Packed with colorful veggies and a tangy sesame ginger lime dressing, this Thai chopped salad is the best balanced recipe that's also meal prep friendly!
Thai food is one of my favourite cuisines to explore in Toronto. I love exploring other cultures through their traditional foods, and Thailand is no exception! This Thai chopped salad is in no way traditional, but a delicious salad inspired by Thai flavour. It's crunchy, colorful, and balanced with carbs, plant-based protein and healthy fats. Tossed with the best tangy sesame ginger lime dressing, it's a salad you'll crave!
The best part about this Thai chopped salad is that it's meal prep friendly. Salads are such an easy packed lunch, but it's always disappointing when they get soggy by noon. That won't happen here! Thanks to our base of cruciferous veggies and sturdy kale, this salad actually tastes even better the longer it marinates in the dressing. You'll be looking forward to lunch all morning!
Ingredients
Salad base:
- White quinoa
- Shelled edamame
- Purple cabbage
- Carrots
- Curly kale
- Cucumber
Optional flavour boosters:
- Cilantro
- Roasted peanuts
- Green onions
- Jalapeno
Dressing:
- Olive oil
- Sesame oil
- Lime juice
- Ginger
- Soy sauce
- Honey
- White vinegar
- Water
Instructions
In a large bowl, mix together all salad ingredients.
To make the dressing, whisk together all dressing ingredients in a medium sized bowl or measuring cup. Pour the dressing over the salad and toss to coat.
Once the salad is thoroughly coated in the dressing, sprinkle with optional toppings such as cilantro, roasted peanuts, green onions and jalapeno!
Substitutions and Variations
To make gluten-free: Use certified gluten-free tamari or coconut aminos instead of soy sauce in the dressing.
To make vegan: Swap honey for maple syrup in the dressing.
To make nut-free: Swap peanuts for roasted sunflower seeds or tortilla strip to keep the crunch factor.
Storage
This is the perfect meal prep salad! Store it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Equipment
- Mixing bowl
- Food processor (handy for shredding cabbage and carrots)
- Salad chopper (optional)
Top Tip
I already hinted to this earlier, but this Thai chopped salad tastes even better if you make it ahead of time and let it sit for a couple hours. Unlike most salads that get soggy, thanks to the use of cabbage and kale as the base, it won’t get soggy and will absorb more of the flavour of the dressing.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes! The great thing about this salad is it’s the perfect balance of vegetables (for fibre, fullness and vitamins), quinoa (for carbohydrates) and edamame (for protein). Plus, the dressing contains healthy fats! This is truly the PERFECT balanced salad to satisfy your hunger and provide lasting energy to power you through your day.
As much as I love eating this salad on it’s own, it also is such a great addition to a wrap! Simply add a large serving spoonful of salad into the center of a tortilla and wrap it up with other fillings of choice.
It also works great as a dip. As all the components are chopped thinly, you can serve it with some low-sodium tortilla chips for the perfect refreshing summer snack!
Yes of course! Grilled/crispy chicken or even steak would make an amazing addition to this salad.
More Yummy Salad Recipes
Are you a big salad fan? Give these recipes a try:
PS. I love seeing my recipes in action! If you decide to make this Thai chopped 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
Thai Chopped Salad (Meal Prep Friendly)
Ingredients
Salad Base
- 1 cup white quinoa cooked according to package instructions
- 2 cups defrosted frozen edamame beans
- 2 cups purple cabbage shredded (about ½ a medium head of cabbage)
- 2 cups carrots shredded
- 1 cup curly kale chopped (stems removed)
- 1 cup cucumber diced
Optional Toppers
- ¼ cup cilantro chopped
- ½ cup roasted peanuts chopped
- ⅓ cup diced green onions
- 1 tablespoon jalapeno diced
Sesame Ginger Lime Dressing
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- Juice of ½ a lime about 1 tbsp
- 1 inch of fresh ginger grated
- 3 tablespoon low sodium soy sauce
- 2 tablespoon water
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 2 tablespoon white vinegar
Instructions
- In a large bowl, mix together all salad ingredients.
- To make the dressing, whisk together all dressing ingredients in a medium sized bowl. Pour the dressing over the salad and toss to coat.
- Once the salad is thoroughly coated in the dressing, sprinkle with optional toppers such as cilantro, roasted peanuts, green onions and jalapeno!
Katie says
When meal prepping, do you put the dressing on or leave it separate until you're ready to eat it?
Naomi says
This salad was so good and FILLING! was a great meal for lunches.
Liz says
Hi! I see you put it makes 8 cups, but how many servings does it make?
Nicole Addison says
Hi Liz, that is completely up to you! I try to avoid putting a specific number of servings as everyones hunger levels are different! I usually will eat approximately 2 cups as a meal (meaning this recipe makes about 4 servings) but may eat more!
McKenna says
Omg this is everything I need in life and crave while pregnant! Sooo tasty. I added in cashews instead of peanuts because that’s what I had on hand and they are a great extra crunch.
Alex says
This salad was delicious, filling, and HUGE! It fed two of us for a whole week and we even had for lunch and dinner some days. Great as a meal with chicken or as a side. Will be adding to my meal prep rotation.