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    You are here: Home / Recipes / Main Dishes / Peanut Quinoa Salad

    Peanut Quinoa Salad

    Posted: Nov 12, 2019 Last Modified: Nov 26, 2019 by Carmy · This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Jump to Recipe - Print Recipe

    This healthy vibrant Peanut Quinoa Salad drizzled with a creamy peanut sauce is perfect for your next meal prep, potluck, or picnic! Packed with protein, this salad is delicious served warm or chilled.

    This healthy vibrant Peanut Quinoa Salad drizzled with a creamy peanut sauce is going to be perfect for your next meal prep, potluck, or picnics! Delicious chilled or served warm.

    Disclaimer: This post was written in partnership with The Peanut Institute. Take the 30/30 Peanut Challenge with me where we incorporate 30 peanuts or two tablespoons of peanut butter into our daily diet for 30 days! Click here to enter the Peanut Basket Giveaway from The Peanut Institute.

    Peanut Quinoa Salad  

    Let me introduce you to the easiest and most versatile salad ever. This Peanut Quinoa Salad can be customized a zillion different ways. Itcan be made ahead of time, works as a potluck dish or as a meal prep, and is healthy!

    In my Homemade Peanut Butter post, I mentioned that I was taking The Peanut Institute’s 30/30 Peanut Challenge where we incorporate 30 peanuts or two tablespoons of peanut butter into our daily diet for 30 days. This peanut quinoa salad has you covered for that. You’ve got peanuts on top, you’ve got peanuts in the dressing, and you’re definitely going to hit your daily peanut quota with this!

    What You’ll Need To Make This Peanut Quinoa Salad

    • smooth peanut butter (see how to make your own homemade pb here)
    • soy sauce
    • rice vinegar
    • lime juice
    • olive oil

    creamy peanut sauce for salad

    • quinoa
    • carrots
    • edamame beans
    • spinach
    • roasted peanuts

    ingredients to make an easy quinoa salad with peanut dressing

    • leftover shredded chicken

    shredded chicken thighs

    Is this Peanut Quinoa Salad Healthy?

    Yes! Let’s go over why peanuts are so amazing and why this peanut quinoa salad is a healthy addition to your meal plan.

    • Eating peanuts regularly can reduce your chances of developing cardiovascular disease by about 30%
    • A serving of peanuts (one ounce) is about 30 peanuts
    • There are 7g of protein per serving of peanuts
    • It costs less than 30 cents for two servings of peanuts which makes it a very low-cost source of protein!
    • Peanuts are nutrient-rich and low in carbohydrates
    • Peanuts are a great source of dietary fibre
    • This salad is also packed with greens (low in calories but high in iron from the spinach)
    • Quinoa is high in fibre and protein as well as iron and potassium
    • To bulk up the salad some more, I added chicken. This is optional but it turns the salad from a side into a main meal for me and it adds even more protein to the overall salad. 

    How To Make This Protein Packed Peanut Quinoa Salad

    In a small bowl, combine peanut butter, soy sauce, rice vinegar, lime juice, and olive oil. Stir until combined and set aside.

    In a small pot, bring to a boil 2 cups of water or broth before adding in the quinoa. Keeping the lid on, decrease the heat to low and let it simmer for 15-20 minutes, until the quinoa has cooked through.

    Once done, you have two options, combine half the peanut sauce with the quinoa and mix all the ingredients then add additional peanut sauce as needed or combine all your ingredients and then add in the peanut sauce.

    To meal prep: if you prefer this warm, I would hold off adding the spinach into the main container. This way you don’t get soggy spinach when you reheat it at work or school.

    If making ahead for a party: prepare the peanut sauce up to 3 days in advance and store it in an airtight container in the fridge. The quinoa can also be made the night before and chill in the fridge overnight.

    This healthy vibrant Peanut Quinoa Salad drizzled with a creamy peanut sauce is going to be perfect for your next meal prep, potluck, or picnics! Delicious chilled or served warm.

    How to Customize or Change up this Peanut Quinoa Salad

    Here are other things you can add to change up this salad

    • shredded red cabbage
    • red onions
    • snap peas
    • cucumbers
    • bell peppers
    • broccoli
    • cilantro and basil
    • chickpeas
    • mangoes, if they’re in season
    • grated ginger in the peanut sauce
    • sriracha sauce in the peanut sauce
    This healthy vibrant Peanut Quinoa Salad drizzled with a creamy peanut sauce is going to be perfect for your next meal prep, potluck, or picnics! Delicious chilled or served warm.

    Peanut Quinoa Salad

    This healthy vibrant Peanut Quinoa Salad drizzled with a creamy peanut sauce is going to be perfect for your next meal prep, potluck, or picnics! Packed with protein, this salad is delicious chilled or served warm.
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    Prep Time: 5 minutes mins
    Cook Time: 25 minutes mins
    Total Time: 30 minutes mins
    Servings: 3 servings

    Ingredients

    Peanut Sauce

    • 1 cup smooth peanut butter
    • 5-6 tbsp soy sauce
    • 2 tbsp rice vinegar
    • 2 tbsp lime juice
    • 1/4 cup olive oil

    Salad

    • 1 cup quinoa
    • 1-2 carrots, shredded or sprialized
    • 1 cup edamame beans
    • 5 cups spinach
    • 2 cups leftover chicken
    • 1/2 cup roasted peanuts

    Instructions

    • In a small bowl, combine peanut butter, soy sauce, rice vinegar, lime juice, and olive oil. Stir until combined and set aside.
    • In a small pot, bring to a boil 2 cups of water or broth before adding in the quinoa. Keeping the lid on, decrease the heat to low and let it simmer for 15-20 minutes, until the quinoa has cooked through.
    • Once done, you have two options, combine half the peanut sauce with the quinoa and mix all the ingredients then add additional peanut sauce as needed or combine all your ingredients and then add in the peanut sauce.
    • To meal prep: if you prefer this warm, I would hold off adding the spinach into the main container. This way you don’t get soggy spinach when you reheat it at work or school.
    • If making ahead for a party: prepare the peanut sauce up to 3 days in advance and store it in an airtight container in the fridge. The quinoa can also be made the night before and chill in the fridge overnight.

    Notes

    This recipe can be easily doubled for tripled for potlucks!
    1 cup dried quinoa yields 3 cups cooked quinoa.
    Tried this recipe?Did you make this recipe? I'm always so happy to hear about it! I'd love to see how it turned out. Tag me at @CarmysHungry on Instagram so I can see it! If you enjoyed the recipe, I'd really appreciate a comment with a 5 star rating! ♥
    Author: Carmy
    Course: Main Course
    Cuisine: Healthy
    Nutrition Disclaimer

    RESOURCES AND TIPS FOR MEAL PREPPING

    • How To Cook Chicken Breasts Perfectly
    • What Is An Instant Pot
    • Tips To Help You Meal Prep For The Week Successfully
    • Tips for Meal Prepping on a Budget
    • 7 Freezer Friendly Chicken Marinades
    • 5 Freezer Friendly Marinades
    • Meal Prep Support Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/mealprepsupport/

    Other places to connect with me
    Instagram: @carmyshungry
    Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/carmyycom
    Email: [email protected]

     

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    Carmy is a healthy-ish living blogger based in Ontario. Here, you can find healthy-ish recipes including meal prep recipes, Instant Pot recipes, air fryer recipes, and lightened-up family favorites! Follow along for easy, straightforward recipes for any cooking level.

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