Asian Dressing Quinoa Salad (Printable)
Quinoa with edamame, colorful vegetables and a zesty Asian dressing—fresh, gluten-free, ready in 35 minutes.
# What You’ll Need:
→ Grains
01 - 1 cup uncooked quinoa
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 (use 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)
16 - Juice of 1 lime
→ Toppings
17 - 2 tablespoons roasted unsalted peanuts, chopped
18 - 2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds
# How To Make It:
01 - Rinse quinoa under cold running water using a fine-mesh sieve to remove its natural bitter coating.
02 - Combine quinoa and water in a medium saucepan. Bring to a rolling boil, then reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 12 to 15 minutes until all liquid is absorbed. Remove from heat and let rest covered for 5 minutes. Fluff gently with a fork and allow to cool completely.
03 - In a large mixing bowl, combine the edamame, julienned carrots, sliced bell pepper, spring onions, shredded red cabbage, and chopped cilantro.
04 - In a small bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, rice vinegar, toasted sesame oil, honey or maple syrup, grated ginger, minced garlic, sriracha, and lime juice until smooth and well emulsified.
05 - Add the cooled quinoa to the vegetable mixture. Pour the dressing over the top and toss thoroughly until every component is evenly coated.
06 - Transfer the salad to a serving dish and sprinkle with chopped peanuts and toasted sesame seeds. Serve immediately, or refrigerate for 30 minutes to allow the flavors to meld together.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The dressing hits every flavor note at once: salty, sweet, tangy, and just enough heat to keep things interesting.
- It holds up beautifully in the fridge for days without getting soggy, which makes it a rare salad that actually tastes better as leftovers.
02 -
- Hot quinoa will wilt your vegetables and make the cabbage soggy, so let it cool completely before mixing.
- The dressing tastes overly sharp on its own but mellows dramatically once it coats the grains, so trust the process and do not adjust before tossing.
03 -
- Toast your sesame seeds in a dry skillet for two minutes until they turn golden and fragrant, because the pre toasted ones from the jar taste remarkably flat in comparison.
- Double the dressing and keep half in a jar in the fridge for when you want to throw together a quick stir fry or noodle bowl later in the week.