This high-protein edamame quinoa salad is easy to make and a great way to use up whatever crunchy veg you have on hand.
Admittedly an odd way to introduce a quinoa recipe is to confess that I don’t really like quinoa. Simply put – as I’m sure many of you will agree – it has all the qualities of bird food.
But! It’s also an incredible superfood – being gluten-free, a complete protein, high in fiber, and rich in minerals and all. It’s quite inexpensive, too, making it a great way to bulk up the nutritional content of your [human] meals.
In order to actually enjoy quinoa, I basically need to masquerade it with other strong flavors. This edamame quinoa salad, for instance, is tossed in a nutty, citrusy peanut dressing, which makes the quinoa fade into the background and helps the crunchy fresh vegetables stand out.
This vegan salad is super easy to make, and works as either a plant-based main course or a side dish.
Key Ingredients + Substitutions
- Quinoa: Use white or tricolor quinoa.
- Edamame: Look for shelled edamame in the frozen vegetables aisle of the supermarket. If you can’t find it, use frozen peas or canned chickpeas.
- Raw Vegetables: My fave combo here is Persian cucumbers and purple cabbage. Feel free to sub in other crunchy veg, like green cabbage, radishes, carrots, and/or curly kale. Alternatively, use bagged coleslaw mix.
- Scallions: Add pepperiness and crunch.
- Cilantro: Adds a floral freshness. If you don’t like it, just skip it.
- Toasted Sliced Almonds: Lend a satisfying crunch to the salad. Can be subbed with roasted cashews, peanuts, or chopped whole almonds. If you have an allergy, skip them.
- Peanut Butter: Makes the dressing rich and nutty. Be sure to use 100% natural peanut butter. The only ingredient should be peanuts [and maybe salt]; there should not be any added oils, sweeteners, or stabilizers. Can be subbed with almond butter or tahini.
- Fresh Ginger: Adds a spicy, peppery quality to the dressing. Do not substitute with dried.
Edamame Quinoa Salad: Step-by-Step Photos
Find complete instructions with ingredient amounts in the recipe card below.
Step 1: Boil the Quinoa and Edamame
In a small pot, cook the quinoa with salt and water. When the quinoa is almost cooked through, add the frozen edamame on top; do not stir it in as there will be enough steam in the pot to defrost it.
Make sure these are completely cool before adding them to the salad.
Step 2: Prep the Vegetables
In the meantime, chop up all your vegetables. For best results, chop them really finely and make sure the cabbage is thinly shredded.
Step 3: Make the Dressing
In a jar, combine all the dressing ingredients. Cover with a lid and shake until the peanut butter is completely dissolved.
I recommend crunchy peanut butter for extra texture.
Step 4: Finish the Salad
Combine the cooled quinoa and edamame with all the vegetables and the dressing. Toss to coat. Taste and adjust the seasonings if needed.
Let me know if you try this recipe! Give it a rating below and leave a comment, and don’t forget to tag your creation with @thenewbaguette on Instagram.
The Full Recipe
Edamame Quinoa Salad with Peanut Dressing
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: 4–6 servings 1x
- Category: Salad
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegan
Description
This edamame quinoa salad is easy to make and a great way to use up whatever crunchy veg you have on hand. Make sure the quinoa is completely cooled before combining it with the vegetables.
Ingredients
For the Salad
- 1/2 cup quinoa
- Pinch of sea salt
- 1 cup frozen shelled edamame* (see note below)
- 2 Persian cucumbers, cut into small dice*
- 2 cups finely shredded cabbage (green or purple)
- 1/2 cup roughly chopped cilantro
- 3 medium scallions, chopped
- 1/2 cup toasted sliced almonds*
For the Dressing
- 1-inch knob fresh ginger, peeled and minced
- 3 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce (or tamari, if you’re gluten-free)
- 3 tablespoons lime juice (from about 1 1/2 limes) or lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
- 2 teaspoons pure maple syrup or honey
- 1/4 cup well-stirred natural peanut butter
Instructions
- In a small pot, combine the quinoa and salt with 1 cup water. Cover with a lid and bring to a boil. Simmer (do not stir during cooking) until all the water is absorbed, about 15 minutes. In the last few minutes, add the edamame on top. When all the water is absorbed, turn the heat off and let the pot stand covered for another 10 minutes (still not stirring).
- Turn the quinoa and edamame out onto a large plate/tray. Spread into thin layer and place in the fridge; these need to be cold before going in the salad.
- Meanwhile, prep the remaining salad ingredients and place in a large bowl.
- To make the dressing, combine all the dressing ingredients (from ginger through peanut butter) in a jar. Close tightly with a lid and shake vigorously until the peanut butter is dissolved.
- When the edamame and quinoa are cool, add them to the bowl, along with dressing, and toss to coat. Taste and adjust the seasonings, if needed.
Notes
- Look for shelled edamame in the frozen vegetables aisle. If you can’t find it, substitute with frozen peas. Alternatively, add a 15-oz can of drained and rinsed chickpeas in step 5.
- Feel free to use other veg, like radishes, carrots, curly kale, and/or avocado. Alternatively, use bagged coleslaw mix.
- Toast raw sliced almonds in a dry skillet over medium heat, tossing occasionally, until golden. Cool before adding to the salad. (Almonds can be subbed with chopped roasted cashews or peanuts. If you have an allergy, skip them.)
- Peanut butter can be subbed with almond butter or tahini.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/4 of the recipe
- Calories: 340
- Sodium: 653 mg
- Fat: 19 g
- Carbohydrates: 27 g
- Fiber: 6.2 g
- Protein: 15 g
Make-Ahead Tips
This salad is best eaten immediately – or at least within a day of being assembled. After that, the vegetables get soggy and the almonds lose their crunch.
If you want to get a head start – whether for a potluck, picnic, or meal prep – combine all the salad ingredients (except the almonds) in a bowl and keep it in the fridge for up to 1 day. The dressing will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. Add the almonds and dress the salad right before serving.
Serving Suggestions
While this edamame quinoa salad can be a main course on its own (it has 15 grams of protein per serving), it also works as a side dish as part of a larger Asian-inspired feast – with air fryer miso eggplant, sesame garlic tofu, or Chinese eggplant stir-fry.
If you want to make the salad even more filling, top it with this marinated tempeh or toss in some diced avocado.
P.S. If you enjoyed this salad, try my peanut udon salad and veggie poke bowl next!
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