on Mar 20, 2017, Updated Jul 04, 2024 This Thai peanut mango quinoa salad is inspired by summer afternoons spent walking in the shady and tropical lanes of Thailand. This salad has everything going for it – it’s nutty and has a bite from the quinoa and peanuts, sweetness from mangoes and pineapples, and is loaded with crunchy veggies. Plus the insanely delicious sweet spicy Thai sambal dressing will surely have you licking the back of your spoon.
Reasons You’ll Love This Recipe
A super refreshing and delicious summer salad that will prove that healthy food can also be yummy! A great way to include fresh summer ingredients into your family’s diet Super nutritional. Loaded with herbs, veggies, and quinoa, this salad is low in carbs and a rich source of fiber, vitamins, and other nutrients Customisable. You can add or remove any veggies based on what you have available Perfect potlucks or when you want to make something for a large crowd Can be made ahead as it tastes a lot better after a few hours
Ingredients You’ll Need
For the salad:
Quinoa: Cooked until tender. You can replace it with brown rice if that’s more easily available to you.
Veggies: I have used carrots, Chinese cabbage, red cabbage, and baby corn for this salad. You can use any other veggies of your choice depending on availability and personal preference.
Fruits: I have used diced mango and pineapples for hint of sweetness and lots of textural variety.
Herbs: Roughly torn mint and basil leaves for lots of freshness.
Peanuts: Gently roasted to deliver lots of crunch and a beautiful nutty flavor that’s authentic to Thai cuisine.
For the dressing:
Sambal Oelek: For lots of spice and heat. A little goes a long way. I used a store-bought sambal oelek, but you can easily make yours at home. Here’s a recipe I really like.
Soy Sauce: For saltiness and umami.
Honey: For a hint of sweetness.
Ginger: Minced. For flavor and aroma
Rice Vinegar: Adds a hint of sour freshness to every bite!
Olive Oil: Forms the base of the dressing. Olive oil is really light and works really well in this salad. I would not recommend subbing it with any other type of oil.
Salt: For flavor and seasoning.
Tips To Make The Thai Peanut Mango Quinoa Salad
Wash the quinoa thoroughly for at least a few times before cooking it in order to prevent it from turning bitter. If you cannot Chinese cabbage, feel free to replace it with lettuce Super customisable. You can add or remove any veggies based on availability and personal preference. Some other veggies that would taste good in this salad are red and yellow bellpeppers, cucumber, zucchini, and broccoli.
A bite into this salad and you’ll be hit with a wave of freshness, which will surely make you forget just how hot Indian summers can be. This Thai Salad is also super meal prep friendly, so if you have cooked quinoa and chopped veggies in the fridge, this salad comes together in minutes. Eat it by itself or make some quick garlic bread, either way this is a salad you won’t be able to have enough of! This post is sponsored by our good friends at Chumbak who always make designs that inspire and awe!
More Quinoa Recipes You Can Try
Mediterranean Quinoa Salad Beet and Goat Cheese Quinoa Patties Southwest Chicken Quinoa Bean Salad Healthy Quinoa Apple Kheer
