Quinoa and Wild Rice Salad With Ginger Sesame Dressing
Published August 21, 2011
Andrew Scrivani for The New York Times
- Total Time
- 10 minutes
- Rating
- Comments
- Read comments
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Ingredients
FOR THE GRAINS AND VEGETABLES
2 cups cooked quinoa
1 cup cooked wild rice
Salt to taste
1 red bell pepper, cut in 2-inch strips
1 cup diced cucumber
1 cup edamame
¼ cup chopped cilantro
3 tablespoons chopped or thinly sliced spring onions or scallions
FOR THE DRESSING
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
2 teaspoons minced fresh ginger (more to taste)
1 small garlic clove, minced
Pinch of cayenne
Salt to taste
½ teaspoon soy sauce
2 tablespoons Asian sesame oil
⅓ cup canola oil
Leaf lettuce or radicchio for serving optional
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 to 6 servings)
23 grams carbs; 282 calories; 10 grams monosaturated fat; 6 grams polyunsaturated fat; 2 grams saturated fat; 19 grams fat; 4 grams fiber; 410 milligrams sodium; 6 grams protein; 3 grams sugar
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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Preparation
- Step 1
Toss together all of the salad ingredients.
- Step 2
Whisk together the dressing ingredients. Toss with the salad ingredients, and serve — if desired, over a bed of lettuce or radicchio leaves.
Advance preparation: You can make this dish a few hours ahead and refrigerate. Cooked grains will keep for several months in the freezer and for three or four days in the refrigerator.
Private Notes
Comments
This was great – I wanted something with the flavor profile of cold sesame noodles, but less heavy and more healthy and this fit the bill perfectly.
It's a good idea to make sure that the grains are cool before you add the dressing, so they don't get soggy.
I used more ginger and added some red pepper flakes at the end. If you're up for it, it's nice to mash the ginger with the garlic and a little sea salt in a mortar and pestle before adding it to the other ingredients.
Dressing needs to be doubled, at least.
Great tasting and simple to make, but I would double the dressing and use almost all of it, saving a bit for the second day when grains, rices and pastas tend to be more dry.
It's a perfect summer dish, and could easily take on some grilled or sautéed shrimp or chicken for added protein.
This was OK but unremarkable. The dressing is the problem; it doesn't taste like much. I omitted the canola oil and doubled all the other ingredients, which helped — as did a splash more soy sauce — but it just lacks a depth of flavor. It needs some garlic, or a cooked-onion flavor (e.g. from chili crisp), or some funk or smokiness, plus more citrus brightness (lime zest?) and herbs. The salad reminded me of something you might find on a Whole Foods deli bar.
Fantastic dish that's great to keep in the fridge for a quick lunch. I could also see this being a hit for a summer bbq salad with grilled wings or tofu kabobs. I found the amount of dressing to be just right in contrast to the other comments. It really lets the earthy flavors of the quinoa and rice come through, rather than drowning them in dressing. I cooked the quinoa at a 1pt quinoa to 1.5 part water to have it come out nice and fluffy
Delicious. Guests ate it all.