My Rainbow Edamame Salad is a colorful, nourishing and delicious salad full of micronutrients, fibre and plant-based protein.
We can all work on eating more colour and what better way than a rainbow edamame salad?
Salads are a great way to pack in veggies, fibre and micronutrient, but I also love how easy it is to get in a ton of colour. As a dietitian, I can tell you that different colours signify different antioxidants that our body loves. Plus, we know that a diverse diet rich in plant foods is great for gut health.
Even if you're not into the nutrition benefits, I guarantee you'll find this salad pretty delicious. It's got plenty of texture, crunch, and flavour from the tahini sesame dressing. It's the best non-boring and tasty salad to share with your loved ones! If you loved my Thai chopped salad, this one will also be a hit.
Why This Recipe Is Dietitian Approved
- Full of colour. Dietitians always recommend "eating the rainbow" because different colors signify antioxidants and nutrients.
- Plant-based protein. I love using edamame as a source of complete plant-based protein in this recipe. We also have some protein in the cashews and tahini.
- Easy to prep. This edamame salad is excellent for meal prep and stores well without getting soggy.
Ingredients
Edamame. To make this salad easier I recommend using shelled edamame beans, which can be found in the freezer section of most grocery stores.
Cabbage. Purple cabbage brings a boost of antioxidants and fiber while also providing a beautiful vibrant colour.
Cashews. For heart healthy fats and a little crunch! I recommend using unsalted, raw cashews.
Bell peppers. I recommend red and yellow bell peppers for sweet flavour and a variety of colour in this salad.
Green onion. For a mild onion flavour, I recommend using both the whites and greens of one bunch of green onions.
Cucumber. I like using english cucumbers in this salad though persian cucumber will work as well!
Carrot. For ease, I typically buy a bag of shredded or matchstick carrots, but you can also shred your own!
Cilantro. For flavour and freshness.
For the dressing:
Tahini. This is a sesame seed butter, commonly used in Middle Eastern and Mediterranean recipes. Tahini can usually be found in the natural health foods aisle of the grocery store, or wherever natural peanut butter is found.
Ginger. Fresh ginger is always best for this recipe for the best flavour.
Rice vinegar. Every dressing needs some type of vinegar and rice vinegar is the perfect addition to this sesame tahini dressing.
Soy sauce. This adds a salty, savory taste to this dressing. I typically choose to use a low sodium option if it is available!
Honey. For a hint of natural sweetness. You could also use regular sugar or maple syrup.
The complete ingredient list with measurements can be found in the recipe card below.
Instructions
- In a large bowl combine cabbage, edamame, red and yellow bell peppers, shredded carrots and diced cucumber.
- Top with green onions, chopped cashews and cilantro.
- To make the dressing, in a medium bowl- whisk all ingredients together.
- Drizzle the dressing over the salad and toss to combine.
Substitutions and Variations
To make gluten-free: substitute the soy sauce for tamari.
To make dairy-free: this recipe is naturally dairy-free.
To make vegan: substitute the honey for maple syrup.
To make nut-free: substitute the cashews with something crunchy such as fried onions or even sunflower seeds.
Use what you have on hand! The best part of this rainbow salad is you really can use ANY vegetables. Raw broccoli would be great in this salad, orange bell peppers, arugula etc.
If you don't have tahini, you can be substitute with peanut or cashew butter.
Equipment
Storage
As this edamame salad does not contain any leafy greens that are likely to wilt, it can actually stay fresh in the fridge for up to 5 days!
If you are planning to meal prep this salad, I would recommend substituting the cucumber with finely chopped raw broccoli as the cucumbers tend to get a little soggy during longer storage.
Top Tips for Success
Chop up your vegetables nice and small! I always find the secret to a good salad is making sure you get a bite of everything in every spoonful.
You can really get creative with this salad. This is a great base recipe for you to customize with any vegetables you have in the fridge.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes it is! I love using cabbage as the base of salads because it is heartier and is less likely to get soggy during storage, making this the perfect salad to make ahead of time. Check the storage section for more tips.
Yes of course! I recommend substituting half of the cabbage with cooked quinoa, massaged kale or even arugula for best results.
More Salad Recipes
If you liked this rainbow edamame salad, you will LOVE these:
- Thai Chopped Salad
- Crunchy Cabbage and Orange Quinoa Salad
- Spring Roll Salad
- Viral Cucumber, Bell Pepper and Edamame Salad
See you in the kitchen!
PS. I love seeing my recipes in action! If you decide to make this rainbow edamame salad, don't forget to snap a photo and tag me on Instagram- @nourishedbynic or leave a comment and rating below letting me know how you liked it!
📖 Recipe
Rainbow Edamame Salad
Ingredients
- 4 cups purple cabbage shredded (about ½ of one head)
- 2 cups edamame shelled
- 1 red bell pepper diced
- 1 yellow bell pepper diced
- 2 cups carrots shredded
- 1 english cucumber diced
- 1 bunch green onions finely chopped
- 1 cup cashews chopped
- ½ cup cilantro chopped
Tahini dressing:
- ¼ cup tahini
- 2 tablespoon fresh ginger
- 3 tablespoon sesame oil
- 3 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 2 tablespoon soy sauce
- 2 teaspoon honey
- Water to thin about 1-2 tbsp
Instructions
- In a large bowl, combine cabbage, edamame, red and yellow bell peppers, shredded carrots and diced cucumber.
- Top with green onions, chopped cashews and cilantro.
- To make the dressing, in a medium bowl, whisk all ingredients together .
- Drizzle the dressing over the salad and toss to combine.
Kelli Gregory says
This is my FAVORITE salad right now! Easy to toss together and add a variety of proteins to with a tasty dressing. Highly recommend!
LC says
I made this for my lunch this week and it did not disappoint! Refreshing and tasty, next time I may need to add a bit of salt a better. I’ve shared with others and will definitely make again. 😊
Linda Bernasconi says
I love this! Crunchy, colorful, delicious! Thank you!
Nicole Addison says
The perfect recipe to pack in the fiber and veggies this year! I hope you enjoy this recipe!
Mimi says
I just made a commitment to meal prep lunches! Going to try this with some kind of cooked whole grain added! Thanks for the inspiration
Nora says
Do you happen to have another dressing idea for this salad? I cannot find Tahini. Thank you 😊
Tofumom says
You can use peanut butter just fine