You're going to love this Thai Quinoa Salad! It is made with tri-color quinoa, fresh vegetables, and spicy peanut sauce for a delicious and healthy vegan and gluten-free meal.
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I love a good vegan quinoa salad.
I also love spring. So today I’m combining two of my truest loves and bringing you this Thai Peanut Quinoa Salad; it’s the perfect vegan spring salad!
With broccoli, carrots, bell peppers, and fresh herbs, I think you're going to love it! This salad is one of my go-to lunches in the summer because it’s hearty yet refreshing and 100% delicious! I think you’re going to love it, too!
Let’s take a closer look.
How to Make Thai Peanut Salad {Video}
Recommended Ingredients & Equipment
This Thai Quinoa Salad with Sesame Peanut Sauce is one of my current go-to meals. It is a fresh and hearty salad filled with crunchy vegetables, a wonderful combination of flavor, and lots of fiber and protein. Better yet, it can be made in just about 15 minutes for delicious lunch or dinner salad; the perfect solution for all you very busy people.
Ingredients & Substitutions
- Success Quinoa – Success Quinoa uses a revolutionary boil-in-a-bag technique that delivers the perfect fluffy texture and nutty flavor in just 10 minutes.
- Red Cabbage
- Vegetables - You will need a mixture of broccoli, red bell pepper, carrots, and green onions
- Cilantro
- Thai Peanut Sauce - This peanut sauce is a mixture of peanut butter (use unsweetened) sesame oil, soy sauce (use Tamari for gluten-free), rice vinegar, fresh ginger, garlic, and maple syrup.
- Roasted Peanuts
Recommended Equipment
For this recipe you will need a small pot with a lid, a small blender, and basic kitchen utensils, including a chef’s knife. (<<affiliate links)
Check out the full list of my recommended kitchen tools and gadgets.
How to Make Thai Peanut Salad
Step One – Cook the Quinoa
Success Quinoa uses a revolutionary boil-in-a-bag technique that delivers the perfect fluffy texture and nutty flavor in just 10 minutes. To prepare it, the quinoa is submerged in water and boiled in the bags (as you probably gathered) for just 10 minutes.
Remove from heat and let it sit an additional 5 minutes before uncovering and fluffing with a fork. Transfer the quinoa to a shallow bowl and place it in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes to let to quinoa cool down before adding the remaining salad ingredients.
Step Two - Remaining Ingredients
While the quinoa boils, chop all of your herbs vegetables and whip up a batch of your Thai Peanut sauce.
To make the peanut sauce, place all the ingredients into a small blender and blend until the ingredients are evenly combined.
Step Three - Assemble
Once the quinoa has cooled down, you can add the vegetables, top it with the dressing, and return to the refrigerator for another hour to allow the flavors to marinate and the salad to cool.
Sprinkle with peanuts and serve.
Serving and Storing
Serve chilled as part of a summer potluck or for a light lunch or afternoon snack. Let the salad chill in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour before serving. This allows the salad to cool and lets the flavors marinate.
Store leftover quinoa salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.
Tips and Tricks
- This recipe is highly versatile. Feel free to adjust the vegetables to your liking.
- For a heartier meal, add some protein. Peanut tempeh or tofu both go well.
- If you want to make this salad in advance, make it up to 1 day in advance and toss the salad dressing in right before serving.
More Quinoa Salad Recipes
- Thai Cashew Salad with Sesame Peanut Sauce
- Spring Quinoa Salad with Peas and Asparagus
- Mediterranean Quinoa Salad
- Southwest Quinoa Salad with Black Beans and Corn
- Strawberry Mint Quinoa Salad with Lemon Vinaigrette
Thai Quinoa Salad
Ingredients
Thai Peanut Salad
- 1 bag of Success® Tri-Color Quinoa
- 2 cups red cabbage, shredded
- 1 ½ cups broccoli florets, chopped
- ½ large red bell pepper, thinly sliced
- 1 large carrot, chopped
- 3 green onions, chopped
- ¼ cup cilantro
- 1 batch Sesame Peanut Sauce, recipe follows
- ¼ cup roasted peanuts
SESAME PEANUT SAUCE
- ¼ cup natural peanut butter
- 2 tablespoons sesame oil
- 2 tablespoon soy sauce, use tamari for a gluten-free option
- 1 tablespoons rice vinegar
- 2 teaspoons fresh ginger, chopped
- 1-2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoons maple syrup
Instructions
- Prepare the Success Quinoa according to packaged instructions.
- While the quinoa is boiling, chop the cabbage, carrots, bell peppers, broccoli, cilantro, and green onions. Set aside.
- Combine all the ingredients for the peanut sauce in a small blender and blend together until smooth.
- With tongs or a slotted spoon, remove the quinoa from boiling water. Cut open the bag and let it cool for 10 minutes.
- Place quinoa in a large bowl and add prepared vegetables. Toss with peanut sauce and roasted peanuts.
- Serve immediately or store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Video
Notes
- This recipe is highly versatile. Feel free to adjust the vegetables to your liking.
- For a heartier meal, add some protein. Peanut tempeh or tofu both go well.
- If you want to make this salad in advance, make it up to 1 day in advance and toss the salad dressing in right before serving.
Hi, I’m Sarah. I’m a 14-year (and counting) vegan, professionally trained photographer, former pastry chef, founder of My Darling Vegan, and author of the
Beth Hoffman says
I switched red cabbage for a slaw mix, added some kale, and used cashews instead. It was so good!
jodi says
This salad was great for a work potluck. I did make some changes to the peanut sauce: decreased the amount of sesame oil by half (wish I had reduced even further), doubled the maple syrup, added 1 tsp Chili-garlic sauce, and thinned it out with a bit of water. these changes made for a good peanut sauce that didn't have such a strong sesame flavor
Gwen says
I love the colours in this salad! So summery and perfect for a light summery dinner (or lunch!)
Mel | avirtualvegan.com says
How easy is that quinoa? Perfect for quick family dinners. Your salad looks awesome too. I love quinoa in my salads as it makes them extra filling and saves me form snacking all afternoon!
Becky Striepe says
This salad is gorgeous! Perfect for a summer supper.
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine says
I love all the textures in that salad! Success quinoa is such a favorite 🙂
Francesca says
What is the quantity of the Success Tri-Colour quinoa in this recipe? I am in Australia where this brand is not available. Would you mind providing quantities for all your recipes?
thank you.
Sarah says
1 bag is about 1 cup uncooked quinoa
Jasmine says
This looks and sounds so fresh, it is perfect for the heat here in LA!
Mary Ellen | VNutrition says
Thai flavors are my favorite! This salad looks so tasty and easy to make! Yum!
Stella - The Smoothie Vegetarians says
This salad looks like it would taste wonderful! I bet it would make the perfect lunch.
Sarah says
Yes, I eat this often for lunch.
Sarah De la Cruz says
This will be my first time with both kids in school too—6 1/2 years!
I think I'm changing up my dinner plans this week and making your salad! Looks amazing!
Sarah says
Fall is going to be incredible, isn't it 🙂 Enjoy the salad.
Lisa says
Made this tonight--a perfect dinner salad for a hot summer night. The blend of vegetables, sauce, and quinoa was satisfying and refreshing.
Thanks, Sarah!
Sarah says
Glad you enjoyed it!
Amy Katz from Veggies Save The Day says
What a delicious looking salad! I am really excited to try it, especially with that sauce. And that quinoa is so easy to make!
Sarah says
Yes, the sauce makes the salad.
alisha mir says
This looks incredible! Totally going to try it
Melissa Griffiths says
I can't even talk about how incredible this salad looks right now. And I LOVE how easy that quinoa is! I'm going to have to see if I can get my hands on some!
Sarah says
I hope you do! It's totally worth it!
Jenn says
Gorgeous pics. And I love that nutty sauce. Definitely need to make this!
Sarah says
Thanks Jenn!