Asian Dressing Quinoa Salad (Printable Version)
Fluffy quinoa, edamame, crisp vegetables and a tangy Asian dressing for a bright, nourishing 35-minute meal.
# What You 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 fresh cilantro, chopped
→ Asian Dressing
09 - 3 tablespoons soy sauce or tamari for gluten-free
10 - 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
11 - 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
12 - 1 tablespoon honey or maple syrup
13 - 1 teaspoon fresh ginger, grated
14 - 1 garlic clove, finely minced
15 - 1 teaspoon sriracha, optional for heat
16 - Juice of 1 lime
→ Toppings
17 - 2 tablespoons roasted unsalted peanuts, chopped
18 - 2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds
# Method:
01 - Rinse quinoa thoroughly under cold running water using a fine-mesh sieve.
02 - Combine quinoa and water in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, reduce to a simmer, cover, and cook for 12 to 15 minutes until water is absorbed. Remove from heat, keep covered for 5 minutes, then fluff with a fork and let cool completely.
03 - In a large mixing bowl, add edamame, julienned carrots, sliced red bell pepper, spring onions, shredded red cabbage, and chopped 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 lime juice until the mixture is well blended.
05 - Add the cooled quinoa to the bowl with vegetables. Pour the dressing over and toss gently until everything is evenly coated.
06 - Transfer mixture to a serving dish. Sprinkle with chopped roasted peanuts and toasted sesame seeds.
07 - Serve immediately or refrigerate for 30 minutes to develop flavors further.
# Expert Tricks:
01 -
- The dressing hits every perfect note at once tangy sweet nutty and fresh
- Makes enough for days of lunches that actually make you excited to eat
02 -
- Hot quinoa wilts the vegetables so let it cool completely first
- The dressing needs 30 minutes to really sink in
03 -
- Toasting sesame seeds makes them taste ten times more intense
- Double the dressing and keep it in a jar for quick salads all week