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My Favourite Quinoa Salad Recipe

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★★★★★

4.7 from 139 reviews

A vibrant, nutritious quinoa salad bursting with fresh vegetables and a flavorful Asian-inspired dressing. This salad combines tri-color quinoa with crisp cucumber, shredded carrot, red cabbage, edamame, and cherry tomatoes, finished with a tangy, savory dressing and crunchy wasabi peas for a satisfying texture contrast.

Ingredients

Scale

Quinoa

  • 1 cup tri-colour quinoa
  • 2 cups water

Vegetables

  • 1 cup cucumber, finely diced
  • 1 medium carrot, peeled and finely shredded
  • 3 cups red cabbage, finely shredded (~1/4 small or 1/8 large cabbage)
  • 2 green onions, finely sliced
  • 250g/8oz cherry tomatoes, small quartered or large cut into 6
  • 1 cup shelled edamame, cooked and cooled
  • 1 red capsicum/bell pepper, finely chopped
  • 1/2 cup coriander/cilantro leaves, finely chopped

Dressing

  • 5 tbsp soy sauce (light or all-purpose)
  • 2 tbsp mirin
  • 2 tbsp rice wine vinegar (or substitute cider, sherry, or champagne vinegar)
  • 2 tbsp toasted sesame oil
  • 2 1/2 tbsp canola, vegetable, or grapeseed oil
  • 2 1/2 tbsp Kewpie mayonnaise (or whole-egg mayo like Hellman’s or S&W)
  • 2 1/2 tsp sugar (white or brown)
  • 2 tsp freshly grated ginger
  • 1 garlic clove, crushed or finely grated

Toppings

  • 1/3 cup crushed wasabi peas
  • 1 tbsp toasted sesame seeds

Instructions

  1. Cook Quinoa: Preheat the oven to 200°C/390°F (180°C fan). Spread the dry quinoa evenly on a baking tray and bake for 15 minutes, stirring halfway through, until it turns lightly browned and emits a nutty aroma.
  2. Rinse Quinoa: Transfer toasted quinoa to a fine mesh sieve and rinse under running water for about 10 seconds to remove excess starch. Shake off the water thoroughly.
  3. Simmer Quinoa: Place the rinsed quinoa in a medium saucepan with 2 cups of water. Cover with a lid, bring to a simmer over medium heat, then reduce to low and let simmer for 15 minutes or until all the water is absorbed. Tilt the pot to check for any remaining water.
  4. Rest Quinoa: Remove the saucepan from heat keeping the lid on, and let it rest for 10 minutes to finish steaming.
  5. Fluff and Cool: Remove the lid, fluff the quinoa gently with a fork, and allow it to cool completely. Spreading it on a tray can speed up the cooling process.
  6. Prepare Dressing: In a jar, combine soy sauce, mirin, rice wine vinegar, toasted sesame oil, canola oil, mayonnaise, sugar, grated ginger, and crushed garlic. Shake well until all ingredients are emulsified.
  7. Assemble Salad: In a large bowl, combine the cooled quinoa with cucumber, shredded carrot, red cabbage, green onions, cherry tomatoes, edamame, red capsicum, and chopped coriander leaves.
  8. Toss Salad with Dressing: Pour the dressing over the quinoa and vegetable mixture, tossing thoroughly to coat all ingredients evenly.
  9. Garnish and Serve: Transfer the salad to a large serving platter or individual bowls. Generously sprinkle crushed wasabi peas and toasted sesame seeds over the top. Serve immediately and enjoy!

Notes

  • Use tri-colour quinoa for visual appeal, but any color quinoa works.
  • Finely dice cucumber to ensure crisp and evenly textured bites throughout the salad.
  • Peeling and shredding the carrot finely helps it blend well with the other ingredients.
  • Cook and cool edamame as per package instructions before adding to the salad to maintain texture.
  • Light or all-purpose soy sauce works best to balance saltiness without overpowering.
  • Mirin can be found in Asian markets; it adds a mild sweetness and depth to the dressing.
  • Use toasted sesame oil for a rich nutty flavor contrast.
  • Kewpie mayonnaise adds creaminess with a slight tang but whole-egg mayonnaise alternatives can be used.
  • Crushing wasabi peas adds a spicy crunch contrast to the salad.
  • Toast sesame seeds beforehand for enhanced aroma and crunch.
  • Spreading quinoa on a tray after cooking helps it cool faster and prevents clumping.

Keywords: quinoa salad, healthy salad, vegetarian quinoa, Asian salad, wasabi peas, edamame salad, fresh vegetable salad

Find it online: https://todayquickmeals.com/my-favourite-quinoa-salad-recipe/