Edamame and Quinoa Salad
This edamame and quinoa salad is made with crunchy romaine, red cabbage, shredded carrots, fresh cilantro, and roasted cashews. It’s an irresistible blend of flavors and textures that will keep you coming back for more!
I always crave salads with a good crunch, and this edamame and quinoa salad is a perfect example! The texture and big, bold flavors are just so satisfying. Top it all off with a rich, creamy dressing made with peanut butter and soy sauce, and you have yourself a delicious meal that’s super easy to make!
Quinoa and edamame are both excellent sources of plant-based protein. Combined with the boost of healthy fats from the cashews and peanut butter, this is the kind of meal that will give you energy for hours.
It’s also a great recipe for meal prepping! Just wait to add the dressing until you’re ready to eat so the veggies stay as crisp as possible. Combine all the ingredients for the salad, make the dressing in a separate container, store everything in the refrigerator, and you can throw together your salad in a matter of minutes. How great is that?
The crunchy textures, bold and earthy flavors, and creamy dressing make this salad super hearty and delicious. And the rainbow of colors is like a feast for the eyes! Once you try this dish, it’s definitely going to become a lunchtime favorite.
What is Edamame?
Edamame is a soybean that comes in a shell. Only the pods inside the shell are edible, so you may want to buy them pre-shelled for convenience. This can definitely be a time saver! This ingredient is also a nutritional powerhouse. Edamame is high in protein, low in calories and carbs, and a good source of fiber! Plus, it adds a lovely texture to dishes like this salad.
You should be able to pick up edamame at your local grocery store. I usually find mine in the frozen section, but you can sometimes find it fresh as well. Either version works nicely for this recipe.
How to Prepare Quinoa?
There are a bunch of ways to prepare quinoa, but my personal favorite methods include using a rice cooker, cooking it in the Instant Pot, or making it on the stove. Each one is very simple, so feel free to try them out and see which one you like best!
- How to Make Quinoa In a Rice Cooker – This method is probably my favorite. I can set it and forget it, and the quinoa comes out perfectly cooked every time!
- How to Make Quinoa in an Instant Pot – The Instant Pot is a foolproof method that makes fluffy, delicious quinoa in minutes. Just one more reason to love your electric pressure cooker!
- How to Cook Quinoa on the Stovetop – Preparing quinoa on the stovetop is very similar to making rice the same way. Use a two-to-one ratio of water or broth to quinoa, let it simmer for 15-20 minutes until the liquid is absorbed, fluff with a fork, and enjoy!
Substitution Ideas
- If you’re having a hard time finding red cabbage, swap it out for regular cabbage. You could also use a mixture of both!
- Any color bell pepper works. Feel free to use orange, yellow, green, or a combination of your favorites. If you want to add a little heat, throw in some chopped jalapeño slices. For something milder, chopped celery is a good option.
- Don’t have cashews on hand? Peanuts are a great replacement! You can also try almonds, walnuts, pine nuts, or any other varieties.
- If you don’t like cilantro, try using Thai basil instead. It will complement the other flavors beautifully.
- Shredded Brussels sprouts make a great addition or replacement for cabbage. Simply trim the ends, then use the shredding disk on your food processor to shred them in seconds.
Tips & Tricks
- Save time by buying pre-shredded carrots and cabbage. You can also use the shredding attachment on your food processor to get the job done quickly.
- Buying pre-shelled edamame, pre-roasted cashews, or pre-chopped bell peppers are a few more great ways to save some time.
- You can find pre-cooked quinoa in most grocery stores. All you have to do is heat it up and add it to your salad!
- The dressing can be prepared up to 5 days in advance. Store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
How to Make Edamame and Quinoa Salad
In a large bowl, add the romaine, red cabbage, carrots, edamame, quinoa, cilantro, and cashews. Toss to combine.
In a small bowl, whisk together the peanut butter, soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, brown sugar, and garlic powder. Pour the dressing over the salad and toss until the vegetables are well-coated. Serve immediately.
More Salad Recipes
PrintEdamame and Quinoa Salad
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Total Time: 15 minutes
- Yield: 4 1x
- Category: Salad
- Method: No Cook
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegan
Description
This edamame and quinoa salad is made with crunchy romaine, red cabbage, shredded carrots, earthy cilantro, and roasted cashews. It’s an irresistible blend of flavors and textures that will keep you coming back for more!
Ingredients
For the salad
- 4 cups chopped romaine
- 3/4 cup shredded red cabbage
- 3/4 cup shredded carrots
- 1 red bell pepper, chopped
- 1 cup shelled edamame, cooked
- 1 cup cooked quinoa
- 1/4 cup chopped cilantro
- 1/4 cup roasted cashews
For the dressing
- 1/4 cup creamy peanut butter
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
- 2 teaspoons brown sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
Instructions
- In a large bowl, add the romaine, red cabbage, carrots, bell pepper, edamame, quinoa, cilantro, and cashews. Toss to combine.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the peanut butter, soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, brown sugar, and garlic powder.
- Pour the dressing over the salad and toss until the vegetables are well-coated. Serve immediately.
I really love this salad recipe. It was colorful and easy to make, plus the salad dressing elevated the whole flavor of the salad! I would definitely be making this again!
This edamame and quinoa salad is a game-changer! I struggle with what to eat for lunch and this is sooo good for meal prepping. Plus it’s delicious! Will be making this again.
I meal prepped this recipe for lunches last week and it turned out great. It was beautiful and it made me feel good about what I was having for lunch. The flavors were just great together. The girls at work all wanted the recipe 🙂
The sweet, salty and nutty dressing really makes this for me! Plus I’ve always loved edamame.
that was really easy to prepare and all the flavors work so well. Love this salad and specially the dressing used for it. Will be making this again! thank you!
Dressing is very thick? What can I thin with?
Very tasty and so easy to prepare! I’m not usually a fan of dressing, but this one really completed the salad. Such an easy lunch to prepare for the week.