Quinoa Edamame Salad

This Asian-inspired quinoa edamame salad is a quick, easy, and colorful salad that works equally well as a main course or a side dish. Covered in a sesame ginger dressing, this salad is full of fiber and flavor in every bite.

If you’ve been around here for a while, you’ll know I love a make-ahead salad. By combining whole grains, legumes, and hearty veggies, you can easily make a delicious and nutritious salad that lasts in the fridge for multiple days, so you can enjoy it for easy grab-and-go meals, and this easy edamame quinoa salad recipe is exactly that.

Why You’ll Love It

• Keeps Well – This edamame quinoa salad keeps well in the fridge for days, making it a great meal prep salad.
• High in Fiber – The combination of quinoa, edamame, and veggies gives this salad 5 grams of fiber per serving.
• Full of Vegetarian Protein – The combination of edamame and quinoa ensures this salad has 8 grams of plant-based protein per serving.

Ingredients + Substitutions

• Quinoa – To add some plant-based protein to the salad. You can use white quinoa, red quinoa, or tri-color quinoa blend.
• Edamame – To add some more plant-based protein and fiber. You can use whole frozen edamame beans or shell edamame pods if preferred.
• Veggies – A combination of red pepper, carrots, red cabbage, green onion, and cilantro to add some fiber and micronutrients. English cucumber and green cabbage would also work well.
• Sesame Oil – To flavor the salad dressing and add some healthy fats. You can use regular or toasted sesame oil.
• Olive Oil – To add more oil without overpowering the sesame flavor of the dressing.
• Rice Vinegar – To balance the acidity of the dressing, lime juice will also work.
• Soy Sauce – To add some saltiness to the dressing. You can use regular or low-sodium soy sauce.
• Honey – To add a hint of sweetness to the dressing, maple syrup will also work.
• Ginger – To give the dressing a ginger flavor. I recommended using fresh ginger for the best results, but ginger powder will also work. See the notes section of the recipe card for details.
• Garlic – To flavor the dressing. The recipe calls for garlic cloves, but garlic powder will also work. See the notes section of the recipe card for details.
• Sesame Seeds – To serve, although optional. You can use black, white, or toasted sesame seeds.

Serving Suggestion

This quinoa edamame salad is a good source of carbohydrates, fiber, and healthy fats, with a moderate amount of protein. To make it a more balanced meal, I recommend serving with a source of plant or animal protein, such as:

• Grilled Tofu Skewers
• Cilantro Lime Chicken
• Honey Mustard Chicken Thighs
• Grilled Steak

More Quinoa Salad Recipes:

• Lentil and Quinoa Salad
• Asian Quinoa Salad
• Chickpea and Quinoa Salad

Quinoa Edamame Salad

Author: Stephanie Kay

Ready in 30 minutes, this quinoa edamame salad recipe is a colorful and flavorful salad that works well as a dinner side dish, a summer BBQ, or a lunch meal prep idea.

• Author: Stephanie Kay
• Prep Time: 15 minutes
• Cook Time: 15 minutes
• Total Time: 30 minutes
• Yield: 6 servings
• Category: Salads
• Method: Stovetop

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Ingredients

Salad:

• 3/4 cup quinoa, uncooked
• 2 cups frozen edamame, thawed
• 1 red bell pepper, diced
• 1 cup shredded carrots
• 1 cup shredded red cabbage
• 2 green onions, thinly sliced
• 1/4 cup cilantro, finely chopped

Sesame Ginger Dressing:

• 2 tablespoons sesame oil
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon honey, or maple syrup
• 1-inch ginger root, minced or grated
• 1 clove garlic, minced or grated
• Salt, as needed
• Sesame seeds, to serve (optional)

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Instructions

1. Fill a saucepan with water and bring to a boil. Once boiling, add a generous pinch of salt and uncooked quinoa and cook for 15 minutes, or as per package directions, until tender. Once cooked, strain the warm quinoa in a fine mesh colander, rinse under cold water to cool, and shake the colander to remove as much excess water as possible.
2. While the quinoa is cooking, chop the veggies and prepare the dressing. In a small bowl or jar, add the sesame oil, olive oil, rice vinegar, soy sauce, honey, grated ginger, and grated garlic, and whisk until well combined. Taste, adjust seasoning as needed, then set it aside.
3. Once the quinoa is cooked and cooled, prepare the salad. In a large mixing bowl, add the cooked quinoa, thawed edamame, bell pepper, shredded carrot, shredded cabbage, green onion, and cilantro, and toss to combine.
4. Pour the dressing over the cold quinoa salad and toss again to combine. Taste the salad and adjust the seasoning with additional salt and pepper as needed, and top with extra cilantro and sesame seeds as desired.
5. The quinoa edamame salad can be served immediately or stored in an airtight container for up to 4 days.

Notes

To Use Cooked Quinoa: Swap the dry quinoa for 2 1/4 cups of cooked quinoa. Skip step #1 and add the quinoa as per instructions in step #3.

To Use Ground Ginger: Swap the ginger root for 1 teaspoon of ground ginger and add it in step #2.

To Use Garlic Powder: Swap the garlic clove for 1/2 teaspoon of garlic powder and add it in step #2.