close

Quinoa Vegetable Slaw With Peanut Dressing

I have not been shy about my love of salads. I am, however, an admitted salad snob. My husband agrees. I like my salads to taste good and to look good. Appearance matters. Making a salad look appetizing should not be that complicated: vegetables in their natural states are inherently pretty, given the variety of vivid colors, shapes, and textures.

I have credited my mom for my love of salads. Early exposure is key. Because of this exposure, there are not many vegetables that I don’t like. This is a slaw salad I developed mainly around my love of quinoa and cabbage. The cabbage salad I posted when I first started blogging remains one of my most popular posts, and I stand by it as a solid, easy, salad option that even kids will eat.

quinoa vegetable slaw

This quinoa vegetable slaw is similar. The main star in this salad is red cabbage.  Using thin slices makes it less tough and more delicate. Quinoa also features prominently.  I use quinoa a lot. Quinoa is the only food (of vegetable origin) that provides all the essential amino acids, trace elements, and vitamins, equating its protein quality to that of milk. This stuff is a rock star in the culinary world. Carrots, peppers, scallions, and cilantro add color, flavor, and texture.  A light peanut sauce (with just a touch of heat) brings this slaw together nicely without weighing it down and overwhelming it.

When making a slaw salad like this, don’t overdress it.  It’s not a coleslaw, it’s a salad–and that’s important to remember.  Drizzle the dressing, and serve the rest on the side. Diners can always add more, but you don’t want to lose the crunch factor. This simple gluten-free salad is a versatile one and can be served with just about anything. In warmer months, I like to serve this with my soft-shell crabs. In the cooler months, I pair it with crispy chicken breasts or grilled fillet.

quinoa vegetable slaw

About the Author

Andrea Potischman

I am a professionally trained NYC chef turned CA mom and food blogger. I post about real food, with doable ingredient lists that are family friendly.

4 thoughts on "Quinoa Vegetable Slaw With Peanut Dressing"

  1. Avatar photo Sara Leslie says:

    Made this tonight and it was loved by all! Added some tofu to give it extra protein. YUM.

    1. Excellent Sara. And I agree, tofu makes a great addition. Well done!

  2. Avatar photo Renee Despins says:

    Thanks for your “love salads” credit – I love them too and yours are always picture perfect and delicious. ? Mom

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

*

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Comment Policy

Simmer + Sauce reserves the right to remove or restrict comments that do not contribute constructively to the topic conversation, contain profanity or offensive language, personal attacks, or seek to promote a personal or unrelated business. Any post found to be in violation of any of these guidelines will be modified or removed without warning. When making a comment on my blog, you grant Simmer + Sauce permission to reproduce your content to our discretion, an example being for a possible endorsement or media kit purposes. If you don’t want your comment to be used for such purposes, please explicitly state this within the body of your comment. If you find evidence of copyright infringement in the comments of simmerandsauce.com, contact me and I will remove that in question promptly.