Thai Quinoa Salad with Fresh Herbs and Lime Vinaigrette
By Emma Collins
Cook
15 min
Total
30 min
Servings
4
For a light lunch or a colorful side, this Thai quinoa salad brings cooled quinoa together with crisp cucumber, carrot, bell pepper, and fresh herbs. A lime, fish sauce, and red pepper flake dressing gives each forkful bright tang, savory saltiness, and a gentle spicy edge.
The quinoa cooks in a measured ratio of 1 cup quinoa to 1⅔ cups water with salt, rather than a standard package ratio that can leave it mushy. Red bell pepper, grated carrot, seeded English cucumber, scallions, cilantro, and optional mint or basil add color and crispness. The dressing uses fresh lime juice, fish sauce, vegetable oil, sugar, and crushed red pepper flakes, whisked until the sugar dissolves.
Watch for the quinoa's little white tails and for all of the water to be absorbed; those signs indicate cooked grains with the fluffy, slightly crunchy character the salad needs. Cooling it before mixing protects the vegetables' crispness and lets the dressing coat the grains. The common problem is excess moisture: package-style liquid amounts and unseeded cucumber can leave the bowl watery or the quinoa mushy.
Serve it chilled as a side with Asian-style dishes or as a light lunch. For a heartier meal, the article suggests adding cooked shrimp, crab, or lobster. It keeps well for several days in the refrigerator, making it useful for packed lunches; taste and adjust salt, sugar, and lime before serving.
Why you'll love this recipe
- It suits packed lunches because the chilled quinoa and sturdy vegetables keep their crunch, and the recipe specifically notes that the salad holds well for several days.
- Families can serve it as a side for four or a main for two, making the same bowl useful for weeknight dinners or lunches.
- Fresh lime juice, fish sauce, sugar, and red pepper flakes make a balanced dressing that coats the grains with tang, salt, sweetness, and heat.
- Cucumber, carrot, red pepper, and scallions give every portion contrasting crisp textures, which helps a grain-based salad feel substantial without another cooked component.
- The optional mint or basil lets herb preferences stay flexible, while cilantro keeps the Thai-inspired flavor profile present in the finished salad.
- Make-ahead cooks benefit from chilling the quinoa before tossing, since the cold base accepts the dressing and is ready when serving time arrives.
Ingredients
- •1 cup quinoa (rinsed or pre-washed)
- •0.5 tsp salt
- •1.67 cups water (400 ml)
- •1 red bell pepper (cut into bite-sized strips)
- •1 carrot (peeled and grated)
- •1 English cucumber (seeded and diced)
- •2 scallions (white and green parts, finely sliced)
- •0.25 cup fresh cilantro (chopped)
- •2 tbsp fresh mint or basil (chopped, optional)
- •0.25 cup freshly squeezed lime juice (from 3 to 4 limes)
- •2.5 tsp Asian fish sauce
- •1.5 tbsp vegetable oil
- •2 tbsp sugar
- •0.25 tsp crushed red pepper flakes (or less if you do not like heat)
Instructions
- 1
Add the quinoa, salt, and water to a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low, cover, and cook for 15 minutes, until the water is absorbed and the quinoa is cooked.
- 2
Check for the little white tails to sprout from the grains. If the quinoa is not cooked when the liquid is absorbed, add 1 to 2 tablespoons more water.
- 3
Transfer the quinoa to a serving bowl and let it cool in the refrigerator.
- 4
Combine the lime juice, fish sauce, vegetable oil, sugar, and crushed red pepper flakes in a medium bowl. Whisk until the sugar is dissolved.
- 5
Once the quinoa is cool, add the red bell pepper, carrot, cucumber, scallions, fresh herbs, and dressing.
- 6
Toss well.
- 7
Taste and adjust the seasoning with more salt, sugar, and lime juice if necessary.
- 8
Chill in the refrigerator until ready to serve.
- 9
Garnish with more fresh herbs, if desired.
FAQ
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories
263
Protein
7g
Fat
8g
Carbs
42g
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