Skip to content
RecipeSeeker
Colorful bowl of quinoa salad with edamame, avocado, red peppers and tahini drizzle
LunchVeganGluten-freeDairy-free

Edamame & Quinoa Power Salad

Chewy quinoa, buttery edamame, creamy avocado and a lemon-tahini dressing. 15g protein and 10g fiber per serving, and it actually keeps you full until dinner.

15g Protein10g Fiber336mcg Folate4mg Iron
Jump to recipePin it
Prep20 min
Cook0 min
Calories353 kcal
Serves4

Key nutrients per serving

By The Recipe Seeker Kitchen

Updated 2026-09-17

Ingredients

4 servings

Instructions

4 steps · about 20 minutes total

  1. Cook the quinoa

    Rinse the quinoa, then simmer in salted water for 12–14 minutes until the little tails unfurl. Drain well and spread on a plate to cool — warm quinoa melts the avocado, so give it 10 minutes.

  2. Prep the vegetables

    While the quinoa cools, thaw the edamame under warm running water and pat dry. Dice the avocado and bell pepper into bite-size pieces.

  3. Whisk the dressing

    Whisk the tahini, lemon juice, olive oil, water, ½ teaspoon salt and a few cracks of pepper until smooth and pourable. Tahini seizes before it loosens — keep whisking and add water a teaspoon at a time until it turns silky.

  4. Toss and serve

    Combine the quinoa, edamame, avocado and pepper in a large bowl. Pour over the dressing and toss gently. Taste for salt and lemon, shower with sesame seeds, and serve.

Why this helps

Plant-powered lunches that keep you full

Edamame is one of the few plant foods that delivers complete protein, and a serving of this salad also covers most of your folate for the day. The tahini-lemon dressing does quiet work too: its vitamin C helps you absorb the iron from the edamame and quinoa.

All about ProteinAll about FiberAll about FolateAll about Iron

Nutrition facts

per serving · % DV
  • Calories 353 kcal18%
  • Protein 15g30%
  • Total Carbohydrate 29g11%
  • Dietary Fiber 10g36%
  • Total Sugars 2g4%
  • Total Fat 22g28%
  • Sodium 16mg1%

Vitamins & minerals

  • Iron 3.6mg20%
  • Calcium 83mg6%
  • Magnesium 115mg27%
  • Potassium 794mg17%
  • Vitamin C 69mg77%
  • Folate 336mcg84%

*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Values are per serving (recipe makes 4).

Nutrition is an estimate calculated from USDA FoodData Central ingredient data and may vary by ingredient brand, preparation, and portion size.

Questions, answered

Is this salad actually filling?
Yes — that is the point of the formula. 15g of plant protein plus 10g of fiber per serving slows digestion considerably. Most people find it holds them 4–5 hours.
Can I use frozen edamame?
That is what the recipe assumes. Run frozen shelled edamame under warm water for a minute and pat dry. No need to cook it separately.
How long does it keep?
3 days in the fridge in an airtight container. The avocado browns slightly — toss it in the lemon dressing first and it stays greener. For pristine meal prep, add the avocado fresh each day.
What is a good tahini substitute?
Sunflower-seed butter thins out similarly and keeps it nut-free. Natural peanut butter works too, though the flavor is more assertive.
Can I add more protein?
A can of chickpeas or a couple of chopped hard-boiled eggs fold in easily and push each serving past 20g of protein.
Is quinoa gluten-free?
Yes, quinoa is naturally gluten-free. If you have celiac disease, buy a brand labeled gluten-free to avoid cross-contamination from shared processing lines.
Why did my tahini dressing turn thick and pasty?
Totally normal — tahini seizes when liquid is first added. Keep whisking and add water a teaspoon at a time; it will suddenly turn smooth and creamy.
Can I serve it warm?
Yes. Toss the warm quinoa with the edamame and pepper, then add the avocado and dressing at the end so the avocado does not melt into mush.

Made it? Rate it.

No ratings yet. Be the first to rate “Edamame & Quinoa Power Salad”.

Tap a star to rate.

Same nutrients, different dish

You might also like

All recipes
Colorful Mediterranean bowl with chickpeas, quinoa, cucumber, tomatoes and feta20 min

520 kcal2 servings

Mediterranean Chickpea Bowl

Chickpeas, quinoa, cucumber, tomato and feta with lemon-olive oil dressing. 12g fiber, 5mg iron and 210mcg folate per bowl. No cooking required.

12g Fiber5mg Iron210mcg Folate
Bowl of golden lentil curry stew with spinach and a swirl of coconut milk40 min

320 kcal4 servings

Lentil Curry Stew

One-pot red lentil and coconut curry with spinach. 5.5mg iron, 13g fiber and 280mcg folate per serving. Budget-friendly and freezer-friendly.

5.5mg Iron13g Fiber280mcg Folate
Bowl of creamy red lentil soup with lemon wedge, olive oil swirl and cumin35 min

260 kcal4 servings

Red Lentil Soup with Lemon

Silky red lentil soup brightened with lemon and cumin. 4.5mg iron, 12g fiber and 270mcg folate per bowl. One pot, 35 minutes, freezer-friendly.

4.5mg Iron12g Fiber270mcg Folate