Ingredients
Grains
- ¾ cup uncooked quinoa or millet
- 1 ½ cups water
Salad Vegetables
- 2 cups shredded purple cabbage
- 1 cup grated carrot
- 1 cup thinly sliced snow peas or sugar snap peas
- ½ cup chopped cilantro
- ¼ cup thinly sliced green onion
- ¼ cup chopped roasted and salted peanuts, for garnish
Peanut Sauce
- ¼ cup smooth peanut butter
- 3 tablespoons reduced-sodium tamari or soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup or honey
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
- 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger (or 2 teaspoons if you love ginger)
- ½ lime, juiced (about 1 ½ tablespoons)
- Pinch of red pepper flakes
Instructions
- Cook the quinoa: Rinse the quinoa in a fine mesh colander under running water. Combine quinoa and 1 ½ cups water in a medium pot and bring to a gentle boil over medium heat. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until all the water is absorbed, about 10 to 15 minutes. Remove from heat, cover, and let rest for 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork and set aside to cool.
- Prepare the peanut sauce: Whisk together peanut butter and tamari until smooth; if thick, microwave briefly up to 30 seconds to loosen. Add maple syrup or honey, rice vinegar, sesame oil, grated ginger, lime juice, and red pepper flakes. Whisk until fully combined and smooth. Add a bit of water if the sauce is too thick to easily coat the salad.
- Assemble the salad: In a large bowl, combine the cooked quinoa, purple cabbage, grated carrot, snow peas, cilantro, and green onion. Toss to mix. Pour the peanut sauce over the salad and toss until everything is lightly coated. Taste and add a pinch of salt if needed, tossing again.
- Serve and garnish: Divide the salad into individual bowls and garnish with chopped roasted peanuts. To keep peanuts crunchy, store separately and add just before serving.
- Storage: Store any leftovers covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Keeps well and flavors deepen over time.
Notes
- You can substitute millet for quinoa if preferred.
- Adjust the amount of ginger and red pepper flakes based on your spice preference.
- For a vegan version, use maple syrup instead of honey.
- Separate peanuts before storing to keep them crunchy.
- The salad can be served chilled or at room temperature.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Salad
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Thai
- Diet: Vegetarian
