Thai Coconut Quinoa Bowl (Printer-Friendly)

A nourishing bowl featuring coconut quinoa, fresh vegetables, and a zesty peanut dressing for a balanced meal.

# What You’ll Need:

→ Coconut Quinoa

01 - 1 cup quinoa, rinsed
02 - 1 cup coconut milk, full-fat or light
03 - 1 cup water
04 - 1/2 teaspoon salt

→ Vegetables

05 - 1 cup red bell pepper, thinly sliced
06 - 1 cup carrot, julienned or shredded
07 - 1 cup cucumber, thinly sliced
08 - 1 cup purple cabbage, shredded
09 - 1/2 cup edamame, cooked and shelled
10 - 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped
11 - 1 tablespoon sesame seeds

→ Peanut Dressing

12 - 1/4 cup creamy peanut butter
13 - 2 tablespoons soy sauce, gluten-free
14 - 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
15 - 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
16 - 1 tablespoon maple syrup or honey
17 - 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
18 - 1 to 2 tablespoons warm water

# How to Make It:

01 - Combine quinoa, coconut milk, water, and salt in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes until liquid is absorbed. Remove from heat and let sit covered for 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork.
02 - While quinoa cooks, slice the bell pepper, julienne or shred the carrot, slice the cucumber and cabbage, and cook edamame if not already done.
03 - In a small bowl, whisk together peanut butter, soy sauce, rice vinegar, lime juice, maple syrup or honey, and sesame oil. Add warm water one tablespoon at a time until dressing is smooth and pourable.
04 - Divide coconut quinoa among four bowls. Top each with an even amount of vegetables and edamame.
05 - Drizzle generously with peanut dressing. Garnish with chopped cilantro and sesame seeds. Serve immediately or chill for a cold bowl.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The coconut milk makes the quinoa creamy and luxurious without any heavy cream in sight.
  • You can throw it together in 40 minutes flat, which is perfect for those evenings when you need dinner done but don't want takeout.
  • It tastes just as good cold the next day, so meal prep becomes almost effortless.
  • The peanut dressing is genuinely addictive and works on basically any bowl or salad you throw at it.
02 -
  • If your dressing breaks or looks separated, it's probably because you didn't whisk it enough or added the water too fast, so just start over with fresh peanut butter and go slower the second time.
  • Cold coconut quinoa is actually thicker and richer tasting than warm, so if you're making this ahead, the texture gets even better in the fridge overnight.
03 -
  • Make your dressing first and let it sit while you prep vegetables and cook the quinoa, which gives the flavors time to get to know each other.
  • If you're serving this at a gathering, keep the dressing separate and let people drizzle their own amount, because everyone has different dressing preferences and you don't want anyone feeling shortchanged.
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