Eat the rainbow with this colorful Thai-inspired edamame crunch salad! It's packed with vibrant veggies and drizzled in a creamy peanut sauce dressing.
About This Recipe
This salad uses a base of quinoa topped with a mix of bright vegetables, edamame, and cashews. Every bite is loaded with texture and flavor. The best part of the recipe is the peanut sauce, which will quickly become your new favorite salad dressing!
Ready in 30 minutes, this recipe is simple and quick when you're craving a meal with plenty of flavor and nutrition. It can be served for lunch or dinner, and it also works well for meal prep.
Ingredients
Here's what you'll need to make this recipe. The full recipe and ingredient list can be found at the bottom of the page.
- Quinoa
- Red cabbage
- Frozen edamame
- Red bell pepper
- Shredded carrots
- Peanuts
- Green onions
- Cilantro
Peanut Sauce Dressing:
- Smooth peanut butter
- Low-sodium soy sauce
- Lime
- Rice vinegar
- Maple syrup
- Red pepper flakes (optional)
How to Make Edamame Crunch Salad
To make this recipe, cook your quinoa and add it to large bowl along with the other salad ingredients. Next, mix together your peanut sauce, drizzle it over the salad and toss until everything is coated.
If you have time, let the salad sit in the fridge for 10 minutes before serving it, which allows the flavors to marinate and the salad to chill.
For the full ingredient list and instructions, refer to the complete recipe at the bottom of the page.
Ingredient Notes
Here are a few popular ingredient additions and substitutions for this recipe:
Red Bell Pepper: Any color bell pepper is tasty in this recipe.
Edamame: This recipe calls for frozen shelled edamame, which means that it's been taken out of its shell. You can use any type of cooked edamame (frozen or fresh).
Peanuts: These provide a satisfying crunch and a creamy texture. You can substitute with almonds or cashews if preferred.
Cilantro: If you're not a fan of cilantro you can leave this out.
Peanut Butter: You can use any nut butter to make the salad dressing (cashew, almond, etc).
Maple Syrup: This adds extra sweetness to the dressing. Swap this out for honey or your preferred sweetener. Feel free to use more or less depending on personal preference.
About The Peanut Sauce Dressing
The creamy, thick Peanut Sauce Dressing is the star of this salad! You can also customize it to your preferences by adding more maple syrup for sweetness or red pepper flakes for spice.
This is a go-to peanut sauce recipe that I use in any salad that I can! It's a favorite because it adds so much flavor and heartiness. I also love it in my Thai Crunch Salad and Cabbage Peanut Salad.
Dressing Options
Any peanut-based dressing would be tasty for this salad. Here are a few other salad dressing ideas:
- Creamy Tahini dressing
- Sesame Ginger Dressing
- A simple vinaigrette, like our Everyday Salad Dressing
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, the peanut sauce dressing can be prepared in advance and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week. Stir well before using.
Yes, this recipe calls for 2 cups of frozen edamame. You'll need to thaw the edamame before using it. Shelled edamame (with shells removed) is recommended for convenience.
You can thaw your frozen edamame in a few ways. Leave it in the fridge overnight, microwave it for 3-4 minutes, or add it to boiling water for 1-2 minutes. With all thawing methods, rinse the edamame under cold water and drain excess water before adding to the salad.
Most bags of frozen edamame have specific thawing instructions on the back that you can follow.
How to Serve
This recipe is best served cold. After tossing your salad, keep it in the fridge for about 10 minutes to allow it to chill and the flavors to marinate.
Because of its satisfying peanut sauce and protein-rich edamame, this salad is hearty enough to serve as a full meal for lunch or dinner. It's also a great recipe to make as meal prep because the flavors strengthen as they sit and marinate in the fridge.
How to Store
In the fridge: Store your leftover salad in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 5 days. To help preserve the texture, store the dressing in a separate container and toss it with the salad just before serving.
For meal prep: Prepare the salad according to the instructions and divide it into serving-size containers. To help keep the salad fresh, store the dressing separately and toss it with the salad just before serving it or the morning before you plan to eat it.
Top Tips
- Add Another Protein: Add chicken, tofu, or shrimp as another source of protein in your salad.
- Get Creative: Don't be afraid to customize the salad with your favorite vegetables or toppings. Cucumbers, green cabbage, or toasted sesame seeds would all be great additions.
- Chill Your Salad: This salad is best served cold, and if you let it sit in the fridge for about 10 minutes before serving it, the salad will be the perfect chilled temperature.
More Quinoa Salads
For other delicious quinoa salads, check out these favorites:
If you make this recipe, be sure to leave a comment & rating at the bottom of this page!
Print
Edamame Crunch Salad
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 4-6 servings 1x
- Diet: Vegan
Description
Eat the rainbow with this colorful Thai-inspired edamame crunch salad! It's packed with vibrant veggies and drizzled in a creamy peanut sauce dressing.
Ingredients
- 1 cup uncooked quinoa
- ½ head red cabbage, shredded (about 3 cups)
- 1 red bell pepper, diced
- 2 cups frozen edamame, thawed*
- 1 cup shredded carrots
- ¾ cup salted peanuts, chopped
- ½ cup chopped green onions
- ¼ cup chopped cilantro
Peanut dressing:
- ½ cup smooth peanut butter
- ¼ cup low-sodium soy sauce
- 1 lime, juiced
- 3 tablespoons rice vinegar
- 3 tablespoons water
- 1 tablespoon pure maple syrup (or honey)
- Pinch of red pepper flakes
Instructions
- Rinse the quinoa in a fine mesh strainer. Add it to 2 cups of water in a medium saucepan over high heat. Bring to a boil, cover, and turn the heat to low. Let the quinoa simmer for 15 minutes, until cooked. Once cooked, fluff with a fork and set aside to cool.
- In a small bowl, stir together the ingredients for the dressing. Add 3 tablespoons of water and then add more water if needed to thin the dressing to your preferred consistency.
- Add the quinoa to a large bowl with the remaining salad ingredients. Drizzle the dressing on top and toss to mix.
- For best flavor, chill your salad for 10 minutes or more (covered, in the fridge) before serving.
Notes
*To thaw your edamame, leave it in the fridge overnight. Alternatively, add it to boiling water for 1-2 minutes or microwave it for 3-4 minutes, until hot. Rinse under cold water and drain excess water before adding to the salad.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Salad
- Cuisine: Thai-inspired
Nutrition
- Serving Size: ⅕ of recipe
- Calories: 434
- Sugar: 11.1g
- Sodium: 339mg
- Fat: 21.3g
- Saturated Fat: 3.8g
- Carbohydrates: 54.1g
- Fiber: 14.8g
- Protein: 18.7g
- Cholesterol: 0mg
Keywords: quinoa, peanut, peanut sauce, cashew, edamame, winter, summer, spring, cabbage, red cabbage, thai, peanut dressing, cold, lunch, dinner, easy, healthy
Nutrition disclaimer: nutrition information is an estimate to the best of our availability; please note that nutrition information will vary based on the exact products and quantities used.
Bella
This meal is a staple in our household. Full of flavour and texture!
★★★★★
Sue
I've been researching this type of salad for days and you're the only one that uses this much quinoa - you really use the entire 3 cups of quinoa that the 1 cup of uncooked will yield?
Megan
Yes, you'll want to use 1 cup of uncooked quinoa, yielding 3 cups of cooked quinoa. This will serve as the base of the recipe and allows the recipe to make about 4-6 servings total 🙂