Anti-Inflammatory Quinoa Salad with Creamy Peanut Dressing | Lupus Canada Recipe Corner
Quinoa Salad with Creamy Peanut Dressing
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Why This Anti-Inflammatory Quinoa Salad Is Great for Wellness
This vibrant quinoa salad is fantastic, especially when the week ahead is looking busy. Its clean, whole-food ingredients are naturally anti-inflammatory and supportive for overall wellness—perfect for anyone managing lupus or simply wanting to eat in a way that feels good from the inside out.
The base is fluffy quinoa, cooked until tender, then tossed with colorful veggies like cabbage, red pepper, cucumber, and carrots. Fresh cilantro and green onion add a bright, herbaceous touch, and a sprinkle of peanuts gives just the right amount of crunch.
What really brings it all together is the creamy peanut dressing—rich, tangy, and full of flavor from ginger, sesame oil, and a touch of Thai red curry paste (which can easily be left out for those avoiding nightshades). The best part? The dressing makes extra, so you can keep it in the fridge and drizzle it over other meals throughout the week. Feel free to top it with your protein of choice—chicken, prawns, grilled tofu or chickpeas.
This salad holds up beautifully for a few days, making it a perfect choice for meal prepping. Just store the dressing separately and toss everything together when you’re ready to eat. Nourishing, satisfying, and so easy to love.
Ingredients For Salad:
- 1 cup quinoa
- 1 ¾ cups water
- 2 cups cabbage, chopped
- 1 red pepper, diced (omit if avoiding nightshades)
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½ cucumber, diced
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1 cup grated carrots
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½ cup cilantro, chopped (optional)
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¼ cup green onions (optional)
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¼ cup peanuts
Veg Substitutions:
- 1 cup broccoli, chopped
- 1 cup cauliflower, chopped
- 1 cup snap peas, chopped
Ingredients For Dressing:
- ⅔ cup peanut butter
- ⅓ cup soy sauce
- ⅓ cup rice vinegar
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1½ tbsp grated ginger
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2 tsp sesame oil
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1 tsp Thai red curry paste (omit if avoiding nightshades)
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Water to thin
Instructions:
Prepare the quinoa with 1 ¾ cups water in a medium pot. Bring to a boil, cover, reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes. Fluff with a fork and let cool.
Combine the cooked quinoa, cabbage, pepper, cucumber, grated carrots, cilantro, and green onion.
In a small jar, combine dressing ingredients. Add water to thin to desired consistency.
Drizzle salad with dressing to taste, toss, and top with peanuts. Enjoy!
The recipes used by Lupus Canada have been reviewed and approved by a Registered Holistic Nutritionist.