Easy Edamame Quinoa Salad (15 Minutes)

Name: Edamame Quinoa Salad
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 5 min
Total time: 15 min
Ingredients: 1/2 cup rice vinegar; 3 tablespoons tahini; 1 1/2 tablespoons tamari (or soy sauce); 1 1/2 tablespoons white miso; 3 teaspoons maple syrup; 1 tablespoon grated ginger; 3/4 teaspoon garlic powder; 2 cups shredded carrots ((about 3 medium)); 2 cups shredded red cabbage ((about 1/2 small)); 1 1/3 cups shelled edamame (frozen, thawed); 2 cups cooked quinoa; 1/2 cup chopped green onion (white and light green parts (about 3)); 1/4 cup chopped roasted peanuts (plus more for garnish); Salt (to taste)

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High-protein 15-minute Edamame Quinoa Salad with oil-free Miso Ginger Dressing is easy, quick, and delicious. The perfect meal-prep recipe for a packed lunch or weeknight dinner. Great for potlucks, picnics, and barbecues.

Quinoa, edamame, shredded carrots and red cabbage, chopped green onion, and chopped peanuts mixed together in a white bowl with a black fork. Served with lime wedges. — This vegan salad is loaded with plant-based protein and heart-healthy fats.

An ideal go-to dinner for those evenings when you want to eat healthy, not work too hard, and get food on the table in less than 15 minutes!

This was inspired by my Creamy Vegan Kale & Edamame Salad on this site, as well as this Protein-Packed Quinoa & Kale Salad recipe.

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👩🏼‍🌾 Ingredients
🥜 Substitutions
🫑 Variations
📖 How to Make Quinoa Edamame Salad
✔️ Expert Tips
🙋🏽‍♀️ Recipe FAQs
🍽 Related Recipes
👩🏽‍🍳 Made This Recipe?
📖 Recipe
💬 Comments

👩🏼‍🌾 Ingredients

Quinoa, edamame, shredded carrots, shredded red cabbage, chopped green onion, and chopped peanuts for the salad in separate white bowls. On a gray marble board.

Edamame: Using frozen and shelled edamame is a quick way to add protein and heart-healthy fats to any meal with minimal effort. Simply thaw them under running warm water before using them.
Quinoa: Cooks in just 15 minutes. Packed with protein, and is gluten-free. Make ahead to save time.
Peanuts: Add a delicious crunch and extra protein. Omit for nut-free.
Shredded carrots and red cabbage: Loaded with nutrients. Plus, unlike lettuce, they do not get soggy. Chop in a food processor to minimize prep time.

See the recipe card for quantities.

For the Miso Ginger Dressing:

Tamari, white miso, grated ginger, tahini, garlic powder, and rice vinegar in small white bowls on a gray marble background.

Grated Ginger: Use a microplane or fine grater. This is also a great method for making ginger tea!
Tamari: Choose a gluten-free brand to make this salad gluten-free. Opt for one that is lower in sodium.
Tahini: Adds a creamy texture and heart-healthy fats. Substitute with smooth nut butter as desired.
Miso: Packs a punch of umami. Use white or mellow miso.

See the recipe card for quantities.

🥜 Substitutions

Tahini - Substitute with smooth nut or seed butter (peanut, cashew, almond, SunButter). Add more water as needed for the desired consistency.
Quinoa - Use rice noodles instead to change things up. Both are gluten-free.
Tamari - the tamari can be replaced with soy sauce
Garlic powder - Substitute with one garlic clove. Grate the garlic directly into the dressing using a microplane or fine grater.

🫑 Variations

Spicy - add sriracha or hot sauce to the dressing
Veggies & herbs - add more chopped veggies and fresh herbs (bell peppers, cucumbers, cilantro, parsley, shaved Brussels)
Toasted sesame oil - add toasted sesame oil to the dressing for a hint of sesame

Try this Simple Tofu Noodles recipe to change things up. See more quick and easy salad ideas on my Vegan Salad Recipes page.

📖 How to Make Quinoa Edamame Salad

For the full recipe with quantities, scroll down to the bottom of the post. This is an overview.

This salad takes no more than 15 minutes to make. Cook the quinoa, and chop the veggies beforehand to save even more time. The dressing can also be prepared ahead of time.

Quinoa, edamame, shredded carrots and red cabbage, chopped green onion, and chopped peanuts in a white bowl with two lime wedges.

Combine all the salad ingredients in a large bowl. Save some chopped peanuts for garnish.

Whisking Oil-free Miso Ginger Dressing in a glass bowl next to a large white bowl with the quinoa, red cabbage, and other salad ingredients.

Mix the dressing ingredients in a medium bowl until fully incorporated, with no chunks of miso remaining.

Pour the desired amount of dressing into the salad and mix to combine. Garnish with chopped nuts. Add a squeeze of fresh lime juice for extra tang. Serve chilled or at room temperature.

✔️ Expert Tips

Use a food processor to chop all the veggies. This saves a ton of time and gets them evenly chopped. Make sure to use the larger holes on the shredding disc for the cabbage and carrots.
Meal prep this salad ahead of time and pack it for lunch. It is also great for picnics, potlucks, or barbecues as it does not get soggy.
Storage: Dress this salad to taste. Refrigerate any remaining dressing in an airtight container for up to 5 days. Use on all your favorite salads. It is very versatile.
Storage: Refrigerate any remaining dressed Edamame Quinoa Salad in an airtight container for up to 4 days.

🙋🏽‍♀️ Recipe FAQs

Do I need to cook frozen edamame?

No. Frozen and shelled edamame has already been blanched. For thawing, place them in a strainer and run them under warm water for about one minute, or until they reach room temperature.
One exception is if you are using the edamame to make a dip or spread. In this case, gently boil the edamame for five minutes beforehand to soften them for blending.

How do you cook quinoa?

Note: You will end up with 3 times as much cooked quinoa as cups dry. For this recipe, use ⅔ cup dry quinoa and 1 ⅓ cups water for cooking.
To cook: Rinse the quinoa in a fine mesh sieve under running water for 30 seconds. Drain well. Add the quinoa to a saucepan with two times as much water. Bring the water to a gentle boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to maintain a gentle simmer. Cook the quinoa covered for about 15 minutes, or until it has absorbed all the water. Remove the pot from the heat and let sit for five minutes. Fluff the quinoa with a fork. Season with salt to taste.

How do I meal-prep this recipe ahead of time?

Prepping this salad beforehand cuts the 'cook' time down to 2 to 3 minutes!
Refrigerate the chopped veggies, chopped nuts, cooked quinoa, and dressing in four separate containers with lids. You can also thaw the edamame beforehand, but be sure to drain and dry them well before transferring them to the refrigerator. Simply mix the ingredients for serving.