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    Home » Diet » Vegan Recipes

    Thai Quinoa Salad With Black Rice

    Published: Aug 2, 2019 by Wendy Polisi Modified: Jul 28, 2022 · 821 words. · About 5 minutes to read this article. This post may contain affiliate links. All opinions are my own.

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    Photo of a Thai Quinoa Salad in a white bowl against a white background with the thext Thai Quinoa Salad with Black Rice beneath it.

    Of all the quinoa recipes I've made, this Thai Quinoa Salad is one of my all-time favorites. The first time I made it I fell in love and that love has never dulled through the years. What I love most about this recipe is the way the flavors and textures play together. The bright dressing features lime juice, sesame oil, and garlic and just the right blend of sweet heat. It plays perfectly with ridiculously aromatic mint and cilantro. I think you are going to adore this recipe as much as I do.

    Overhead photo of two bowls of Thai Quinoa Salad with Black Rice against a white background.
    First Published: August 18,2012... Last Updated: August 2, 2019

    This Thai Quinoa Salad is The BEST Quinoa Salad Ever!

    Are you adventurous with foods, or do you tend to eat the same things over and over?

    For years I was on team repetition. It wasn't until about 15 years ago that I started branching out and trying new things. Up until then, I was a southern casserole kind of girl.

    Once I started, I never looked back!

    I love bold flavors, and dishes like this Thai Quinoa Salad light me up! There are so many flavors going on - from sweet mango and mint to crunchy red pepper and crisp cilantro. And the dressing…you are going to want to put it on everything.

    I first made this recipe almost ten years ago, and it still goes down as a favorite of both mine and my husbands. (And that is saying something because he is no longer a quinoa fan after years of being fed too much.)

    Give this recipe a try - I think you will love it as much as I do.

    Overhead photo of Thai Quinoa Salad in a white bowl against a white background with small bowls of sesame seeds and almonds above and a bunch of cilantro below.

    How to Make Thai Quinoa Salad

    1 First, make the dressing by combining the rice vinegar, lime juice, coconut aminos, hot sauce, olive oil, sesame oil and garlic in a blender. Process until smooth.

    Photo of cooked quinoa, cooked, black rice, mango, red pepper, green onions, cilantro, and mint in a large white bowl.

    2 Next, in a large bowl combine cooked quinoa, cooked, black rice, mango, red pepper, green onions, cilantro, and mint.

    3 After that, toss the salad with ¾ of the dressing.

    Photo of cooked quinoa, cooked, black rice, mango, red pepper, green onions, cilantro, and mint tossed with dressing in a large white bowl with a spoon in it.

    4 Finally, place in serving bowls and top with almonds and sesame seeds. Drizzle with additional dressing if desired.

    Variations for This Recipe:

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    • Carrots and radishes are a nice addition.
    • Toss in 1 cup of fresh bean sprouts.
    • For a crunchy Thai peanut quinoa salad, use peanuts in place of the almonds.
    • Add ¼ cup peanut butter to the dressing.

    What Should I Serve This Recipe With?

    • While this recipe is fabulous on its own it is also great served with grilled chicken or lamb.
    • This is a fabulous side for Curry Chicken Satay.
    Thai Black Rice Quinoa Salad

    Other Quinoa Salad Recipes You Don't Want to Miss:

    • If you are looking for something a little different, don't miss this Sweet Potato Pomegranate Salad. With crispy quinoa, apples, and walnuts, this beautiful salad is pretty enough for your holiday table.
    • If texture is your thing, you will love this Crunchy Quinoa Salad.
    • This Mexican Quinoa Salad has it all going on! Creamy avocado, black beans, corn, tomato, red onion and a kick from pickled jalapeño all topped off with a delicious Chipotle Lime Vinaigrette.
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    Thai Style Quinoa Salad with Black Rice

    I am not sure how many quinoa salad recipes I've created, but I would guess that between the website and books the number is upwards of two hundred. This Thai Black Rice Quinoa Salad is without question in my Top 5 All Time Favorites.

    If you like this recipe don't forget to leave a 5 star rating and let me know how it went in the below comments, I love hearing from you! You can also FOLLOW ME on FACEBOOK, TWITTER, INSTAGRAM, and PINTEREST to see all my delicious recipes.
    Overhead photo of a bowl of Thai Quinoa Salad with Black Rice on a white background with cilantro, forks, almonds, and coconut by it.
    Print Recipe
    5 from 4 votes

    Thai Quinoa Salad with Black Rice

    It doesn’t get much better than this Thai Quinoa Salad with Black Rice! This vegan recipe is just the right blend of spice and sweet. It is gluten free, and perfect for make ahead lunches and dinners.
    Prep Time25 mins
    Total Time25 mins
    Course: Salad
    Cuisine: Thai
    Keyword: sweet and spicy
    Servings: 8
    Calories: 348kcal
    Author: Wendy Polisi

    Ingredients

    • Dressing
    • ¼ cup rice vinegar
    • 2 tablespoons lime juice
    • 3 tablespoons coconut aminos or gluten-free tamari
    • 1 tablespoon maple syrup
    • 1 tablespoon Sriracha Hot Sauce gluten-free
    • ⅓ cup extra-virgin olive oil
    • 1 tablespoon sesame oil
    • 1 teaspoon minced garlic
    • Salad
    • 3 cups cooked quinoa
    • 3 cups cooked black rice
    • 1 mango peeled, pitted and diced
    • 1 red pepper seeded and diced
    • 6 green onions chopped
    • ½ cup fresh cilantro chopped
    • 2 tablespoons fresh mint chopped
    • ¼ cup chopped almonds
    • ¼ cup sesame seeds

    Instructions

    • Make the dressing by combining rice vinegar, lime juice, coconut aminos, maple syrup, Sriracha, olive oil, sesame oil and garlic in a blender.
    • Process until smooth. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
    • In a large bowl combine quinoa, black rice, mango, pepper, green onions, cilantro and mint in a large bowl.
    • Toss with ¾ of the dressing.
    • To serve, place in serving bowls and top with almonds and sesame seeds. Drizzle with additional dressing.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 348kcal | Carbohydrates: 41g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 17g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Sodium: 182mg | Potassium: 313mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 900IU | Vitamin C: 31.4mg | Calcium: 91mg | Iron: 2.5mg

    Other Thai Salad Recipes to Try:

    • You will go nuts for this Thai Chicken Salad! It really does have it all. With Napa cabbage, red pepper, carrots, and scallions dressed in this delicious dressing and topped with fresh basil, cilantro, and cashews, you have got a crave-worthy taste and texture.
    • This Rainbow Thai Salad really is like eating a rainbow. So much nutrition in one bowl.
    • This Thai Noodle Salad is pure comfort food!

    Filed Under:

    Quinoa RecipesSalad RecipesVegan RecipesVegetarian Recipes

    More recipes you may enjoy

    • 30-Minute Blackstone Teriyaki Chicken
    • Chicken Bacon Ranch Casserole with Cream Cheese 
    • Mediterranean Quinoa Salad Recipe
    • Vegetarian Mediterranean Bowl

    About Wendy Polisi

    Hi, I’m Wendy! I’m a cook, 5 time cookbook author, blogger, natural health enthusiast…and most importantly a mom. My boys are 16 & 17 and my late life princess is 9.

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

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      Rating




    1. Bernadette

      February 09, 2017 at 12:01 am

      I have never had quinoa :/ I see it all the time but have just never tried it. I think I might have to 🙂

      Reply
      • Wendy Polisi

        July 11, 2017 at 6:22 pm

        5 stars
        If you give it a try let me know what you think!

        Reply
    2. Amber

      February 09, 2017 at 2:22 am

      This looks pretty tasty!

      I love your food photography by the way even if it drives you nuts! I'm horrible at it.

      Reply
    3. Sarah Bailey

      February 09, 2017 at 3:10 am

      It was a bowl of healthy and delectable salad that can give you enough energy for the whole day. The images above was really great, it surely stands out.

      Reply
    4. Andrea Broom

      February 09, 2017 at 4:46 am

      I'm always looking for new quinoa recipes, I have quinoa at least 3-4 times a week. This looks like a great salad to add to my rotation.

      Reply
    5. Julie Porter

      February 09, 2017 at 5:20 am

      I am bookmarking your site now!! I have been trying for quite sometime to learn some good recipes using quinoa in a quest to get my husband to eat it since it is such a good food for his type 1 diabetes and heart disease. I don't know what your photos looked like before, but I think they are pretty darn good now! I'm excited to try this recipe out and see how hubs likes it.

      Reply
    6. Annemarie LeBlanc

      February 09, 2017 at 9:59 am

      Your photos are not at all that bad. You should see my food photos. Haha. Anyway, the recipe for the black rice quinoa sounds great. I will gather the ingredients I need and make this too.

      Reply
    7. Annette Yedlin

      February 09, 2017 at 1:31 pm

      That looks delicious and it's so colorful too! I love a great salad. The black rice just makes it so much better. Thank you!

      Reply
    8. bstoutsweeps

      February 09, 2017 at 7:09 pm

      This looks amazing. I need to try this some time.

      Reply
    9. Cindy Nicoletti

      February 09, 2017 at 8:55 pm

      Looks really good. I love to try new recipes. Will be trying yours. Thanks !!

      Reply
    10. Chloe

      February 09, 2017 at 10:01 pm

      I think your photos look really good! And congratulations on making blogging a full time job!

      Reply
    11. Echo (The Mad Mommy)

      February 09, 2017 at 11:51 pm

      I still haven't found a way that I like quinoa! It just doesn't appeal to me! I really need to try it more ways!

      Reply
    12. Azlin Bloor

      February 10, 2017 at 4:58 pm

      Looks like a wonderful recipe! Love all the ingredients going in and the colours!

      Reply
    13. Kathy

      February 10, 2017 at 10:52 pm

      This looks amazing. I need to give it a try. I bet this tastes so good!!

      Reply
    14. CourtneyLynne Storms

      February 13, 2017 at 2:15 am

      Omg can we say yum?!? This salad looks absolutely amazing! I must give your recipe a try!!!

      Reply
    15. Frosted Events

      February 15, 2017 at 7:10 pm

      looks yummy and healthy! I bet my hubby would love this too. Glad that you share this with us

      Reply
    16. Rejeanne

      July 19, 2017 at 3:06 pm

      5 stars
      Hi
      This looks delicious. Could you advise what I could replace the mango with? I cannot eat that fruit, unfortunately. Thank you.

      Reply
      • Wendy Polisi

        July 19, 2017 at 3:09 pm

        I think most any tropical fruit would be good. Pineapple maybe? Or papaya.

        Reply
    17. Debra

      January 05, 2018 at 11:05 pm

      5 stars
      This salad was excellent!! Definitely will make this one regularly. I can see why this is one of your favorites!! I had soaked the Black Forbidden Rice for awhile and didn't need even need to cook it, just rinsed and let it drain. It was soft, but chewy, giving the salad a nice texture. I used arugula in place of the mint. I also used pepitas and sunflower seeds, since I didn't have any sesame seeds on hand. Finally, I topped the individual servings with a half an avocado cubed each, which really added a nice texture.

      Reply
    18. Jeannie

      January 11, 2022 at 1:03 am

      5 stars
      This recipe is amazing and absolutely my favorite quinoa recipe. I have made this several times in the last two years. Making it tonight and finally leaving a comment. The best!

      Reply
      • Wendy Polisi

        January 11, 2022 at 1:22 pm

        I am so glad you enjoy it! It is definitely a favorite of mine too.

        Reply

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    Hi, I’m Wendy! I’m a cook, 5 time cookbook author, blogger, natural health enthusiast…and most importantly a mom. My boys are 16 & 17 and my late life princess is 9.

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