BHA & BHT Free Edamame Quinoa Salad with Turmeric-Ginger Dressing
This vibrant, plant-forward salad is the kind of bowl that looks as good as it tastes ā jewel-toned cabbage, bright cucumber, and tender edamame piled over fluffy quinoa and finished with creamy avocado and crunchy pepitas. The real star is the turmeric-ginger dressing, a zippy blend of fresh lemon juice, tamari, and grated ginger that ties every element together with warmth and a little zing. For anyone navigating preservative sensitivities, packaged dressings and pre-seasoned grains are often where BHA and BHT sneak in ā this recipe sidesteps all of that by building everything from scratch with whole, recognizable ingredients. Every component is clean and straightforward, from the dry-roasted pumpkin seeds to the extra-virgin olive oil, so there's no label-scanning required. The technique is simple too: cook the quinoa, whisk the dressing, toss, and serve ā no special equipment or complicated steps standing between you and a seriously satisfying meal. It works equally well as a make-ahead lunch or a colorful side at the dinner table, and the dressing holds up beautifully if you want to prep it in advance.
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Learn more āIngredients
4 servings
For the salad
- 1 cup quinoa, rinsed
- 1 Ā¾ cups water
- Ā¼ tsp salt
- 1 Ā½ cups shelled edamame, thawed if frozen
- 1 Ā½ cups purple cabbage, thinly shredded
- 1 english cucumber, diced
- 3 scallions, thinly sliced (green tops only)
- Ā¼ cup fresh cilantro, roughly chopped
For the dressing
- 3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
- 3 tbsp fresh lemon juice (from about 1 Ā½ lemons)
- 1 tbsp tamari
- 1 tsp fresh ginger, finely grated
- Ā½ tsp ground turmeric
- Ā½ tsp honey
- Ā¼ tsp black pepper
For serving
- Ā¼ cup dry-roasted pumpkin seeds (pepitas)
- 1 avocado, sliced (optional)
Instructions
- 1
Combine the rinsed quinoa, water, and salt in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and cook until the water is fully absorbed and the quinoa tails have unfurled, about 13ā15 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand, covered, for 5 minutes, then fluff with a fork and spread onto a large plate or sheet pan to cool for 10 minutes.
- 2
While the quinoa cools, whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, tamari, grated ginger, turmeric, honey, and black pepper in a small bowl until smooth and uniform in color.
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