Quinoa Edamame Salad – Feel Good Foodie

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My Quinoa Edamame Salad is So Good!

I tasted a deli salad once at Whole Foods made with quinoa, edamame, and carrots with a sesame ginger dressing that was so good. I was immediately obsessed with it.

I love that it was made with edamame and quinoa which bring in 9 grams of protein per serving. And I also love that it’s great for meal prepping because it doesn’t get soggy from the dressing. In fact, I think this edamame salad with quinoa actually gets better as it sits in the dressing!

You know I’m all about lettuce-less salads, especially in the winter when I get bored with lettuce. So if you’re like me and you want a protein-packed vegan salad option, I think you’ll really love this quinoa edamame salad.

Ingredients You’ll Need

Ingredients for recipe: edamame, green onions, lime, shredded carrots, ginger, quinoa, cilantro, oil, water, honey, soy sauce, sesame seeds, olive oil, red pepper, and avocado.
  • Quinoa: Any color of quinoa is fine! You can also use farro instead.
  • Edamame: Frozen edamame works great (just thaw it in the microwave, then let cool).
  • Carrots: You can use store-bought, pre-shredded carrots.
  • Red bell pepper: Green, yellow, or orange bell pepper would also be fine!
  • Green onions: Thinly slice both the green and white parts.
  • Cilantro: You can up the amount of cilantro to ½ cup if you like the flavor—or try basil, mint, or parsley.
  • Avocado: I usually use ½ of an avocado, but you can use a whole one instead.
  • Soy sauce: Low-sodium soy sauce is fine! If you’re gluten-free, use tamari.
  • Lime juice: You’ll need 1 to 2 limes for 3 tablespoons of juice, depending on how juicy they are!
  • Olive oil: Avocado or vegetable oil is fine if that’s what you have.
  • Honey: I’ve also tried the dressing with 1 tablespoon of maple syrup.
  • Ginger: You could use a tablespoon of minced garlic instead.
  • Toasted sesame oil and sesame seeds: Toasted sesame oil is nuttier and more flavorful than un-toasted oil.

How to Make Edamame Salad

Dressing ingredients in a bowl.
Step 1: In a small bowl, add the soy sauce, lime juice, olive oil, honey, ginger, sesame seed oil, and sesame seeds.
After mixing dressing ingredients.
Step 2: Whisk the edamame salad dressing together.
Rinsed quinoa and water in a pot before cooking.
Step 3: Add the quinoa and water to a medium sauce. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer.
After cooking and fluffed with a fork.
Step 4: Cook until the quinoa is fluffy and the liquid is absorbed. Let cool.
Cooked quinoa, edamame, carrots, pepper, green onion, and cilantro in a large bowl with dressing poured on top.
Step 5: In a large bowl, combine the cooked quinoa, edamame, carrots, red bell pepper, green onions, and cilantro.
After tossing dressing and salad ingredients together.
Step 6: Pour the sesame ginger dressing over the quinoa salad and toss to combine. Top with cubed avocado, sesame seeds, and more cilantro.

My Best Edamame Salad Japanese Inspired Tips

  1. Rinse the quinoa before cooking. Quinoa has a bitter coating, but rinsing it removes it!
  2. Cook the quinoa in vegetable broth for more flavor. Just swap the ¾ cup of water for broth! The quinoa will absorb the broth as it cooks.
  3. Add the avocado right before serving. Avocado browns quickly when exposed to air, so if you’re meal-prepping this edamame quinoa salad, I would only add it right before eating!
  4. Taste the dressing before tossing it with the salad. That way if it needs more soy sauce, lime juice, honey, or sesame oil you can easily add it.
Serving of quinoa salad with edamame and avocado in a bowl with serving dish of more nearby.

What to Serve

Recipe Help & Common Questions

How do I store and reheat edamame salad?

Kept in the fridge in an airtight container in the fridge, this salad will last for up to 4 days! I recommend eating it cold or at room temperature—there’s no need to reheat it.

Can I add the quinoa hot to the vegetables and dressing?

I wouldn’t recommend it! The hot quinoa could cook the veggies—and you want them to be crunchy.

What do I do if the quinoa didn’t absorb all of the water?

It happens! I would just carefully drain off the remaining water, then use a fork to fluff up the quinoa.

Fork lifting up a bite of quinoa edamame salad from a serving bowl.

More Lettuce-less Salad Recipes:

If you try this feel good Quinoa Edamame recipe or any other recipe on Feel Good Foodie, then don’t forget to rate the recipe and leave a comment below! It helps others who are thinking of making the recipe. I would love to hear about your experience making it. And if you snapped some shots, share it on Instagram so we can repost on Stories!

Prep Time 20 minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes

Total Time 35 minutes

For the Sesame Ginger Dressing:

  • Rinse quinoa under cold water. In a medium saucepan, combine quinoa and water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes or until quinoa is fluffy and liquid is absorbed. Remove from heat and let it cool.

  • In a small bowl, whisk together soy sauce, lime juice, olive oil, honey, ginger, sesame seed oil, and sesame seeds.

  • In a large bowl, combine cooked quinoa, edamame, carrots, red bell pepper, green onions, and cilantro.

  • Pour the sesame ginger dressing over the quinoa salad and toss to combine.

  • Top with sesame seeds, cubed avocado, and extra cilantro if desired.

Storage: Kept in the fridge in an airtight container in the fridge, this salad will last for up to 4 days! I recommend eating it cold or at room temperature—there’s no need to reheat it.

Serving: 1.5cups, Calories: 257kcal, Carbohydrates: 33g, Protein: 9g, Fat: 11g, Saturated Fat: 1g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g, Monounsaturated Fat: 6g, Sodium: 785mg, Potassium: 650mg, Fiber: 7g, Sugar: 9g, Vitamin A: 6450IU, Vitamin C: 47mg, Calcium: 72mg, Iron: 3mg

Nutrition information provided is an estimate. It will vary based on cooking method and specific ingredients used.



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