Quinoa Edamame Salad with Peanut Sauce

This cold quinoa edamame salad is made with simple ingredients and a savory peanut sauce. This is a convenient vegetarian meal that is perfect for meal prep lunches!

Quinoa, cabbage, and edamame combine with a savory peanut sauce and a handful of garnishes to deliver a burst of flavor and texture in these quinoa edamame bowls.

This has to be one of the simplest meal recipes on my site because it's less of a recipe and more of a combination of convenient ingredients. As always, there are so many ways to make this quinoa salad your own!

Recipe features

• Quick & easy: Comes together in just under 30 minutes using nourishing convenience foods like coleslaw mix and frozen edamame.
• Textures and flavors: This is a crunchy, crisp, and refreshing cold quinoa salad. The homemade peanut sauce adds nuttiness, saltiness, and a hint of spice.
• Easy to customize: Add extra protein with tofu, peanuts, etc. For extra veggies, add diced cucumber or bell peppers.

Ingredients

• Quinoa: Any variety of quinoa works. If you're not a fan of quinoa, try using basmati rice or pearl couscous.
• Edamame: I buy frozen "mukimame" which is just edamame with the shell removed.
• Peanut sauce: This is a combination of creamy peanut butter, soy sauce, rice vinegar, garlic chili sauce, and sesame oil. You can also use storebought peanut sauce to save on time.
• Garnishes: Cilantro, lime, and green onion add a ton of flavor. Don't skip these! Unless, of course, you don't like them.

Variations and tips

• When I make quinoa I often make a double batch and freeze half of it. When ready to use the quinoa, simply let it thaw overnight in the fridge or reheat in the microwave in 2-3 minutes.
• Extra protein: Simple baked tofu or sesame tofu are two easy ways to add extra plant-based protein. You can also add chopped peanuts or hemp seeds, or add a can of chickpeas.
• Extra veggies: Diced cucumber, diced bell pepper, and broccoli are all great additions. You can use a head of cabbage in place of coleslaw mix if you don't mind a little bit of chopping.
• This salad is best served chilled. The edamame can just be thawed at room temperature to reach a "chilled" temperature, but the quinoa will need to chill in the fridge for at least 2-3 hours. I find it's easiest to just assemble the salad and let it all chill together in the fridge.

Looking for more grain salads?

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