Thai Quinoa Salad Recipe (Healthy & So Easy!) | foodiecrush.com (2024)

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This easy Thai quinoa salad combines protein-rich grains with healthy nutrients from fresh veggies, for a lime-infused flavor bomb with crunch in each bite.

This easy Thai quinoa salad combines protein-rich grains with healthy nutrients from fresh veggies, for a lime-infused flavor bomb with crunch in each bite. It’s great as a sidefor potlucksand as a mainwhen you add chopped chicken. It’salsoan easy andcompleteweekday lunchtoo.

I remember being at a Weight Watchers meeting where a woman emphatically stated that she did. NOT. like. quinoa. There was no changing her mind. But in my head I couldn’t figure out why she was putting up the quinoa roadblock.

Quinoa is one of my favorite protein sources, probably because it’s so unassuming.Like a seventh grade girl, it takes on the flavors it’s paired with.

For this quinoa salad, that means the salty flavors of a limey Thai dressing with plenty of veggie crunch. It’s the perfect side dish or main meal if you’re feeling the hug of your waistline just a little too much.

Quinoa is a bona fide super food. It’s gluten-free, packed with protein, fiber and flavonoids with studies showing it as an anti-inflammatory. It’s also loaded with antioxidants to keep those free radicals at bay.

What’s in This Thai Quinoa Salad?

At the heart of this power salad are the grains of quinoa that cling to a bevy of fresh veggies and are the start of this healthy bowl.Edamame is included along with peanuts for added protein. Red bell peppers add even more antioxidants and vitamin C withcucumbers and shredded purple cabbage coming in with thecrunch.

  • quinoa
  • red bell pepper
  • carrot
  • cucumber
  • green onion
  • edamame
  • red cabbage
  • cilantro
  • basil
  • peanuts

Thai Quinoa Salad Recipe (Healthy & So Easy!) | foodiecrush.com (3)

What’s In This Quinoa Salad Dressing

The dressing is simple, tart and sweet and very similar to the one I serve with spring rolls. It’s made with a blend of fish sauce, lime juice, sugar, sesame oil, and red pepper flakes. Add more red chili flakes to boost your metabolism, or less if you’re feeding the kids.

  • limes
  • fish sauce
  • soy sauce
  • ginger
  • sugar
  • vegetable oil
  • sesame oil
  • red pepper flakes

If you can find Thai basil, it makes a great addition. If not, regular basil will do.

How to Make Thai Quinoa Salad

To make this easy Thai salad, first prep the quinoa according to package instructions. While that cooks, prep the veggies and add them to a large bowl. Once cooked, add the quinoa to the bowl as well.

Whisk together the tangy vinaigrette and toss with the veggies and quinoa to combine. Garnish with fresh basil, cilantro, and peanuts and dive in.

Chopping and shredding the veggies will be the only thing that takes any time in putting this salad together. To get extra thin shreds of carrot, I use the shredder in this set of three peelers.

You can enjoy this Thai quinoa salad right away, or refrigerate it for up to a day before serving it.

Is There a Fish Sauce Substitute I Can Use?

If possible, get your hands on a high quality fish sauce like this one for a more authentic flavor. But if you’re really against using it or don’t have any on hand, you can likely get away with using Worcestershire sauce or soy sauce in a pinch. (Note that I’ve only ever made this recipe using fish sauce, so this is just my best guess).

Can I Prep This Salad in Advance?

If you’d like to prep this Thai salad for your lunches this week, I recommend storing the dressing separately and tossing it with your salad just before you’re ready to eat it. Once the dressing gets tossed with the veggies, the salad will stay good for only a day or two. However, because the ingredients are all sturdy, I’ve meal prepped it, refrigerated it, and eaten it throughout the whole week.

Tips for Making Thai Quinoa Salad

Make sure to rinse your quinoa before cooking it. Quinoa is coated in a substance called saponin, and if you don’t rinse it off your salad will wind up tasting quite bitter.

Feel free to add extra veggies to this salad or omit any you don’t have on hand. This is a flexible recipe, so tweak it as needed.

Also, I used a peeler to make pretty strands of the carrot. If you don’t have one, a regular box grater will do.

More Healthy Salad Recipes With Tons of Flavor

  • Ahi Tuna Poke and Mango Salad
  • Strawberry Arugula Salad with Watermelon and Feta
  • Mediterranean Tomato Salad
  • The Best Fattoush Salad
  • Greek Salad with Chicken

If you make this recipe, please let me know! Bookmark this recipe and leave a comment below,or take a photo andtag me onInstagramwith #foodiecrusheats.

Print

4.55 from 40 votes

Thai Quinoa Salad

This power salad combines protein-packed grains with the healing nutrients from fresh veggies for a lime infused flavor bomb with crunch in each bite.

Course Salad

Cuisine Asian, Thai

Keyword quinoa salad

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes minutes

Total Time 30 minutes minutes

Servings 8 servings as a side

Calories 213kcal

Ingredients

Salad

  • 1 cup quinoa
  • 1 red bell pepper , chopped
  • 1 carrot , peeled and shredded
  • 1 cucumber , chopped
  • 1 cup frozen edamame , thawed
  • 6 green onions , chopped
  • 1-2 cups shredded red cabbage
  • ½ cup chopped peanuts
  • ½ cup chopped cilantro
  • ¼ cup chopped basil

Dressing

  • 4 teaspoons fish sauce
  • 3 limes , juiced
  • 2 tablespoons sugar
  • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
  • 1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger
  • 1 teaspoon sesame oil
  • pinch of red pepper flakes

Instructions

  • Rinse the quinoa under cold water and cook in a medium saucepan according to package directions. Remove from pan and let cool.

  • Add the quinoa and vegetables to a large bowl.

  • In a small bowl, whisk together the fish sauce, limes, sugar, vegetable oil, sesame oil, ginger, and red pepper flakes until the sugar has dissolved. Taste for sweetness and for heat, and add more seasoning to taste. Pour the dressing over the quinoa and vegetables and stir to combine.

  • Sprinkle the cilantro, basil and peanuts over the salad and stir lightly. Serve or refrigerate for up to one day.

Notes

Nutrition

Calories: 213kcal | Carbohydrates: 27g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Sodium: 252mg | Potassium: 470mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 2060IU | Vitamin C: 37mg | Calcium: 61mg | Iron: 2mg

More Easy Thai Recipes You’ll Love

  • Thai Coconut Chicken and Rice
  • Shrimp in Thai Coconut Sauce
  • Thai Zucchini Noodle and Quinoa Salad
  • Slow Cooker Thai Chicken Soup
  • Thai Curried Salmon

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Thai Quinoa Salad Recipe (Healthy & So Easy!) | foodiecrush.com (2024)

FAQs

What is the most popular salad in Thailand? ›

The most famous, and for many also the original, tam (ตำ, pronounced [tām]), lit. "pounded") style salad is som tam, made from unripe papaya. The basic dressing for a som tam-style salad contains garlic, palm sugar, lime juice, bird's-eye chillies, dried shrimp and fish sauce.

What to eat if you don't like quinoa? ›

The Best Quinoa Substitutes
  • Cooked Rice. While white rice is probably the easiest substitute for cooked quinoa, brown rice is closer from a nutrition and flavour perspective. ...
  • Cooked Couscous. ...
  • Cooked Barley. ...
  • Cooked / Canned Chickpeas.

What are the 4 types of Thai salads? ›

The four types of salads in Thai cuisine are Yam, Laap, Dtam and Phlaa. Naam Dtok can be regarded as a variation on the standard Laap; the meat on this occasion is first grilled over flame before being dressed the same way. Likewise with Goy, which is basically a raw version of a Laap and is absolutely delicious.

What is the healthiest type of salad dressing? ›

8 Simple and Healthy Salad Dressings
  1. Sesame ginger. This simple salad dressing doubles as an easy marinade for meat, poultry, or roasted veggies. ...
  2. Balsamic vinaigrette. ...
  3. Avocado lime. ...
  4. Lemon vinaigrette. ...
  5. Honey mustard. ...
  6. Greek yogurt ranch. ...
  7. Apple cider vinaigrette. ...
  8. Ginger turmeric.
Jul 27, 2023

What is the number one food in Thailand? ›

1. Pad Thai: Stir-fried noodles. An iconic Thai dish, Pad Thai is usually made with flat rice noodles, combined with seafood (or chicken or pork), egg, sauces and vegetables such as bean sprouts and shallots, served with a sprinkle of fresh herbs, chilli and roasted peanuts (optional).

What is the most requested salad dressing? ›

Ranch Dressing

The ranch is hands down America's most beloved salad dressings. It is made from a number of ingredients such as buttermilk, mayonnaise, mustard, garlic, onion, chives, salt, and pepper.

Is there any downside to quinoa? ›

Allergy to other foods used as grains: Quinoa may cause an allergic reaction in people who are sensitive to foods used as grains, such as buckwheat, wheat, and rice. If you have allergies to grains, be sure to check with your healthcare provider before using quinoa.

What is the healthiest way to eat quinoa? ›

Toss it in salads.

Quinoa is a complete source of protein and makes a great addition to a healthy salad. The combination of fiber, protein and healthy fats can turn a light side salad into a robust entrée.

What is healthier than quinoa? ›

While both provide excellent sources of fiber and protein, farro tops the charts and offers almost double the value compared to the same size serving of quinoa.

What does Thai sauce contain? ›

Traditional pad thai sauce includes fish sauce, vinegar, sugar and tamarind paste. Tamarind paste is not easily found at a regular grocery stores so I substituted rice vinegar. If you would like to use tamarind paste, substitute about 2 Tablespoons in place of the rice vinegar in this recipe.

What is Thai peanut dressing made of? ›

To a mason jar or small bowl add peanut butter, honey, warm water, gluten-free Tamari, rice vinegar, lime juice, toasted sesame seeds, sesame oil, ground ginger, fresh garlic, salt, and pepper then shake or whisk to combine. Whew!

What is the unhealthiest salad dressing? ›

Depending on the ingredients, some dressings tend to be less healthy than others.
  1. Caesar. And at the top of that list? Caesar dressing. ...
  2. Thousand Island. Next in line is Thousand Island. ...
  3. Blue cheese. The delicious crumbles that make blue cheese dressing a fan favorite can also make it dangerous for a balanced diet.
Oct 27, 2023

What is the main ingredients in salad dressing? ›

Salad dressings are vegetable-oil-in-water emulsions containing vinegar, sugar, an emulsifier, and flavors.

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