This Thai Quinoa Salad combines crunchy veggies, sweet mango, fresh herbs, and greens, all tossed in a quick, blender-made peanut dressing.
Thai Quinoa Salad
It’s been a while since my last quinoa salad post. My previous ones, like the classic quinoa salad with lemon dressing, the well-loved sweet potato quinoa salad, and the Southwest Quinoa Salad with cilantro-lime dressing, have been hits.
While there are even more versions, this is my first Thai-inspired quinoa salad. It might be my new favorite with its crunchy, sweet, and savory mix,.
Ingredients In Thai Quinoa Salad
- Quinoa: Wash quinoa before cooking to get rid of its bitter coating.
- Kale and Cabbage: In a pinch just one will work.
- Edamame: Add Grilled Chicken for even more protein.
- Red Pepper, Carrots, Mango: Chop each to an even size.
- Cilantro, Green Onions, Cashews: Don’t like any of these? Leave them out!
- Dressing Ingredients: Make this first so the flavors have time to blend.
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 immediately, store leftovers separately.
Storage
- Separate Components: Store the dressing and thai quinoa salad separately to prevent sogginess.
- Refrigerate: Place salad and dressing in airtight containers in the fridge.
- Consume Quickly: Best eaten within 1-2 days for optimal freshness and texture.
More Recipes With Quinoa
- Chicken Quinoa Bowl
- Quinoa Fried Rice
- Quinoa Chili
- Citrus Quinoa Salad
- Crockpot Mexican Quinoa Tacos
Thai Quinoa Salad
This crunchy Thai Quinoa Salad is packed with crisp veggies, sweet mango, fresh herbs, and greens, all tossed in a quick peanut dressing. Healthy, vibrant, and ready in no time!
Equipment
Ingredients
Salad
- 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 then 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!
Video
Recipe Notes
Note 1: Edamame is sold fresh or frozen in the store, but I typically use these frozen shelled soybeans since it’s hard for me to find fresh in my area.
Note 2: I love honey mangoes (also known as Ataulfo or yellow mangoes) in this salad. They’re sweeter and creamier than regular mangoes and don’t have the typical fibers throughout. To tell if your mangoes are ripe, gently squeeze the fruit. If ripe, it will give slightly. Wait until your mango is at peak ripeness to make this Thai Quinoa Salad for the best flavor and texture. Here’s a quick and helpful visual guide on how to cut a mango!
Storage: This salad doesn’t sit well with the dressing, so only add what will be enjoyed the same day. Store any leftover salad and dressing separately.
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 707kcal | Carbohydrates: 85g | Protein: 28g | Fat: 34g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Sodium: 197mg | Potassium: 1935mg | Fiber: 13g | Sugar: 34g | Vitamin A: 24590IU | Vitamin C: 276mg | Calcium: 325mg | Iron: 8mg
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! 🙂