Thai Crunch Quinoa Salad

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This Thai Crunch Quinoa Salad will blow you away with its variety of textures and flavors. This recipe is fresh, light, and great for leftovers and meal prep. This recipe is also highly customizable and can be made gluten-free, dairy-free, vegan, and vegetarian. The peanut dressing is the perfect complement to this salad. The creamy texture of the dressing coats the fresh veggies and provides a salty, nutty flavor. 

I love to meal-prep chicken at the beginning of the week and have it on hand for a quick dinner. This recipe is perfect for the meal-prepped chicken you have sitting in your fridge. A rotisserie chicken is also a great, quick option here. You can also speed up this recipe by buying pre-shredded cabbage and carrots. As you can see, this is a great recipe for evenings when you need a quick, delicious meal!

What ingredients do you need?

Shredded Chicken

The chicken is optional in this recipe, but if you choose to include it, you will need 8 ounces of shredded chicken. If you are looking to increase the protein content of the meal, you can adjust this measurement accordingly. You can purchase pre-cooked and shredded chicken or rotisserie chicken for ease. A few other methods for cooking shredded chicken include using an instant pot, crockpot, or grill. This recipe is a great way to use leftover chicken.

Quinoa

Quinoa is a grain some might be less familiar with, but it is an amazing addition to this recipe! It is simple, quick to cook, and pairs perfectly with crunchy veggies and creamy peanut sauce. Quinoa is a good source of protein, fiber, vitamins, and minerals and contains all nine essential amino acids, making it a complete protein source. It is also high in magnesium, potassium, iron, and calcium. Quinoa is also naturally gluten-free, which makes it an excellent choice for people who have celiac disease or gluten sensitivity. If you don’t have quinoa on hand, feel free to swap it with rice or rice noodles.

Shelled Edamame

To make your life easy, buy the pre-shelled edamame in the freezer section at your local grocery store. If you are a vegetarian looking for extra protein, feel free to add more edamame. 

Variety of Fresh Veggies

The veggies are the star of this recipe! This recipe uses red bell pepper, red or green cabbage, shredded carrots, cilantro, and green onion. This combo provides the perfect crunch. You can purchase pre-shredded cabbage and carrots to save time.

Avocado

Half an avocado is all you need! The avocado provides a creamy contrast to the crunch of the veggies.

Peanut Dressing Recipe

Our favorite peanut dressing is the perfect final touch to this recipe. It’s simple to throw together and an essential addition! If you decide not to make our peanut dressing recipe, you can use a bottled version from the store. But I can promise it is worth it to make this dressing!

What equipment do you need?

For this recipe, you will need the following equipment:

• A medium saucepan
• Large bowl
• Salad tongs
• Measuring cups and spoons
• Cutting board and knife

How is it done?

Begin by cooking the quinoa. Add 2 cups water, 1 cup uncooked quinoa, and a few dashes of salt to a medium saucepan. Cover the pot with a lid and turn the stove on medium. Once the water begins to boil, reduce the heat to low and let the quinoa simmer for 12-15 minutes, or until the quinoa has absorbed all of the water and is translucent. Remove from the heat and fluff the quinoa with a fork. Set the quinoa aside to cool.

While the quinoa is cooking, prepare the peanut dressing. Find the recipe here.

Next, prepare your vegetables. Dice the red bell pepper into small pieces. Shred the carrots with a grater or use pre-shredded carrots. Thinly slice your red or green cabbage or measure pre-shredded cabbage. Chop the cilantro and green onion. Dice half of an avocado. 

Measure and add all of the veggies to a large bowl. Add the cooled quinoa, shelled edamame, chicken (omit if vegetarian), and ¼ tsp salt and mix the salad until well combined. 

Serve the salad with a drizzle of the peanut dressing and toss it until the salad is well-coated. In order to keep the salad fresh and crisp, add the peanut dressing to the individual servings. Top the salad with a few peanuts or cashews and a squeeze of fresh lime, if desired.

Anything else to consider?

This recipe is a great way to use up any leftover veggies. Feel free to customize the recipe to your liking and add in your other favorite veggies! For the vegetarian version, you could also add tofu.

This recipe stores the best without the dressing on it. I prefer to add dressing to the individual servings to prevent the salad from getting soggy.

Is it (GF/DF/V/VEG)?

Yes, this recipe is gluten-free, and dairy-free, and can be made vegetarian and vegan! If you are making it gluten-free, ensure that you use coconut aminos or gluten-free soy sauce in the peanut dressing. For a vegan version, use maple syrup instead of honey in the dressing. As Always, check each individual ingredient to ensure that it meets your dietary needs.

If you make this Thai crunch quinoa salad, please let us know how it turns out in the comments below and/or rate the recipe! Don’t forget to tag us on Instagram to show us your finished product—it makes our day every time we see you trying the recipes we love!

You can find this recipe on My Fitness Pal by searching “BWB Thai Crunch Salad".

The nutrition content provided for each recipe is an estimate created through the My Fitness Pal database. Please be aware that the nutritional content of each recipe may vary based on the products you use, the precision of your measurements, and the source you use to obtain nutrition data. While we try to provide accurate information, we give no guarantee regarding the accuracy of the nutritional information provided.