This Thai Tempeh Quinoa Mango Salad with kale, peppers, cashews, and peanut butter lime dressing is the perfect meal-sized salad with ample protein, healthy fat, and nourishing carbohydrates to power your day.
Since first making this quinoa tempeh salad, I have been excited to share it with you all! I was betwixt and between as to whether I should call it a “Thai” salad, since quinoa and tempeh are certainly not ingredients found in Thai cooking (with quinoa having South American origins, and tempeh having Indonesian origins). However, the mango, cilantro, and red curry peanut lime dressing make up for that, so Thai quinoa tempeh mango salad it is! I just wanted to preface this by saying that I have taken liberties with the Thai theme here.
the details
This recipe makes the perfect lunch salad, whether you eat lunch at home, at work, or outdoors on a picnic. It pairs particularly well with the Smashed Chickpea Avocado Sandwiches that I shared the other day. It’s none too challenging to prepare, either. And it makes a generous amount, so it’s perfect if you have many mouths to feed or you’re looking for a recipe that will last you for a few days of meals. I find that the flavours mellow a fair bit after this salad has been refrigerated, so I always like to add more lime juice right before serving to revive them.
Thai quinoa tempeh mango salad ingredients
For the salad, you’ll need quinoa, tempeh, tamari, maple syrup, garlic, toasted sesame oil, rice vinegar, kale, red bell pepper, cilantro, mango, red onion, cashews, and unsweetened shredded coconut.
For the dressing, you’ll need extra virgin olive oil, toasted sesame oil, peanut butter, lime juice and zest, rice vinegar, garlic, ginger, maple syrup, sea salt, pepper, tamari, and red curry paste.
how to make this salad
Start by preparing the tempeh. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Place the diced tempeh in the middle of the baking sheet. In a small dish, whisk together the tamari, maple syrup, garlic, sesame oil, and rice vinegar. Pour over the tempeh and toss to coat. Spread out in an even layer on the baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and set aside.
Meanwhile, cook the quinoa. Combine the quinoa, water, and a pinch of salt in a medium saucepan over high heat. Bring to a boil, stir, and turn down heat to low. Cover and cook for 15 minutes, or until all of the water has been absorbed. Remove from the heat, lightly fluff with a fork, and set aside to cool.
Make the dressing: Add the olive oil, sesame oil, peanut butter, lime zest and juice, rice vinegar, apple cider vinegar, garlic, ginger, maple syrup, salt, pepper, tamari, and red curry paste to a jar. Secure the lid and shake vigorously to combine.
Assemble the salad: Transfer the cooked and cooled quinoa and tempeh into a salad bowl. Add the kale, pepper, cilantro, mango, red onion, cashews, and coconut. Pour the dressing over top and toss to combine.
Serve!
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some final thoughts and notes
The dressing on this salad is more light and tangy than creamy. If you have any of my peanut sauce on hand, or any store-bought peanut sauce, it tastes amazing drizzled on top of individual portions of salad.
If you need a nut-free recipe, replace the cashews with sunflower seeds and replace the peanut butter in the dressing with sunflower seed butter or tahini.
If you need a soy-free recipe, replace the tempeh with 1 ½-2 cups of cooked chickpeas, and replace the tamari in the dressing with coconut aminos.
The longer that this salad sits, the more the flavours mellow. To revive leftovers, I recommend squeezing some lime juice over top.
more tempeh recipes
- Buffalo Tempeh Fajitas with Cashew Aioli
- Vegan Tempeh Breakfast Sandwiches with Chipotle Aioli
- Sweet and Sour Tempeh Meatballs
I hope that you love this Thai tempeh quinoa mango salad! If you make it, let me know how you enjoyed it by leaving a comment and rating below this post. And if you share a photo to Instagram, tag it @upbeet.kitchen and #upbeetkitchen. I love seeing what you’ve made!
Enjoy!
Thai Tempeh Quinoa Mango Salad
- Total Time: 50 minutes
- Yield: 6 medium servings 1x
- Diet: Vegan
Description
This Thai Tempeh Quinoa Mango Salad with kale, peppers, cashews, and peanut butter lime dressing is the perfect meal-sized salad with ample protein, healthy fat, and nourishing carbohydrates to power your day.
Ingredients
FOR THE SALAD
Tempeh
- 1 (8-oz) block of tempeh, diced into ½-inch cubes
- 1 tablespoon reduced sodium tamari
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- ½ tablespoon toasted sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar or apple cider vinegar
Quinoa
- 1 cup quinoa
- 1 ¾ cups water
- Pinch of sea salt
Everything Else
- 1 medium bunch Lacinato (Tuscan) kale, tough stems removed, thinly sliced
- 1 red bell pepper, diced
- ½ cup fresh cilantro leaves, chopped
- 1 cup peeled, diced mango
- ½ cup finely chopped red onion
- ½ cup roasted cashews (see note)
- ½ cup toasted unsweetened shredded coconut (optional- see note)
Dressing
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- ½ tablespoon toasted sesame oil
- 2 tablespoons smooth natural peanut butter
- Zest and juice of 1 lime (about 2 tablespoons of juice)
- 2 tablespoons rice vinegar or apple cider vinegar
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 teaspoons finely grated fresh ginger
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt, or to taste
- Pepper, to taste
- 1 tablespoon reduced sodium tamari
- 1–3 teaspoons Thai red curry paste, to taste
Instructions
- Start by preparing the tempeh. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Place the diced tempeh in the middle of the baking sheet. In a small dish, whisk together the tamari, maple syrup, garlic, sesame oil, and rice vinegar. Pour over the tempeh and toss to coat. Spread out in an even layer on the baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and set aside.
- Meanwhile, cook the quinoa. Combine the quinoa, water, and a pinch of salt in a medium saucepan over high heat. Bring to a boil, stir, and turn down heat to low. Cover and cook for 15 minutes, or until all of the water has been absorbed. Remove from the heat, lightly fluff with a fork, and set aside to cool.
- Make the dressing: Add the olive oil, sesame oil, peanut butter, lime zest and juice, rice vinegar, apple cider vinegar, garlic, ginger, maple syrup, salt, pepper, tamari, and red curry paste to a jar. Secure the lid and shake vigorously to combine.
- Assemble the salad: Transfer the cooked and cooled quinoa and tempeh into a salad bowl. Add the kale, pepper, cilantro, mango, red onion, cashews, and coconut. Pour the dressing over top and toss to combine.
- Garnish with a lime wedge, additional cashews and cilantro, if desired, and serve!
Notes
Leftovers keep well in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to five days.
To roast cashews: Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Place raw cashews on a baking sheet and roast for 10 minutes, or until lightly browned.
To toast coconut: Place coconut on a baking sheet and toast at 325 degrees F for 5 minutes, or until browned and fragrant.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Lunch, Supper
- Cuisine: Thai
Lance says
This isa wonderful salad!
Carol says
This was delicious! Made per recipe, did not change a thing. Could serve with any protein. I needed more mango, the one I purchased wasn’t great. Thank you, can’t wait to make it again!