My family can get through an entire bowl of boiled edamame in minutes; it is a definite family fav. We enjoy it so much at Chinese restaurants, I just knew I had to make it at home. Once I found out how to make edamame, it frequents our table as an appetizer or side dish, pairing well with dishes like my Thai Lettuce Wraps.
Jump in to this super simple recipe and learn the joy of boiling and eating edamame with me!
Edamame is an immature soybean traditionally eaten in Asia. You will most often find them in the freezer section of the grocery store in America. Let’s talk about why I love this easy, protein-packed healthy snack as well as how to make it.
You can also make them to add protein to Marinated Celery Salad or even a soup like Vegan Minestrone Soup. Try swapping fries with some pods next time you make Black Bean Burgers… you won’t regret it!
Recipe Ingredients
This recipe is only 3 ingredients, 2 of which you probably already have on hand! Here’s what I’m putting in my dish:
- Edamame pods: make sure you buy it in shells, not the shelled version, for this recipe.
- Water: Easy peasy way to boil vegetables is in water. Wanna get fancy? Use vegetable broth.. or just stick with water.
- Coarse sea salt: Why coarse? It’s crunchy and adds a burst of flavor. Feel free to use whatever salt you have on hand, or check the packaging from the frozen beans as they might include a packet of coarse salt in there.
I love adding sauce to everything, yet I kept this recipe simple because this is the way my family eats it… just sea salt and that’s it! If you want to go the seasoned route then read on…
Sauce + Seasoning Options
As I said I do love this dish with just a bit of coarse salt yet other flavors do have their place if that’s your style. Here are a few flavoring options:
- Garlic Sesame: The easiest way to jazz up this recipe is to sauté some minced garlic then add to the boiled beans along with toasted sesame oil. It adds deeper flavor that’s slightly nutty.
- Ginger: Fresh chopped ginger root can be added during the boiling process to flavor the beans.
- Soy Sauce: while this dish uses soybeans, you can also add soy sauce. If I’m using soy sauce or tamari, I will cut back on the amount of salt I sprinkle on.
- Sriracha: I’ll never say no to adding a bit of spicy sriracha to anything, so feel free to use it as a dipping sauce.
- Sweet Chili Sauce: You can find this in the international isle of the grocery store, and it adds a sweet ‘n spicy taste that pairs well with this bean.
Boiled Edamame Recipe
Step 1: Start by boiling 6 cups of water + a pinch of salt in a large sauce pan. Add the edamame beans and cook 5 minutes or until the pods are tender. The beans should be easily to release from their pods, yet don’t release them just yet!
Step 2: Drain thoroughly with a colander then place the cooked beans into a bowl.
Step 3: Top with coarse sea salt and eat once slightly cooled.
You can also cook this vegetable in the microwave. If you bought a frozen bag, it should have microwave steaming instructions on it. Even if this is the case, I find that boiling it on the stove top does a slightly better job at making the pods tender but not soggy.
How to Eat Edamame
Sometimes I make a boil of these beans to snack on while working, as this young soybean provides 14 grams of protein per 1 cup!
Think of edamame like a shelled peanut; you want what’s inside but not the shell. So once it has been cooked + salted, take the shell in between your fingers, stick it in your mouth, then use your teeth to pop out the beans out and eat them.
I usually grab a second bowl to discard the shells as I eat the beans, so I know which ones are full and which are empty.
FAQs
Cooking edamame is super easy. Boil a large pot of water on the stove. Add the bean pods and cook 5 minutes, or until the pods are tender. Drain then place in a bowl and top with coarse sea salt.
You can either boil or steam this bean, your choice! Many frozen packages come with steaming instructions, so follow those if you wish, or use my recipe for boiling in less than 10 minutes.
All soybeans should be cooked before being eaten, as they are poisonous in their raw form. Yet cooking them is super easy and delicious!
More Simple Side Dishes
I love when adding a vegetable to a meal is easy. Here are a few of my go-to side dishes that are simple to make and easy for the whole family to enjoy:
Don’t forget to rate + review this recipe once you make it. I’d love to hear what spices you added to yours!
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Bring water and salt to a boil. Add edamame and cook for 5 minutes or until the edamame are tender and easily released from their pods… yet don’t release them just yet.
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Drain thoroughly and place in a serving dish.
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Sprinkle with coarse finishing salt and enjoy!
- Do not eat the outer pod, just the beans on the inside.
- I love enjoying them with just salt, yet feel free to use a dipping sauce like a ginger soy sauce or some soy sauce mixed with wasabi.
- You can use fresh or frozen edamame for this recipe, both are delicious! I often find that frozen edamame comes with a packet of coarse salt to add, so look for that inside the packaging.
- Once cooked, you can enjoy as-is or add as a topping to a salad, vegetarian ramen or a veggie bowl.
Calories: 95kcal, Carbohydrates: 8g, Protein: 8g, Fat: 4g, Saturated Fat: 0.5g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g, Monounsaturated Fat: 1g, Trans Fat: 0.01g, Sodium: 1767mg, Potassium: 338mg, Fiber: 4g, Sugar: 2g, Vitamin C: 5mg, Calcium: 61mg, Iron: 2mg
