This Quinoa and Edamame Salad with Ginger Tahini Dressing is packed with vegetables, protein and so many delicious flavors! It’s easy to make and great for weekday lunches or pair with some tofu for a healthy vegan dinner.
I’m back! It feels like we have had one virus after another but I think we’re finally coming up for air. I apologize for missing the last meal plan, I just couldn’t make it happen. But, I’m here today with this delicious Quinoa and Edamame Salad with Ginger Tahini Dressing.
It’s just what my body needed and I’ve been enjoying eating this hearty quinoa salad for lunch each day. This is one of those great recipes where you can add in almost any veggies you have on hand. I even added some crisp apple at the last minute and it worked so well!
Quinoa and Edamame Salad with Ginger Tahini Dressing Ingredients and Substitutions
- Quinoa – Quinoa is a great base grain for a salad. It’s mild flavored and packed with nutrients. You could use any other grain you prefer. You could even use cauliflower rice for a lower carb version.
- Edamame – I used a bag of frozen edamame that I quickly thawed in a colander under hot water. You want to make sure to get the pre-shelled edamame.
- Cabbage – I used thinly sliced green cabbage. Purple cabbage could be used instead of, or in addition to the green cabbage.
- Kale – Kale is a nice hearty green that can stand up to cabbage. I very thinly sliced some curly kale, but Dino kale would work great too.
- Carrot – Spring is coming up, carrot season, and carrots just naturally happened to go with the salad. They add some nice crunch.
- Red Onion – I love adding raw red onion to my salads, but if you don’t like that sharp flavor, you can instead just use green onion.
- Apple – The apple was a very last minute addition to this salad, but it really worked! It adds a nice sweet crunch and apple goes well with the flavors in this Asian inspired quinoa salad. You could also use pear or even mandarin oranges. If you don’t love fruit in your salad, you can just omit the apple.
- Fresh Herbs – I used parsley because that is all I had in the house, but I would really recommend using cilantro and/or green onion and mint. Those flavors would compliment the salad the most.
- Toasted Sesame Seeds – I love the taste of toasted sesame seeds so I like to add a tablespoon or two, either mixed in at the end or to the top of my individual portion. You could also use toasted cashews or sliced almonds for a nutty crunch. Sesame sticks would be great too!
- Ginger Tahini Dressing – This easy dressing is made using tahini, lime juice, tamari, vinegar, maple syrup, ginger, garlic, salt and pepper. You could also use an Asian style store-bought dressing or peanut sauce if you don’t want to make your own!
How To Make Quinoa and Edamame Salad with Tahini Dressing
- Get your quinoa cooking. Rinse one cup dry quinoa under cold water and then add to a small saucepan. Cover with two cups of water, place the lid on, and bring to a simmer. Once simmering, turn the heat all the way down and let cook until all the water is gone, 15-20 minutes. You can let you quinoa cool completely or use immediately.
- Thinly slice your cabbage, kale, red onion, apple and carrots. I like to julienne longer, bite sized pieces of the cabbage, kale, onion and apple. For the carrot, I used a vegetable peeler to peel thick peels off and then I roughly chopped those up. Grated carrot is great too. If using frozen edamame, you can quickly thaw under warm water for a couple of minutes.
- Make the tahini ginger dressing. Add all dressing ingredients to a small bowl and mix until combined. I didn’t end up having to thin mine out with any water, but if your tahini is particularly thick you can add a couple of tablespoons of water to thin out your dressing. I like to give the dressing a taste and then adjust flavors, as needed.
- To a large bowl, add the quinoa, edamame, cabbage, kale, red onion, carrot, apple and fresh herbs. Pour the dressing over the salad and mix until everything is combined well. Add the toasted sesame seeds and mix again. Season with salt, to taste.
Quinoa and Edamame Salad Frequently Asked Questions
- Is this recipe gluten free? Yes! Just make sure to use gluten free tamari in the dressing.
- Is this recipe vegan? Yes!
- Can I add extra vegetables? Of course! The amount of salad dressing is pretty perfect for the amount of ingredients in the recipes, so if you are adding a lot more veggies, you may want to make a little extra dressing.
- Is there a substitute for the tahini? Yes, you could also use peanut butter or another almond butter of choice.
- Can I make this quinoa salad ahead of time? Yes, this salad is great for making ahead of time because it has hearty vegetables like cabbage and kale. Just make sure to store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
- Can I use a store-bought dressing? Of course, I would recommend a simple Asian style dressing if you can find it.
- How long will this quinoa salad stay good in the refrigerator? If stored in an airtight container, it should last 4-5 days.
Have a question I didn’t answer? Ask me in the comment section below and I will get back to you ASAP!
Looking For More Delicious Vegan Quinoa Recipes?
One Pot Coconut Curry Quinoa and Lentils
BBQ Black Bean and Quinoa Tacos
Sweet Potato Quinoa and Veggie Enchilada Bake
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Quinoa and Edamame Salad with Ginger Tahini Dressing
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 6 1x
- Diet: Vegan
Description
This Quinoa and Edamame Salad with Ginger Tahini Dressing is packed with vegetables, protein and so many delicious flavors! It’s easy to make and great for weekday lunches or pair with some tofu for a healthy vegan dinner.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 cup quinoa, dry
- 12 oz shelled edamame, about 2 cups
- 3 cups thinly sliced green cabbage
- 2–3 cups thinly sliced curly kale
- 1 1/2 cups grated carrot
- 1 large apple, cored and thinly sliced
- 1/2 medium red onion, thinly sliced
- 1/2 cup fresh herbs, such as cilantro, green onion or mint
- 1–2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds
Ginger Tahini Dressing
- 1/2 cup tahini
- 1/4 cup fresh lime juice
- 2 1/2 tablespoons tamari, or soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon pure maple syrup
- 1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar, or white vinegar
- 1 teaspoon grated ginger
- 1 teaspoon grated garlic, 1-2 cloves
- Salt and red pepper flakes, to taste
- Water for thinning out, if needed
Instructions
- Get your quinoa cooking. Rinse one cup dry quinoa under cold water and then add to a small saucepan. Cover with two cups of water, place the lid on, and bring to a simmer. Once simmering, turn the heat all the way down and let cook until all the water is gone, 15-20 minutes. You can let you quinoa cool completely or use immediately.
- Thinly slice your cabbage, kale, red onion, apple and carrots. I like to julienne longer, bite sized pieces of the cabbage, kale, onion and apple. For the carrot, I used a vegetable peeler to peel thick peels off and then I roughly chopped those up. Grated carrot is great too. If using frozen edamame, you can quickly thaw under warm water for a couple of minutes.
- Make the tahini ginger dressing. Add all dressing ingredients to a small bowl and mix until combined. I didn’t end up having to thin mine out with any water, but if your tahini is particularly thick you can add a couple of tablespoons of water to thin out your dressing. I like to give the dressing a taste and then adjust flavors, as needed.
- To a large bowl, add the quinoa, edamame, cabbage, kale, red onion, carrot, apple and fresh herbs. Pour the dressing over the salad and mix until everything is combined well. Add the toasted sesame seeds and mix again. Season with salt, to taste.
Notes
Lots of notes on how to store quinoa salad and ingredient substitutions in the post text!
- Prep Time: 10 mins
- Cook Time: 20 mins
- Category: Salad, Vegan
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Asian Inspired
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