Crispy Quinoa Peanut Edamame Salad
This Crispy Quinoa Edamame Salad is truly one of my all time favorite recipes I’ve made and I mean it!! This salad is probably the most common dish you’ll see me include in a Sunday meal prep because it lasts for a while in the fridge and I’m ALWAYS craving it. It’s so simple to put together and PERFECT for meal prep – don’t worry, the quinoa texture will hold up sitting in the fridge, it’s that toasty flavor you’re really crisping it for. This recipe is originally from my March 2023 $50 grocery budget series and it’s been a favorite since — also featured in week 4 of the April 2026 Meal Prep Plan!
crispy quinoa peanut edamame salad ingredient notes:
Quinoa: I love adding a grain to help boost a salad’s nutritional value and this crispy quinoa does just the trick adding a source of protein, fiber, iron, magnesium, and zinc! While you can also opt for rice or another grain of your choice, I find that the quinoa gets that perfect crisp in the oven, bringing another level of texture to each bite.
Peanut Butter: The base of any good peanut sauce obviously has to start with a high-quality peanut butter! I like to look for one with minimal ingredients, high peanut concentration, and natural oil separation. You might find that the peanut sauce starts to thicken in the fridge, so don’t forget to checkout the tips below for thinning with water!
Edamame: Edamame is one of those foods that although it doesn’t have an intense flavoring, this recipe wouldn’t be complete without it. I prefer to buy mine already shelled to save time from the pesky pod removal process. Packed with protein, fiber, vitamin K, and folate, these little beans are the true underdog of this salad!
Carrots: We all know carrots are known for boosting your eye health, but did you also know that they also contribute to brain function, heart health, gut health and digestion? These little super foods not only bring some color back to the dish, but give each bite that nice crunch along with the cucumbers and quinoa.
Crispy Quinoa Edamame Salad
4
servings15
minutes45
minutesThis Crispy Quinoa Edamame Salad is truly one of my all time favorite recipes I’ve made and I mean it!! This salad is probably the most common dish you’ll see me include in a Sunday meal prep because it lasts for a while in the fridge and I’m ALWAYS craving it. It’s so simple to put together and PERFECT for meal prep – don’t worry, the quinoa texture will hold up sitting in the fridge, it’s that toasty flavor you’re really crisping it for. This recipe is originally from my March 2023 grocery budget series and it’s been a favorite since — also featured in week 4 of the April 2026 Meal Prep Plan!
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Ingredients
- For the Crispy Quinoa Salad
1 cup uncooked white or tricolor quinoa
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
12 ounces fresh or thawed frozen shelled edamame
5 ounces preshredded carrots, or 3 large carrots, coarsely shredded (about 1 1/2 cups)
1 English cucumber, unpeeled, halved lengthwise, and sliced into thin half-moons
3/4 packed chopped fresh cilantro
4 green onions, thinly sliced
- For the Lick the Bowl Peanut Sauce
1/4 cup creamy natural peanut butter
3 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
2 tablespoons coconut aminos (or reduced-sodium tamari or reduced-sodium soy sauce)
1 tablespoon pure maple syrup
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
1 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger
1 teaspoon garlic powder
Kosher salt and ground black pepper
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a large sheet pan with parchment paper and set aside.
- Bring 2 cups water to a boil in a small pot over medium-high heat. Add the quinoa, cover, and reduce the heat to low. Cook until the water is absorbed and the quinoa is fluffy, 15 to 18 minutes.
- In a medium bowl, combine the peanut butter, sesame oil, coconut aminos, maple syrup, vinegar, ground ginger, garlic powder, and 3 tablespoons warm water and whisk until smooth. If the sauce is too thick, add 2 to 3 tablespoons of warm water to thin it to a pourable consistency. Season to taste with salt and black pepper and whisk again to combine.
- Drizzle the cooked quinoa with the oil, season with the salt and pepper, and toss to mix well. Spread the quinoa onto the prepared sheet pan in one even layer.Bake until crispy, about 30 minutes, stirring halfway through.
- Combine the crispy quinoa, edamame, carrots, cucumber, cilantro, and green onions in a large bowl and mix. Add the peanut sauce and mix well.
- Serve in bowls.
Notes
- Store It: Refrigerate the dressed salad in a sealed container for up to 4 days or store the dressing separately for up to 7 days.
- Sauce: Peanut sauces tend to thicken after sitting or being stored in the fridge. To thin the sauce into a pourable consistency, whisk in 2 to 3 tablespoons of warm water to loosen the sauce.
- This plant- based favorite pairs beautifully with some crispy tofu on top, providing extra protein and another unique texture.
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Love this recipe!! So good and husband approved, too. Great for an easy, filling lunch.
This was the perfect easy meal prep and so delicious!! I made a big batch and added various proteins (salmon, chicken, crispy tofu) for lunch throughout the week!
not usually a quinoa person but I loved the texture after baking it! the flavors are delicious and it’s great for meal prepping lunches.
This is one of Jenn’s best recipes! I’ve done it with toasted and untoasted (just regular, cooked) quinoa and both versions come out great. The sauce is perfect for meal prep and soaks into everything even better the next day ◡̈.
The pic shows it served with the tofu. But I don’t see how to cook this in the recipe?
Love this recipe. Toasting your quinoa is next level. I changed the veggies based on what I had( carrots, bell peeper, broccoli, peas) This recipe is amazing and versatile.
One of my all time fave recipes! It’s my go to!
I like this Quinoa Edamame recipe thanks
The picture has tofu, but the recipe doesn’t?
I used the tofu recipe from crispy quinoa spring salad with lemon pepper tofu. I omitted the lemon and basil and added a splash of fish sauce. Super easy to cook at the same time as the quinoa in the oven.
Hi! Used one tablespoon dry ground ginger which I normally use fresh. It was very strongly ginger forward. Did you mean 1 tablespoon fresh ginger? If so, how much dry should be used?
Thanks so much!]
I was just reviewing this recipe to make as part of my meal plan this coming week and thought the same thing. I am assuming it needs grated** ginger and ground is a typo. The measurement is likely correct, however. One tbsp of fresh grated ginger sounds way more reasonable than ground!
So good!! I love your salads! I only used 1tsp of ground ginger and it was plenty. Also threw in some chopped kale because I only had about 1/3 of a cucumber. Fantastic!
I cannot do cilantro. Any suggestions for a substitution?
I hope Jenn replies but Summer Roles, which are served with peanut sauce are often filled with a combo of mint and cilantro. So, you might try pairing mint with some Italian flat leaf parsley as a substitute. I understand that for some, cilantro tastes like soap. Sorry if that is your experience; cilantro is in a lot of recipes.
I loved this salad! Thanks a million Jenn. Your recipes are so accessible and delicious. Sadly, TJ’s shrunk their frozen edamame package size to 12 oz. instead of 16 oz. The smaller quantity didn’t affect the outcome though. I had some dry roasted peanuts on hand that I used as a topper to the salad. I also added just a drizzle more rice vinegar to my individual serving. My BF added some hot sauce to his. This is absolutely excellent. I will definitely make it again. ❤️
Has anyone made this without the cocunut aminos?
Absolutely loved this! Made as instructed and followed Jenn’s recipe for crispy tofu to make it a full meal.
Meal prepped this for my family & another as a thank you meal. It received great reviews. I agree that it will be a meal I come back to for prep! Thank you!
One of my fave recipes! Making it as a side for Thanksgiving this year!