Thai Quinoa Salad? Be sure to leave a comment and rating below!
Thai Quinoa Salad
Ingredients
- 2 cups cooked quinoa cooled (cook according to package directions), approximately ¾ cup uncooked
- 2 cups shredded red cabbage
- 1 cup shredded green cabbage
- 1 red bell pepper diced
- 2 cups shredded carrots
- 15 ounces chickpeas 1 small can, drained and rinsed
- 2 cups grape tomatoes sliced
- ½ cup cilantro chopped
- 2 green onion chopped, for garnish
- ½ cup peanuts chopped, for garnish
- juice of fresh lime optional
- lime wedges optional garnish
Dressing:
- ¼ cup peanut butter
- 2 teaspoons grated ginger or ¼ teaspoon dry ginger
- 3 Tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 Tablespoon honey
- 1 Tablespoon red wine vinegar
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- ⅛ teaspoon crushed red chili flakes or to taste
Instructions
Dressing:
- Melt peanut butter in a glass measuring cup for 20 seconds. Add ginger, soy sauce, vinegar, sesame oil, olive oil, and chili flakes.
- Stir with a whisk or fork until smooth. Add one teaspoon of olive oil (or water) for a thinner dressing.
Salad:
- Add quinoa to a large bowl and mix with half of the prepared dressing.
- Add cabbage, red pepper, onion, carrots, cilantro, chickpeas, and grape tomatoes and toss to combine. Add dressing a little at a time until dressed to your liking. I like to use the entire dressing.
- Garnish with green onions, peanuts, lime juice, lime wedges, and extra cilantro if desired.
- Chill until serving.
Notes
- Make Thai salad up to a day ahead to give the flavors a chance to blend.
- Thai salad can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
- Use leftovers in a wrap or lettuce leaves for a portable meal.
- Do not freeze Thai quinoa salad as the thawed ingredients won’t be as firm as fresh.
Nutrition Information
Nutrition information does not include optional ingredients or garnish and is an estimate. It may change based on actual ingredients and cooking methods used.
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Very slightly adapted from Ambitious Kitchen
