This Thai Quinoa Salad combines crunchy veggies, sweet mango, fresh herbs, and greens, all tossed in a quick, blender-made peanut dressing.
author’s note
The Thai Salad That Has Me in a Chokehold!
I live by a local bakery that’s famous for its honey whole wheat bread and its turkey bacon avocado sandwich and salad. I’ve recreated just about all of them at home, but my newest obsession is their Thai salad. It completely blew me away, and I found myself ordering it way more often than I should have. At some point, I realized I could easily make my own version at home.
I’m already obsessed with quinoa salads (hello Southwest, sweet potato, and caprese quinoa salads), so it felt natural to put my own spin on it by adding quinoa.
The peanut dressing takes this salad to another level, and with the quinoa mixed in, it’s hearty enough to actually keep me full. I honestly love this version even more than the one from the bakery.
Ingredients In Thai Quinoa Salad
| Ingredient | Helpful Tip |
|---|---|
| Quinoa | Rinse before cooking to remove the bitter coating. |
| Kale & Cabbage | Use one or the other if that’s what you have. |
| Edamame | Add grilled chicken if you want extra protein. |
| Red Pepper, Carrots & Mango | Chop everything to a similar size. |
| Cilantro, Green Onions & Cashews | Skip any you don’t like. |
| Dressing Ingredients | Make first so the flavors can blend. |
Featured Comment
“Took for a birthday potluck at work. Everybody loved it and wanted recipe.”
– Sue
Quick Tip
To quickly cool quinoa, spread it on a sheet pan in an even layer and chill in the fridge or freezer for 10-15 minutes. Or, use precooked quinoa from the fridge.
How To Make Thai Quinoa Salad
- Cook Quinoa: Rinse, boil with salted water, simmer for 10-15 minutes, then cool.
- Prepare Edamame: Boil in salted water for 2-3 minutes, drain.
- Chop Veggies & Fruit: Wash, dry, and chop all the ingredients.
- Make Dressing: Blend the dressing ingredients together.
- Assemble: Combine all the ingredients in a bowl. Toss with dressing.
- Serve: Enjoy right away. Store leftovers separately.
Storage
- Keep Separate: Store the salad and dressing in different containers so the salad doesn’t get soggy.
- Refrigerate: Put the salad and dressing in sealed containers and keep in the fridge.
- Eat Soon: Best if eaten within 1–2 days for the best flavor and crunch.
More Easy Quinoa Recipes:
Thai Quinoa Salad
Video
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup uncooked white quinoa
- 2 cups kale
- 1 cup edamame see note 1
- 2 cups coleslaw mix or shredded cabbage
- 1 red pepper coarsely chopped
- 1 cup matchstick carrots or shredded carrots
- 1 cup coarsely chopped mango 1 large or 2 small mangos; see note 2
- 1/2 cup coarsely chopped cilantro 1/2 bunch
- 1/4 cup thinly sliced green onions 3 to 4 onions
- 1/2 cup cashews coarsely chopped, roasted and lightly salted
Instructions
- Rinse quinoa under cold water in a fine mesh sieve to remove the bitter saponin coating. Combine quinoa and 1 cup water in a small pot over high heat. Bring to a boil, add in 1/2 teaspoon salt (or to taste), reduce heat to low, and cover the pot. Simmer 10–15 minutes or until the liquid is absorbed. Remove from heat, keeping the quinoa covered, and let stand 10–15 minutes. Fluff with a fork and place in the fridge or freezer to cool to room temperature.
- Meanwhile, bring a pot with 6 cups of water to a boil, then add 1 tablespoon salt and shelled edamame. Cook 2–3 minutes or until edamame is tender. Drain thoroughly.
- Remove the thick stems, then very thinly slice (ribbon) the kale. The smaller the shreds of kale, the better! Once chopped, put it in a colander (or the base of a salad spinner) and give it a quick rinse. Rub and massage the kale for about a minute, then give it another quick rinse. Allow kale to dry completely before using in the salad, or spin in the salad spinner to dry it quickly.
- Thinly slice the cabbage or measure out 2 cups coleslaw mix. Coarsely chop the red pepper, mango, cilantro (and loosely measure to get 1/2 cup), and the cashews. Thinly slice the green onions.
- Place all dressing ingredients in a small blender. Season with 1/8 teaspoon pepper and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Process until smooth and refrigerate while preparing everything else.
- Combine cooked and completely cooled quinoa, shredded kale, coleslaw/cabbage, red pepper, carrots, mango, cilantro, green onions, and cashews in a large bowl. Drizzle with dressing. This salad doesn’t sit well with the dressing, so only dress what will be enjoyed the same day. Add to desired preference; I use all the dressing, but you may prefer less. Toss to combine and enjoy!
Recipe Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Took for a birthday potluck at work. Everybody loved it and wanted recipe.
Cooked quinoa in veggie broth and added dried cherries. So so good
So glad to hear this was a hit!! Thanks for the comment Sue 🙂
My housemate and I really enjoyed this recipe. Thank you so much for creating!
So glad to hear this salad was enjoyed! 🙂