Asian Quinoa Salad with Peanut Dressing
Posted Feb 05, 2018, Updated Dec 05, 2023
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This Asian Quinoa Salad recipe is the perfect side dish or meatless main dish! It’s loaded with veggies, high in protein and tossed with the best peanut dressing!
Say goodbye to run-of-the-Mill, ho-hum salads, and say hello to this Asian Quinoa Salad with Peanut Dressing!
This plate full of plants is anything but boring! Protein-packed quinoa is loaded with veggies and smothered in a creamy hoisin peanut sauce! Plus It’s gluten and dairy free and vegan friendly!
I love this salad because it has a perfect quinoa : vegetable ratio! Every bite is loaded with so many veggies and packed full of flavor! Enjoy this beauty as a meatless main dish or as a side to your favorite protein.
Asian Quinoa Salad: Ingredients & Substitutions
Here are a few possible substitutions in this recipe!
- Vegetables. I included all of our most favorite vegetables that we love in this salad! Feel free to substitute your favorites or omit veggies you do not love, but make sure to use roughly the same total amount of vegetables called for in this recipe.
- Coconut milk. if you do not have coconut milk, water can be substituted in the peanut sauce. However I highly recommend picking up a can of coconut milk to use in this recipe, as it makes the sauce super creamy and flavorful!
- Soy Sauce. Coconut aminos can be used in place of soy sauce!
- Honey. To make this vegan substitute your favorite liquid sweetener such as maple syrup or agave!
- Sesame oil. Peanut oil, or any other neutral tasting oil, is an acceptable substitute in this recipe! Just note that sesame oil adds a super rich and deep flavor to the sauce!
- Garlic & ginger powder. If you would like to use the real thing {e.g. minced garlic and fresh minced ginger} by all means go for it!
How to make Asian Quinoa Salad
The most time consuming part of this recipe is chopping the veggies! But really it’s super simple and straightforward! Here are a few tips to ensure a perfect result every time!
Blanch the broccoli. I personally don’t love raw broccoli, so I blanch it by boiling it in water for about 3 minutes, then immediately rinse it with ice cold water until it is completely cold all the way through. If you enjoy raw broccoli, you can omit this step, however I think pre-cooking helps it soak in the sauce.
Serve room temperate or cold. I enjoyed eating this both cold or warmed up! It’s really up to your personal preferences.
Make a little extra peanut sauce. I found that after it sat in the fridge for 2 days, making an extra batch of peanut sauce and tossing each serving with a little bit of it was a great way to freshen up the salad!
This makes a TON of salad. We enjoy it all week long! If you want a smaller portion simply halve the recipe.
Store
Store in an airtight container for up to 5 days in the refrigerator. I do not recommend freezing this recipe.
FAQs about Quinoa Salad!
Yes! I recommend rinsing quinoa before cooking it! Quinoa has a natural coating called saponin that, if not rinsed off, can cause the final cooked quinoa to taste bitter!
Yes! Here are a few facts about the nutritional benefits of quinoa
Quinoa is a complete protein. This is one of my absolute favorite qualities of quinoa! If you’re like me and prefer to get most of your protein from plant-based sources, then quinoa is a great choice!
Quinoa is gluten-free. So for those of you who have to say no to pasta salads because of the gluten, quinoa salads are a perfectly delicious alternative!
Quinoa is lower in carbohydrates and calories than rice. If you watch your intake of carbs and calories, then quinoa is a great alternative to rice!
Quinoa is high in fiber. I’m always trying to find ways to get more fiber into our diet. Quinoa is a great way to do that!
It’s high in other nutrients. Including but not limited to: iron, magnesium, phosphorous, zinc, calcium, and potassium!
This Asian Quinoa Salad can last for up to 5 days in an airtight container in the refrigerator (if you don’t eat it all much faster)!
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Asian Quinoa Salad with Peanut Dressing
Ingredients
- 1 cup quinoa uncooked
- 2 cups water
- ¼ tsp salt
- 4 cups broccoli cut very small
- 1 cup frozen shelled edamame thawed
- 1 red pepper julienned
- 1 yellow pepper julienned
- 1 green pepper julienned
- 3 carrots julienned
Peanut sauce:
- ¼ cup creamy peanut butter
- 1/4 cup coconut milk
- 2 TBS hoisin sauce
- 2 TBS soy sauce
- 1 TBS honey
- 1 TBS rice vinegar
- ½ TBS sesame oil
- 1/4 tsp ground ginger
- 1/4 tsp garlic powder
- Optional: Cilantro, sesame seeds and green onions to garnish
Instructions
- Cook quinoa according to package instructions. Set aside. (Bring 2 cups of water to a boil. Add quinoa and salt and return to a boil. Reduce heat to simmer and cook for 15 minutes. Let stand for 10 minutes and fluff with a fork).
- Blanch the broccoli: Fill a medium saucepan with a ½” layer of water at the bottom. Bring to a boil.
- Add broccoli and boil for 3 minutes, stirring halfway through.
- Drain broccoli and immediately rinse with cold water until all the broccoli is cold. Set aside.
Make the peanut sauce:
- In a small bowl whisk together sauce ingredients until smooth. If the peanut butter is solid, microwave for 30 seconds to melt it. Set aside.
- Combine vegetables, and quinoa and stir until combined.
- Add peanut sauce and stir to combine. Serve immediately or refrigerate and serve cold.
Video
Notes
Ingredient Substitutions
- Vegetables. Feel free to substitute your favorites or omit veggies you do not love, but make sure to use roughly the same total amount of vegetables called for in this recipe.
- Coconut milk. if you do not have coconut milk, water can be substituted in the peanut sauce.
- Soy Sauce. Coconut aminos can be used in place of soy sauce.
- Honey. To make this vegan substitute your favorite liquid sweetener such as maple syrup or agave.
- Sesame oil. Peanut oil, or any other neutral tasting oil, is an acceptable substitute in this recipe.
- Garlic & ginger powder. If you would like to use minced garlic and fresh minced ginger go for it.
Store
Store in an airtight container for up to 5 days in the refrigerator. I do not recommend freezing this recipe.Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
More delicious quinoa recipes:
- This easy quinoa salad is tossed in a homemade lemon dressing and it’s so light and fresh and delicious!
- Nothing screams summer like this balsamic caprese quinoa salad.
- I make this roasted vegetable honey mustard quinoa salad on repeat!
- This baked quinoa casserole is healthy comfort food at its finest!
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Delicious! I added basil leaves and Romain lettuce (because I had it in the fridge) and it was incredible. Tasted like a deconstructed spring roll. My boyfriend couldn’t get enough and I’m making it again for my mother this weekend. Thanks!
Thank you Julie!! I’m so glad you both loved it! I hope your mom does too!
Wonderful dish. Being a vegan I am always looking for recipes which provide enough protein. This one is the ultimate. Thanks.
This is definitely not a ho-hum salad! I love all of the plant-based goodness you packed in here Laura and I would love a big bowl! These are some of my favorite flavors. 🙂
A TON of salad is the exact right amount for me. I could eat my weight in salad – easily! Love love love all the flavors here!