Crunchy Vegetarian Thai Quinoa Salad with Peanut Dressing

Vegetarian Thai Quinoa Salad has a spicy peanut dressing with quinoa, carrots, edamame, chickpeas, zucchini noodles and topped with raw cashews! Every bite of this vegan quinoa salad will send you over the moon + a mason jar salad option. Ready in under 20 minutes! 

Looking for more Thai Salad Recipes? You need to try my Thai Chicken Mason Jar Salad or my Thai Steak Salad with Peanut Dressing.

Vegetarian Thai Quinoa Salad Recipe

I have been trying to make a concerted effort to eat more vegetarian or vegan meals during the week. Not only do I feel better, it’s honestly my own way to eat more veggies during the week! The biggest factor to staying consistent is making sure that my meals are flavorful because then I don’t even miss the meat or extra protein. Ya know?

Today’s recipe is just that. Flavorful! And honestly, halfway through the meal you’re full. I think it’s the combination of chickpeas and quinoa that really fill you up.

How do you make Quinoa taste good?

This question cracks me up because honestly my husband HATES quinoa, he says it’s flavorless. And truthfully, I agree. If you’re eating quinoa it’s not because it tastes like a brownie. You’re eating it for the nutritional value. Let’s be honest. Here are a couple of ways to spruce up your quinoa to help it taste better:

1. Cook quinoa in vegetable or chicken broth.
2. Add some fresh herbs 
3. Simmer quinoa with sautéed onions and garlic
4. Toss with a light vinaigrette.
5. Squeeze from lemon juice over top and season with salt.
6. Add plenty of cheese – goat cheese, parmesan or even feta cheese

How long does Quinoa Salad last?

If stored properly in an air tight container, most quinoa salad recipes should last 3 to 5 days in the refrigerator.

What is in this Thai Quinoa Salad?

Adding quinoa to any salad is a great way to increase the nutrients and fiber. What I love about this quinoa salad is how many vegetables I was able to sneak in. Each one of these ingredients has a different texture, flavor or added nutrients than the other!

• Quinoa
• Chickpeas
• Carrots
• Bell Pepper
• Edamame
• Zucchini Noodles
• Fresh Cilantro
• Raw Cashews

What in this Peanut Dressing?

Making Peanut Dressing can be a little tricky. You want to have enough acid to cut through the fattiness of the peanut butter but not too much where it’s too tangy to eat. This dressing is the perfect balance of everything. It stays smooth and liquidity instead of firming up in the refrigerator.

• Peanut Butter
• Rice Wine Vinegar
• Sesame Oil
• Maple Syrup
• Tamari (or soy sauce)
• Red Pepper Flakes
• Fresh Ginger
• Fresh Garlic

How to make Vegetarian Thai Quinoa Salad?

1. Make the Peanut Dressing: To a medium bowl add peanut butter, rice wine vinegar, sesame oil, maple syrup, tamari sauce, fresh ginger, fresh garlic and red pepper flakes. Using a whisk, stir everything to mix up until combined and smooth. Set aside.
2. Cook Quinoa: Add quinoa and water to a small sauce pan. Bring to a boil then reduce to simmer for 15 minutes. Remove quinoa from the heat and fluff with a fork. Now you’re ready.
3. Prepare your veggies: Chop up your cucumbers, carrots, red pepper and green onions. Spiralize your zucchini into zucchini noodles.
4. Assemble Large Salad Bowl: To a large bowl add: quinoa, cucumber slices, carrots, red pepper, edamame, zucchini noodles, chickpeas, green onion and cashews. Pour dressing over top and gently toss to coat ingredients with dressing. Serve immediately.
5. For Mason Jar Salad Version: (using for four 32 oz. mason jars with lid) Line up your mason jars. To each jar add 3 tablespoons of the dressing, 1/2 cup cucumber, 1/4 cup carrots, 1/4 of red peppers, 1/3 cup of chickpeas, 1/3 cup of quinoa, 1/4 cup edamame, 1/2 cup zucchini noodles, 1 tablespoon of green onions, 1 tablespoon of raw cashews. (optional: add fresh cilantro too) Put the lid on and store in the refrigerator.

When I first made this recipe, I made it with a friend. Our goal was to make a couple of mason jar salads and then swap so we had a variety of flavors for the week. I ended up loving this recipe so much I made it again and now I’m hooked.

You can make it in a Mason Jar or in a large bowl format for a family dinner. Either way you just need to make it! It’s hearty, flavorful, filling and so easy to make!

Bon Appetit friends!

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