Thai Quinoa Crunch Salad: A Refreshing Healthy Delight! Recipe
This Thai Quinoa Crunch Salad is a vibrant, refreshing, and healthy dish combining fluffy quinoa with crisp vegetables and a zesty, flavorful dressing. Perfect as a light lunch or a nutritious side, it boasts a delightful texture from crunchy peanuts and sesame seeds, enhanced by a tangy lime and soy dressing with subtle hints of ginger and garlic.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Salad
- Method: Simmering and Tossing
- Cuisine: Thai
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
Scale
Quinoa Base
- 1 cup quinoa, rinsed and drained
- 2 cups water
Vegetables
- 1 cup red bell pepper, diced
- 1 cup cucumber, diced
- 1 cup shredded carrots
- 1 cup green onions, sliced
- 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
Crunchy Toppings
- 1/2 cup chopped peanuts
- 1/4 cup sesame seeds
Dressing
- 1/4 cup soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons lime juice
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Cook the Quinoa: In a medium saucepan, combine quinoa and water. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for about 15 minutes or until quinoa is fluffy and water is absorbed. Remove from heat and let it cool completely.
- Combine Salad Ingredients: In a large bowl, mix the cooled quinoa with diced red bell pepper, cucumber, shredded carrots, sliced green onions, chopped cilantro, chopped peanuts, and sesame seeds to create the salad base.
- Prepare the Dressing: In a small bowl, whisk together soy sauce, lime juice, honey, sesame oil, grated ginger, minced garlic, salt, and pepper until well combined and smooth.
- Toss Salad with Dressing: Pour the dressing over the quinoa and vegetable mixture. Toss thoroughly to ensure all ingredients are evenly coated with the dressing.
- Chill the Salad: Refrigerate the salad for at least 30 minutes to allow the flavors to meld and deepen.
- Serve: Serve the Thai Quinoa Crunch Salad chilled or at room temperature as a light meal or side dish.
Notes
- For added protein, consider mixing in cooked chicken or tofu.
- You can substitute the peanuts with sunflower seeds for a nut-free version.
- Adjust lime juice and honey in the dressing to make it sweeter or tangier according to your taste preference.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving (about 1.5 cups)
- Calories: 220 kcal
- Sugar: 5 g
- Sodium: 500 mg
- Fat: 9 g
- Saturated Fat: 1 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 28 g
- Fiber: 4 g
- Protein: 7 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
Keywords: Thai quinoa salad, healthy quinoa recipe, crunchy salad, vegetarian salad, Thai dressing, quinoa and vegetables
