Crispy Quinoa Salad
Crispy Quinoa Salad with chewy tofu, cabbage, cucumber, fresh herbs, and a spicy tahini dressing. Perfect as a main or a side salad, with 18 grams of protein per serving.
Crispy quinoa on salads is better than croutons or crispy rice! Yes, it’s true– take your leftover quinoa, add some toasted sesame oil and chili crisp, then air fry (or bake) until crispy and crunchy.
Combine with cabbage, cucumbers, peanuts, herbs, and a spicy tahini dressing.
Why I love this recipe
This is one of my favorite new salad recipes, a crunchy, chewy salad with a creamy, spicy dressing on top. It’s great for meal prep (see tips on that below) and lasts a day in the fridge after being dressed.
If you’ve ever found quinoa boring, then I beg you to try this crispy quinoa salad! Crispy quinoa tastes so much better than plain cooked quinoa, and this salad has such a nice mixture of flavor and texture.
It’s versatile and can be used as both a side dish or a main.
It’s fantastic as a meal, with 18 grams of protein and 8 grams of fiber per serving. A mega flavorful plant-based salad.
Ingredient Notes
- The star of the dressing is chili crisp and tahini. You can use any tahini, though I prefer the Soom brand. The same goes for chili crisp, though I often use my homemade chili crisp recipe.
- You’ll want to use leftover cooked quinoa, and I often make this salad whenever I have leftover quinoa from a recipe. If you want to make this salad right away, then you can use just-cooked quinoa.
- I make these crispy tofu pieces all the time! They appear in my gochujang tofu bowls, air fryer bang bang tofu bowls, and chili crisp tofu bowls. Chewy, golden pieces of tofu for extra protein and texture!
- The mint and cilantro really make this crispy quinoa salad pop and don’t recommend omitting either of them. You can use more or less, depending on what you have in your fridge or garden.
- Cabbage and cucumber also add for nice texture. That said, I’ve made these without the cucumber and it tastes great.
Substitution Notes
If you don’t want to use tofu, then cooked and drained shelled edamame will also work.
Peanut butter can also replace tahini; it will alter the flavor, but it will still taste great. Arugula or another hearty green will work in place of the cabbage.
Rice will work in place of the quinoa. When I first tested this recipe, I did so with crispy rice, and I found it good, but not as good as when I used quinoa. I prefer the texture of the quinoa, but either will work in this salad.
How to Make
Make the Spicy Tahini Dressing
Place all ingredients for the tahini dressing and whisk until creamy and smooth. I usually do this in my mini blender as I find it easier to combine everything for a smooth dressing, as tahini tends to seize when liquid is added to it.
If this happens, keep whisking; it will eventually smooth out, or add a little hot water to make the dressing smoother. Depending on your tahini brand, you may have to add more water to create a pourable dressing. I usually use a drippy brand like Soom.
Make the Crispy Quinoa
Toss the quinoa with the sesame oil and chili crisp. Preheat your air fryer to 400 degrees. Add the quinoa to a parchment-paper liner and cook for 9 minutes, stirring halfway through.
If you don’t have an air fryer, then preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, or use a non-stick baking sheet, breaking up any quinoa clumps. Bake for 20-30 minutes, stirring every 10-15 minutes to ensure even browning and crispness. It’s ready when it’s dry and crispy.
Make the Tofu
Toss the crumbled tofu with the salt, pepper, and cornstarch. Place in a separate parchment-paper liner from the quinoa and air fry for 10-12 minutes at 400 degrees, tossing halfway through until golden brown and chewy.
If you don’t have an air fryer, spread the tofu in an even layer on a baking sheet (lined or non-stick, as above) and bake for 15-20 minutes, stirring halfway through, until golden brown and chewy.Â
Prep the Rest of the Salad
Prep the rest of the vegetables: thinly slice the cucumbers, shred the cabbage, chop the cilantro and mint, slice the scallions, and chop the peanuts.
For the best texture of the crispy quinoa salad, I find that thinly slicing the vegetables is better than larger chunks.
Combine
In a large bowl, add the cabbage, cucumbers, cilantro, scallions, mint, crispy quinoa, and tofu. Add the dressing and toss to combine. I usually add about 1/2 of the dressing to toss, then divide the salad into two (or four) plates and drizzle with more dressing.
Tips for Success
For best results, the quinoa and tofu should be nice and crispy. I use my air fryer for both of these, as I find that it’s easiest, but you can also use the oven if you’d like. Make sure the tofu and quinoa are evenly distributed on the baking sheet. If they are stacked on top of one another, they will steam and not crisp.
The dressing should be nice and creamy, but also pourable. If the tahini thickens when mixed with water, then keep stirring, adding more water to thin. The dressing will thicken as it stands.
How to Make for Meal Prep
Make the quinoa ahead of time by crisping it in the air fryer (or oven) and then store it separately in the fridge. If it gets soggy, quickly crisp it in a skillet or return it to the air fryer and fry for a few minutes.
The dressing can also be made ahead of time and stored in the fridge for up to 4 days.
The vegetables can also be prepped ahead of time and stored in the fridge.
What to Serve With
This crispy quinoa salad is satisfying on its own or can be served as a side dish. Its tangy and acidic flavor profile would pair nicely with anything grilled or with a creamy soup in the colder months, like my roasted acorn squash soup or pea and asparagus soup.
Storing
This crispy quinoa salad will keep for up to a day dressed in the fridge, with the ingredients listed here. If you sub in a more tender green for the cabbage, then it will wilt faster.
If you want to make this for meal prep, then you can by prepping and storing the ingredients separately. See above for those notes.
More Salad Recipes
- Italian Chopped Salad
- Kale and Mango Salad
- Easy Kale Caesar Salad
- Kale and Apple Salad with Candied Pecans
- Persimmon Salad
- Rainbow Salad with Edamame and Sesame Dressing
If you try this crispy quinoa salad, make sure to come back to leave a rating and a comment. Your feedback helps other readers and seeing you make my recipes makes my day!
Crispy Quinoa Salad with Spicy Tahini Dressing
Equipment
Ingredients
Tahini Chili Crisp Dressing
- 2 tablespoons tahini
- 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon lime juice1
- 1 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon chili crisp
- 1 teaspoon brown sugar
- 1 large garlic clove
- 1/2-1 inch ginger knob2
- 3 tablespoons water
Crispy Quinoa
- 1 cup cooked quinoa
- 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
- 1 teaspoon chili crisp
Crispy Tofu
- 4 ounces extra-firm tofu, crumbled
- 1/4 teaspoon salt and pepper, each
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch
Remaining Salad Ingredients
- 2-3 cups shredded cabbage
- 1/2 cup thinly sliced cucumber3
- 1/4 cup finely chopped cilantro
- 3 tablespoons finely chopped mint
- 1/4 cup thinly sliced scallions
- 1/4 cup toasted peanuts, chopped
Instructions
- Make the dressing
- Place all of the ingredients into a small blender4 and puree until creamy and smooth. If the dressing is too thick, add in more water.
Make the Crispy Quinoa
- Toss the quinoa with the sesame oil and chili crisp. Preheat your air fryer5 to 400 degrees. Add the quinoa to a parchment-paper liner and cook for 9 minutes, stirring halfway through. Remove and set aside.
Make the Crispy Tofu
- Toss the crumbled tofu with the salt, pepper, and cornstarch. Place in a separate parchment-paper liner and air fry6 for 10-12 minutes at 400 degrees, tossing halfway through until golden brown and chewy.
Combine and Serve
- In a large bowl, add the cabbage, cucumbers, cilantro, scallions, mint, crispy quinoa and tofu. Add the dressing and toss to combine.
- Divide into two bowls (or four as a side dish) and garnish with crispy peanuts and more chili crisp, if desired.
Notes
- I like the flavor of both lime juice and rice wine vinegar for the acid, but if you don’t already have both, I would use 2 tablespoons of lime juice.Â
- I love ginger and use a 1 inch knob of ginger for more ginger flavor, but 1/2 inch works too.Â
- Persian or English cucumbers are best as they are thin-skinned.
- If you don’t have a small blender (this is the one I use), add all of the ingredients except for the water to a small glass container, mincing the garlic and ginger. Then, whisk in the water (warm water will blend more easily.) If the tahini seizes, keep going, as it will eventually become smooth. You can add more water if you need.
- If you don’t have an air fryer, preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, or use a non-stick baking, breaking up any clumps. Bake for 20-30 minutes, stirring every 10-15 minutes to ensure even browning and crispness. It’s ready when it’s dry and crispy. Set aside.Â
- If you don’t have an air fryer, spread the tofu in an even layer on a baking sheet (lined or non-stick, as above) and bake for 15-20 minutes, stirring halfway through, until golden brown and chewy.Â