Asian Dressing Quinoa Salad (Printable)
Fluffy quinoa, edamame and crisp veg tossed in a zesty Asian dressing—protein-rich, gluten-free and ready in 35 minutes.
# What you'll need:
→ Grains
01 - 1 cup quinoa, uncooked
02 - 2 cups water
→ Vegetables
03 - 1 cup shelled edamame, thawed if frozen
04 - 1 cup julienned carrots
05 - 1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
06 - 2 spring onions, sliced
07 - 1 cup shredded red cabbage
08 - 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
→ Asian Dressing
09 - 3 tablespoons soy sauce or tamari
10 - 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
11 - 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
12 - 1 tablespoon honey or maple syrup
13 - 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
14 - 1 garlic clove, finely minced
15 - 1 teaspoon sriracha (optional)
16 - Juice of 1 lime
→ Toppings
17 - 2 tablespoons chopped roasted unsalted peanuts
18 - 2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds
# Directions:
01 - Rinse quinoa thoroughly under cold running water using a fine-mesh sieve.
02 - Combine rinsed quinoa and water in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer, cover, and cook for 12 to 15 minutes until the liquid is absorbed. Remove from heat and let rest, covered, for 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork and allow to cool.
03 - In a large mixing bowl, combine edamame, carrots, red bell pepper, spring onions, red cabbage, and cilantro.
04 - In a small bowl, whisk together soy sauce or tamari, rice vinegar, toasted sesame oil, honey or maple syrup, grated ginger, minced garlic, sriracha if using, and fresh lime juice until fully blended.
05 - Add cooled quinoa to the mixing bowl with the vegetables. Pour dressing over the mixture, tossing to coat all ingredients evenly.
06 - Transfer the assembled salad to a serving dish. Sprinkle with chopped peanuts and toasted sesame seeds. Serve immediately or refrigerate for 30 minutes to intensify flavors.
# Expert Suggestions:
01 -
- The sweet-sour dressing clings to every grain and veggie, a little trick I picked up for maximum flavor.
- This became a lunchtime staple because it packs beautifully and perks up tired weekdays.
02 -
- If you rush the quinoa cooling stage, the heat wilts the veggies and dulls their crunch.
- Mixing the dressing separately guarantees even coating—pouring ingredients into the salad doesn't quite do the trick.
03 -
- Letting the quinoa fully cool stops it from turning mushy when tossed with crisp veggies.
- A grating of extra fresh ginger on top right before serving really wakes up the salad.