Thai Peanut Mango Quinoa Salad (Gluten Free, Vegan)
on Mar 20, 2017, Updated Jul 04, 2024
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Super delicious Thai Peanut Mango Quinoa Salad is the perfect summer meny staple. Gluten-free and vegan, this salad can easily be made ahead and is ideal for take for potlucks and barbecues. The finger-licking sweet and spicy sambal dressing definitely takes this one a notch higher!
This Thai peanut mango quinoa salad is inspired by summer afternoons spent walking in the shady and tropical lanes of Thailand. This salad has everything going for it – it’s nutty and has a bite from the quinoa and peanuts, sweetness from mangoes and pineapples, and is loaded with crunchy veggies. Plus the insanely delicious sweet spicy Thai sambal dressing will surely have you licking the back of your spoon.
Quick Walk Through: Thai Peanut Mango Quinoa Salad
Reasons You’ll Love This Recipe
- A super refreshing and delicious summer salad that will prove that healthy food can also be yummy!
- A great way to include fresh summer ingredients into your family’s diet
- Super nutritional. Loaded with herbs, veggies, and quinoa, this salad is low in carbs and a rich source of fiber, vitamins, and other nutrients
- Customisable. You can add or remove any veggies based on what you have available
- Perfect potlucks or when you want to make something for a large crowd
- Can be made ahead as it tastes a lot better after a few hours
Ingredients You’ll Need
For the salad:
Quinoa: Cooked until tender. You can replace it with brown rice if that’s more easily available to you.
Veggies: I have used carrots, Chinese cabbage, red cabbage, and baby corn for this salad. You can use any other veggies of your choice depending on availability and personal preference.
Fruits: I have used diced mango and pineapples for hint of sweetness and lots of textural variety.
Herbs: Roughly torn mint and basil leaves for lots of freshness.
Peanuts: Gently roasted to deliver lots of crunch and a beautiful nutty flavor that’s authentic to Thai cuisine.
For the dressing:
Sambal Oelek: For lots of spice and heat. A little goes a long way. I used a store-bought sambal oelek, but you can easily make yours at home. Here’s a recipe I really like.
Soy Sauce: For saltiness and umami.
Honey: For a hint of sweetness.
Ginger: Minced. For flavor and aroma
Rice Vinegar: Adds a hint of sour freshness to every bite!
Olive Oil: Forms the base of the dressing. Olive oil is really light and works really well in this salad. I would not recommend subbing it with any other type of oil.
Salt: For flavor and seasoning.
Frequently Asked Questions
Sambal oelek is made from just 3 ingredients – red chilli peppers, salt, vinegar, but some recipes also contain onions, lemon, sugar, etc. It is spicy and sour, and often added to a lot of Thai dishes for it’s intense flavor.
Yes, why not! If you want to make this when it’s not mango season, you can add fruits like apples, strawberries or even peaches for a refreshing flavor!
Tips To Make The Thai Peanut Mango Quinoa Salad
- Wash the quinoa thoroughly for at least a few times before cooking it in order to prevent it from turning bitter.
- If you cannot Chinese cabbage, feel free to replace it with lettuce
- Super customisable. You can add or remove any veggies based on availability and personal preference. Some other veggies that would taste good in this salad are red and yellow bellpeppers, cucumber, zucchini, and broccoli.
A bite into this salad and you’ll be hit with a wave of freshness, which will surely make you forget just how hot Indian summers can be. This Thai Salad is also super meal prep friendly, so if you have cooked quinoa and chopped veggies in the fridge, this salad comes together in minutes. Eat it by itself or make some quick garlic bread, either way this is a salad you won’t be able to have enough of!
This post is sponsored by our good friends at Chumbak who always make designs that inspire and awe!
Thai Peanut Mango Quinoa Salad (Gluten Free, Vegan)
Ingredients
- 2 cups Quinoa, cooked
- 1/2 cup Chinese Cabbage, shredded
- 1 cup Carrots, shredded
- 1/2 cup Red Cabbage, shredded
- 1/2 cup Baby Corn, sliced
- 1 Mango, large (cubed)
- 1/2 cup Pineapple, diced
- 1/2 cup Basil leaves, , torn roughly
- 1/2 cup Mint leaves, torn roughly
- 1/2 cup Peanuts, roasted
For the dressing
- 1 teaspoon Sambal Oelek
- 2 tablespoons Soy Sauce
- 3 tablespoons Honey
- 1/2 teaspoon Ginger, minced
- 2 tablespoons Rice Vinegar
- 1/4 cup Olive Oil
- Salt to taste
Instructions
- Whisk together all the ingredients for the dressing and set aside. Alternatively you can add the ingredients to a jar and shake till combined.
- Place all the ingredients for the salad in a large bowl, pour over the dressing and mix to combine. The salad can be stored along with the dressing for up to four hours in the fridge. Or you can add the dressing just before serving if you like your salad extra crunchy.
Notes
- For two cups of cooked Quinoa, cook one cup of Quinoa according to package directions.
- Quinoa can become slightly bitter if not washed properly, which is why its important to wash it at least a few times before cooking.
- If you don’t have access to Chinese cabbage feel free to substitute with lettuce
What is Sambal Oelek? And what could substitute it?
Hey Alicia! Sambal Oelek is an Asian chilli paste. You can sub it with sriracha or any other hot sauce.
Hi Richa, any substitute for sambal oelek?
Sure you can substitute it with chilli paste or Sriracha or any other hot sauce you like!
The baby corn is going to be raw?
Yes I like to keep it raw but you can always blanche it and use