Asian Quinoa Salad Recipe

The combination of light and fluffy quinoa in this salad combined with the slightly zingy Asian Peanut Dressing is a delicious combination. The crunch of the peanuts on top add the perfect touch and make it a favorite recipe of mine.

The first time I tried Quinoa was on a work trip to New York City. We were at the beautiful new Hearst building having lunch with Country Living Magazine colleagues in their amazing cafeteria. I tried a bit on top of a green salad and was instantly hooked. At the time, Quinoa was fairly new to the U.S. and was hard to find. But now, it’s available in most supermarkets. Quinoa is pronounced: keen-waand is a seed that seems much like a grain and is really high in protein.

Asian Quinoa Salad

1 small piece fresh ginger (about 1 1/4 inches)

4 cups vegetable or chicken broth (1 32 ounce carton)

2 cups quinoa

1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons vegetable or canola oil

2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar

4 teaspoons peanut butter

2 teaspoons soy sauce

2 teaspoons honey

1 teaspoon sesame oil

1-2 cloves garlic, minced

1/3 cup diced red bell pepper (1/4″ dice)

1/3 cup diced yellow bell pepper (1/4″ dice)

1/3 cup sliced green onions

Roasted, unsalted peanuts. chopped, for serving (optional)

Cook the quinoa:Peel the ginger and grate enough to equal 1 teaspoon; cover and set aside. Then place the remaining whole piece ginger in a medium-size saucepan. Add the broth and quinoa, and cook according to the quinoa package directions. Discard the ginger and transfer the quinoa to a medium-size salad bowl; set aside to cool.

Make the dressing and salad:Meanwhile, whisk together the oil, vinegar, peanut butter, soy sauce, honey, sesame oil, garlic, and reserved grated ginger in a small bowl until combined. Add the peppers and green onions to the quinoa in the salad bowl; pour the dressing over the top and toss to thoroughly combine. If you wish, sprinkle some peanuts over the salad just before serving.

Images by John Granen

This recipe and many more can be found in my first book, The Farm Chicks in the Kitchen.