Chilli Edamame Crunch Salad (Vegan Gluten-Free)

This Chilli Edamame Crunch Salad packs so much flavour, colour and crunch and is so easy to make in 15 minutes. It’s high in protein, naturally vegan and gluten-free and perfect for summer lunches and light dinners.

I just love a vibrant salad for lunch or dinner in the summertime (and all year long) and this one is inspired by the delicious and new Chilli Lemon Crunch snacks from Natures Heart, who I love. They are made with beans and pulses which are roasted till super crispy and crunchy with tons of flavour and they add so much texture on top of salads like this one.

Why will I love this Chilli Edamame Crunch Salad?

This salad is a winner for a few reasons:

• Colourful, vibrant and beautiful
• Packed with crunchy vegetables and edamame beans
• Drizzled with a refreshing lemony tahini dressing
• Easy to make in 15 minutes
• Naturally high in protein and fibre
• Vegan, gluten-free and nut-free
• Uses store cupboard staple ingredients
• A delicious option for meal prep and lunch boxes

If you already know you are going to love this Chilli Edamame Crunch Salad then skip ahead to the recipe card below. Firstly, let’s discuss the recipe in more detail.

What ingredients do I need?

The recipe is divided into two main parts: the salad and then the tahini dressing.

For the salad:

• Quinoa: I love this little pseudo-grain (it is technically a seed) as it’s small but mighty. It’s naturally gluten-free and has a mild nutty flavour making it very versatile. You can also swap this for another grain like buckwheat, bulgur wheat (not gluten-free) or rice.
• Edamame beans: I love these as they are so vibrant and crunchy. I buy these frozen and then de-frost them as you would with frozen peas. you can swap these for chickpeas, or lentils, if you prefer.
• Red cabbage: shred the cabbage finely for texture and crunch. White cabbage can also be used.
• Red or orange bell pepper: any colour will work here and this is great for crunch and refreshment.
• Cucumber: one of my favourite salad ingredients and not to be overlooked and under-appreciated.
• Salad greens: like lettuce, watercress, spinach or massaged kale.
• Fresh mint: I love adding fresh herbs to salads as they really add another fresh element. If you don’t have mint, you can also use some fresh parsley or coriander.
• Chilli lemon crunch: this is the delicious blend I love but you can use other spiced/roasted nuts and/or seeds on top.

As for the tahini dressing:

• Tahini: an obvious ingredient. You need the runny, really smooth tahini for the best dressing. I love the ones from Belazu or Pipkin.
• Lemon juice: for tang. Lime juice can also be used.
• Dijon mustard: this adds such a lovely warmth to the dressing.
• Maple syrup: to balance out the tang this adds sweetness (without it tasting sweet). Other syrups like agave or vegan honey can also be swapped in.
• Garlic: for flavour and heat.
• Chilli flakes: for a little bit of fire. Don’t worry, this is not hot, but if you don’t like chilli, then you can skip this.
• Water: to thin. The dressing may seem really thick at first so gradually add water to reach a pourable consistency.
• Salt and pepper: for flavour.

How do I make this salad?

This salad is really easy to make and you can add it all to one bowl:

• Cook the quinoa: according to packet instructions and allow to cool while you continue.
• Prepare all the vegetables: thaw the edamame beans, slice the cabbage, pepper and cucumber.
• Make the dressing: stir together all the ingredients till smooth.
• Add all the salad components to a large bowl: and toss well.
• Drizzle over the tahini dressing: and toss well.
• Add the crunchy seeds on top with fresh herbs: and dive in.

How long will this salad keep for?

This Chilli Edamame Crunch Salad is best eaten within 1 day if you are stirring in the salad leaves. Alternatively, save the salad leaves till last and stir these through just before eating, as these will wilt quickly. As for the seeds/nuts on top, add these just before eating so they retain their crunch.

Can I play around with different ingredients?

Yes of course, you can add different vegetables into this salad like shredded kale, shredded broccoli and cubes of baked sweet potato or squash, too. As for the grain use your favourite.

Is this gluten-free and nut-free?

Yes, this salad uses quinoa which is naturally gluten-free, so if you are changing the grain base, please check that it is still gluten-free, fi needed. This recipe is nut-free as tahini is made from sesame seeds but please check that your crunch on top is nut-free, where needed.

I love this salad bowl, what else can I make?

I hope you are going to love this Chilli Edamame Crunch Salad and for more ideas, how about my:

• Jackfruit Satay Poke Bowls
• Sweetcorn and Red Pepper Fritters
• Minty Pea Hummus Quinoa Bowls
• Chipotle Jackfruit Bowls with Charred Peppers and Corn
• Smashed Chickpea Crunch Wraps

I look forward to hearing what you think of this Chilli Edamame Crunch Salad so please let me know in the comments below. if you do make this salad, I’d love to see so please tag me, I’m @nourishing.amy on Instagram and use the hashtag #nourishingamy. I’m also on Twitter, Facebook and Pinterest  – please say hello!

With salad crunch love x