Rainbow Power Salad with Avocado Dressing
This is the salad I make when I want to feel like the most organized person alive. It holds together beautifully for four days in the fridge without wilting, thanks to sturdy shredded cabbage and carrots. The avocado dressing is creamy without any dairy, and the edamame and quinoa give it enough protein to actually count as a meal. Make a batch on Sunday and you have lunch sorted through Thursday.
Ingredients
- ☐ Green cabbage — 4 cups, finely shredded
- ☐ Red cabbage — 2 cups, finely shredded
- ☐ Carrots — 2 large, julienned or shredded
- ☐ Edamame — 1 cup, shelled and thawed
- ☐ Quinoa — 1/2 cup dry, cooked and cooled
- ☐ Red bell pepper — 1, thinly sliced
- ☐ Cucumber — 1, seeded and sliced
- ☐ Fresh cilantro — 1/4 cup, chopped
- ☐ Fresh mint — 2 tablespoons, chopped
- ☐ Ripe avocado — 1 large
- ☐ Lime — 2, juiced
- ☐ Garlic — 1 clove
- ☐ Ginger — 1 inch piece, grated
- ☐ Maple syrup — 1 tablespoon
- ☐ Olive oil — 2 tablespoons
- ☐ Sesame seeds — for garnish
- ☐ Sea salt
Nutrition Facts
Per serving · 4 servings total
Instructions
Tap a step to mark it complete as you cook.
Cook the quinoa: combine 1/2 cup rinsed quinoa with 3/4 cup water and a pinch of salt in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, cover, and cook for 15 minutes. Let stand covered for 5 minutes, then fluff and let cool completely.
In a very large bowl, combine the green cabbage, red cabbage, carrots, edamame, red bell pepper, cucumber, cilantro, and mint. Toss to combine.
Make the avocado dressing: scoop the avocado into a blender with the lime juice, garlic, ginger, maple syrup, olive oil, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Add 3 tablespoons of water and blend until completely smooth. Add more water 1 tablespoon at a time until the dressing is pourable but still creamy.
Add the cooled quinoa to the salad bowl. Pour over the dressing and toss thoroughly — this salad can take a lot of tossing, and the cabbage will soften slightly as it sits, which is a good thing.
Taste and adjust salt and lime. The salad should be bright and well-seasoned. Sprinkle with sesame seeds just before serving.
Serve immediately, or cover and refrigerate for up to 4 days. The dressed salad actually improves after a few hours in the fridge.
Recipe notes
For extra crunch, add 1/4 cup of toasted slivered almonds or roasted chickpeas just before serving.
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