Nutty Rainbow Veggie Quinoa Crunch Salad
This nutty rainbow veggie quinoa crunch salad (say that 10 times fast) packs an eye-popping punch of nourishing veggies. Boasting both high protein and fiber counts, it's a light summer lunch that satisfies in a big way.
Prep Time20 minutes mins
Cook Time15 minutes mins
Total Time35 minutes mins
Course: Salad
Keyword: gluten-free, plant-based, vegan
Servings: 6 servings
Author: Ashley Melillo | Blissful Basil
Rainbow Veggie Quinoa Crunch Salad
- 2 cups uncooked quinoa (white or red)
- 3 ½ cups filtered water
- 2 cups frozen shelled edamame, thawed
- 8 ounces mini bell peppers or regular bell peppers, cored and julienned
- 3 to 5 cups finely shredded red or green cabbage (or a mix of both), to taste
- 4 to 6 scallions, ends trimmed and thinly sliced, to taste
- 1 jalapeño, thinly sliced (optional for a kick)
- ½ cup packed cilantro leaves, finely chopped
- ⅓ to ⅔ cup chopped roasted peanuts or whole roasted sunflower kernals, to taste
- 3 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds
Nutty Sesame Dressing
- ¼ cup natural peanut butter, almond butter, sunflower butter, or tahini
- 3 tablespoons rice vinegar
- 3 tablespoons tamari or soy sauce
- 3 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
- 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
For the Quinoa
Thoroughly rinse the quinoa in a fine-mesh sieve or colander.
Bring the water to a boil in a large saucepan. Add the quinoa, return to a boil, and cook over medium heat for 10 to 12 minutes, uncovered, or until the quinoa has absorbed most of the water, stirring occasionally.
Remove from the heat, fluff with a fork, cover, and let stand for 5 minutes.
While the quinoa cooks, prepare the veggies and other quinoa add-ins.
Transfer the cooked quinoa to a large bowl and stir in the edamame, peppers, cabbage, scallions, cilantro, peanuts/sunflower seeds, and sesame seeds. Set aside.
For the Dressing
Whisk together the nut/seed butter, vinegar, tamari, sesame oil, and maple syrup.
To Assemble
Pour the dressing over the salad and toss to coat.
Taste and adjust seasonings, adding more tamari, vinegar, maple, etc. if desired. (I leave the salad as is but serve my portion/s with a few more splashes of rice vinegar over top—loving that vinegary tang at the moment.)
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.