Quinoa Cabbage Crunch Salad

Quinoa Cabbage Crunch Salad, a tasty and textured salad made with red and green cabbage, quinoa, edamame, carrots, green onion, and cilantro in a peanut sauce. Perfect for meal prep!

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🥬 Ingredient notes + substitutions

Salad ingredient notes

• Quinoa: a great protein-packed grain; you can substitute other light and fluffy grains like black rice, bulgur, or amaranth, or omit altogether if needed
• Cabbage: I used both red and green cabbage, however you can use one or the other if you don’t want to purchase (and use up) both
• Edamame: a great source of plant-based protein, choose either fresh or frozen (I used frozen and boiled); you can substitute with other beans, if needed
• Carrots: shredded carrots add flavor and crunch; you can use any other shredded vegetable, if needed
• Fresh cilantro: chopped cilantro adds flavor; if you hate cilantro then try parsley
• Green onion: sliced green onion adds flavor and color; try red onion or omit completely if you don’t have it
• Peanuts: I used raw unsalted peanuts, but you can use roasted and salted if you’d like; chop them for easy bites; substitute with other nuts or seeds if you don’t have peanuts

Sauce ingredient notes

• Peanut butter: the base of the sauce, I used smooth but you can also use chunky; substitute a nut butter if you can’t do peanut
• Soy sauce: a touch of low sodium soy sauce adds flavor to the sauce; use tamari if gluten free
• Lime juice: a bit of acid for balance; lemon juice works, and you could try a touch of orange juice as well but it will be sweeter
• Maple syrup: for a touch of sweetness; you can substitute agave syrup or omit completely if needed
• Rice vinegar: balances the sauce; you can use white wine or apple cider vinegar, but it will change the taste of the sauce
• Sesame oil: a touch for flavor; you can omit to make it oil-free
• Ginger: I used ginger powder because I don’t always keep fresh ginger on hand, but fresh ginger would work beautifully
• Seasonings: salt (I used sea salt) and red pepper flakes (optional, but add a little zing)

👉 Recommended tools: small pots, large salad bowl

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🥣 How to make (step-by-step photos)

1️⃣ Step One: Cook quinoa

Add dry quinoa to a small pot with 1 cup of water. Cover and bring to a boil, then reduce to a low simmer and cook about 15-20 minutes until water is absorbed.

Remove the lid and let sit 5-10 minutes, then fluff with a fork.

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2️⃣ Step Two: Cook edamame

Meanwhile, in a small pot boil water and add fresh or frozen edamame. Boil 5 minutes, or until edamame has become soft (but not mushy). Drain and set aside.

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3️⃣ Step Three: Make the peanut sauce

While the quinoa and edamame is cooking, make the sauce by combining peanut butter, soy sauce (or tamari), lime juice, maple syrup, rice vinegar, sesame oil, ginger powder (or fresh ginger), salt, and red pepper flakes (if using) to a small bowl. Whisk to mix well, then set aside.

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4️⃣ Step Four: Assemble the salad

When quinoa and edamame have cooked the sauce is ready, to a large salad bowl add red cabbage, green cabbage, grated carrots, cilantro, green onion, peanuts, cooked quinoa, and cooked edamame. Drizzle the salad with the peanut sauce, then toss to combine.

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👩‍🍳 Meal prep tips

This salad is a great option for plant-based meal prep. Here are my tips to prep once and eat on repeat:

• Tips for extending freshness. This salad has sturdy ingredients like cabbage that hold up well in the refrigerator over many days, but to extend the storage time you can keep the sauce on the side and only add it when you’re ready to eat.
• Portion into single servings. Make a big batch and then portion out into single serving containers for easy grab-and-go lunches.
• Make it a “backup” salad. Instead of portioning out, keep the salad in the refrigerator as a “backup salad” for last-minute lunches or for when plans changed with your usual meal plan.

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🧊 How to store

Refrigerator storage: Store leftover salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Do not freeze.

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