Thai Coconut Quinoa Bowl (Printable)

Creamy coconut quinoa topped with crisp vegetables and zesty peanut dressing

# What You Need:

→ Coconut Quinoa

01 - 1 cup quinoa, rinsed
02 - 1 cup coconut milk, full-fat or light
03 - 1 cup water
04 - ½ teaspoon salt

→ Vegetables

05 - 1 cup red bell pepper, thinly sliced
06 - 1 cup carrot, julienned or shredded
07 - 1 cup cucumber, thinly sliced
08 - 1 cup purple cabbage, shredded
09 - ½ cup edamame, cooked and shelled
10 - 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped
11 - 1 tablespoon sesame seeds

→ Peanut Dressing

12 - ¼ cup creamy peanut butter
13 - 2 tablespoons soy sauce, gluten-free if needed
14 - 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
15 - 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
16 - 1 tablespoon maple syrup or honey
17 - 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
18 - 1 to 2 tablespoons warm water, as needed

# Step-by-Step Guide:

01 - Combine quinoa, coconut milk, water, and salt in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes until liquid is absorbed. Remove from heat and let sit covered for 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork.
02 - While quinoa cooks, slice the bell pepper, julienne or shred the carrot, slice the cucumber and cabbage. Cook edamame if not already prepared.
03 - In a small bowl, whisk together peanut butter, soy sauce, rice vinegar, lime juice, maple syrup or honey, and sesame oil. Add warm water one tablespoon at a time until dressing is smooth and pourable.
04 - Divide coconut quinoa evenly among four bowls. Top each with equal portions of vegetables and edamame.
05 - Drizzle each bowl generously with peanut dressing. Garnish with chopped cilantro and sesame seeds. Serve immediately or chill for a cold bowl.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • It comes together in 40 minutes flat, which means you can have this on the table before you've even settled into your hunger.
  • The dressing is the real magic—tangy, creamy, with just enough heat to make your palate wake up and pay attention.
  • It's forgiving enough to swap vegetables based on what's sitting in your crisper drawer without losing its soul.
  • Everything stays fresh for days in the fridge, so one batch feeds you through the week without monotony.
02 -
  • Don't skip the rinsing step for quinoa—I learned this the hard way when my first batch tasted distinctly bitter and I wondered what I'd done wrong.
  • The dressing thickens as it sits, so make it looser than you think it needs to be because it'll tighten up after 10 minutes.
  • Your vegetables will release water if you chop them too far ahead, so do this right before assembly unless you're okay with a slightly softer texture.
03 -
  • Make the dressing first and let it sit while you cook the quinoa—it tastes noticeably better when the flavors have had a chance to meld together.
  • If you're cooking for the week, store the quinoa, vegetables, and dressing separately so everything stays fresh and doesn't get soggy or sad by Wednesday.
Go Back