Description
A fresh and vibrant salad featuring crisp cucumber, celery, green peas, baby spinach, and protein-rich quinoa, all tossed in a flavorful Asian-inspired dressing made with rice vinegar, soy sauce, sesame oil, and a hint of ginger and garlic. This quick and nutritious salad is perfect for a light lunch or as a side dish and can be served immediately or chilled to meld the flavors.
Ingredients
Scale
Dressing
- 3 tablespoons rice vinegar
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce or tamari (for gluten-free)
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon honey or maple syrup (for vegan option)
- 1 teaspoon fresh ginger, grated
- 1 teaspoon garlic, minced
- 1/2 teaspoon sriracha (optional)
Salad
- 1 cup chopped cucumber
- 1 cup chopped celery
- 1/2 cup green peas (fresh or thawed if frozen)
- 2 cups baby spinach
- 1 cup cooked quinoa
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
Instructions
- Prepare the dressing: In a small bowl, whisk together rice vinegar, soy sauce or tamari, sesame oil, honey or maple syrup, grated ginger, minced garlic, and sriracha if using, until the ingredients are well combined and emulsified. Set aside.
- Combine the salad ingredients: In a large salad bowl, add the chopped cucumber, chopped celery, green peas, baby spinach, and cooked quinoa, mixing them gently to distribute evenly.
- Add olive oil: Drizzle the olive oil over the mixed salad ingredients, then toss gently to coat all the components without bruising the greens.
- Toss with dressing: Pour the prepared Asian dressing over the salad, then toss again thoroughly yet gently to ensure every bite is evenly flavored.
- Serve or chill: Serve the salad immediately for a fresh taste, or optionally chill it for 15–20 minutes to allow the flavors to meld together before serving.
Notes
- For a gluten-free version, use tamari instead of soy sauce.
- To make this salad vegan, substitute honey with maple syrup.
- Fresh ginger should be finely grated to maximize flavor infusion.
- Chilling the salad before serving enhances flavor blend but is optional.
- Sriracha is optional and can be adjusted or omitted for less heat.
