Edamame Salad

Edamame is a type of nutrient dense soybean that is sweeter and more umami than other types of soybean.

It’s a very popular ingredient in stir fries and all types of vegetarian and vegan dishes, but it’s most commonly eaten on its own as a snack.

Edamame comes from Japan. The name means “stem bean” in Japanese, due to the fact that the green pods are picked straight from the plant and are traditionally sold with the stems still attached.

While edamame has exploded in popularity in the West in recent years, it has been cultivated and eaten in Japan and throughout Asia for more than 2,000 years.

In fact, it’s believed that edamame was first cultivated in China and then introduced into Japanese culture, where it became a staple of Japanese cuisine.

It wasn’t until the 1970s when edamame became known in the US. As healthy eating and veganism become more popular, so too did edamame.

It’s pronounced eh-da-MA-meh.

Yes, you have to cook edamame before eating. As edamame is a soybean, it cannot be eaten raw. In fact, it can be dangerous to eat edamame raw and it may make you sick.

So, always cook edamame before eating it. The best way to cook edamame, to ensure it keeps its nutrients and softens up without losing that irresistible taste and texture, is to blanch it.

Blanching is when you rapidly boil food, then remove it from the boil and quickly plunge it into ice cold water, to stop the cooking process.

There are a few key benefits to blanching food. Firstly, blanching helps the food maintain its nutrients. It also helps with taste and texture, while helping the food to maintain its color.

Finally, blanching can extend the lifespan of food, whether storing in the refrigerator or the freezer.

As an example, check out this blanched kale recipe.

Yes! When freezing edamame, blanch it and store it in an airtight container. It will keep its flavor and texture for up to 12 months.

Keep in mind that refrozen edamame beans will suffer some loss of quality to the taste and texture. So, it’s best to freeze them fresh.

One of the reasons this edamame salad is so great is that edamame is really good for you. It’s no wonder this soybean is so popular with vegans, vegetarians and health conscious foodies.

First of all, it’s a great source of protein, with one cup containing 18g of protein. It’s also a great source of fiber, with 8g per cup. Edamame is also packed full of essential vitamins and minerals, including manganese and vitamin C and K.

Yes! It’s 100% gluten free and vegan.

For most people, yes. A 100g serving of edamame contains only 3.6g of carbs, so fitting this edamame salad into a keto diet shouldn’t be a problem.

I’ve gone for extra virgin oil for this recipe; but if you want, you can use sesame oil. It has a much stronger taste and would take the dressing in a completely different direction. 

So, if you’re a fan of the taste of sesame oil and you prefer a more Asian inspired salad, feel free to use it.

Many edamame salad recipes call for chopped red bell pepper to be used. You can of course use this if you wish.

For me, red radishes are just so satisfying, especially in this edamame salad. There’s something about that peppery heat and crunchy texture that makes this salad extra special.

I’ve gone for red onion in this recipe. It’s milder than white onion and brings a nice subtle sweetness to the salad, not to mention that lovely vivid color.

If you think red onion is a little too strong to be eaten raw, try green onions, spring onions or scallions in this salad.

To make the salad you’ll need a bag of shelled edamame, which you can find in the frozen vegetable section of your grocery store. I highly recommend getting them shelled so you don’t have to stand there for ages shelling them yourself.

You can buy canned edamame, but I recommend getting hold of fresh or frozen edamame. Look for the type that’s already been shelled, as shelling edamame beans can be a bit of a chore.