Snow peas are an under-rated vegetable, in my opinion. They are sweet with a delicate tender-crunch. You can serve them raw or give them a quick steam to soften their texture and brighten their color. They grow best in cool weather and therefore can be harvested in spring or fall. Most often I enjoy them in Asian style dishes like this Thai peanut snow pea and quinoa salad.
I love how colorful this salad is, which also means that it is high in minerals and antioxidants found in all those colorful vegetables. To keep this salad filling, the vegetables need to be served with protein-rich ingredients. I opted for quinoa and peanut butter used in the Thai peanut sauce.
The magic to this recipe is keeping the ratios in check. Too much quinoa and the flavor is paste-y and bland. Too many vegetables and the salad is not filling. Just the right amount of peanut sauce adds loads of flavor and helps the quinoa stick to the veggies making it easier to eat.
Finally, I like to add plenty of crunchy toppings. The sesame sticks are my favorite but peanuts also work well. I buy sesame sticks from the bulk section found in most grocery stores. You could also use the sesame sticks in a homemade trail mix.
Variations to the Thai Peanut Snow Pea and Quinoa Salad recipe:
- Snap peas would make an excellent swap for the snow peas if that is what you can find.
- Taste test the salad once mixed with the Thai peanut sauce and add a sprinkle of salt to taste if desired. Just a little extra salt can really make the flavors pop!
- Hot sauce: Most often I used sriracha in my Thai peanut sauce because I always have an open bottle. Thai red curry paste is a delicious alternative if you want to switch it up that keeps this recipe authentically Thai.
- How much water you use to thin the sauce will be completely dependent on how runny your peanut butter is. You may not need any, you might need more. Start with small amounts because you can aways add but you cannot take any away. If you add more than you like, you could try mixing in more peanut butter.
- Crunchy peanut butter will work if that is all you have on hand.
- Shredded Carrot: Use the large holes on a box grater to shred the carrot. You can also use a shredding attachment on a food processor, or simply julienne cut the carrots.
- ⅓ cup dry quinoa
- ⅔ cup water
- 2 cups sliced snow peas, tops trimmed
- 1 cup sliced red cabbage
- 1 cup shredded carrots
- ¼ cup sesame sticks or peanuts, or other crunchy garnish
- ¼ cup natural creamy peanut butter
- 3 TBS reduced sodium soy sauce
- 2 TBS rice vinegar
- 2 tsp sriracha
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- Water, as needed to thin (I used 1 TBS)
- Combine the quinoa and water in a small pot and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer for 15 minutes, or until all the liquid is absorbed. Let rest covered for 5 minutes, then fluff with a fork.
- Meanwhile, steam the snap peas, if desired, until bright green, about 3 minutes on the stovetop or 1 minute in the microwave.
- Whisk together all the ingredients for the peanut sauce (peanut butter, soy sauce, rice vinegar, curry paste or sriracha, garlic, and water).
- Toss the quinoa with the snow peas, cabbage, and carrots. Pour in the sauce and toss to coat. Top with sesame sticks, peanuts, or other crunchy garnishes.
