If a pile of edamame beans doesn’t exactly excite your tastebuds, try this version based off the one served at a well known Hawaiian restaurant. Succulent, with a balance of saltiness and sweetness without being cloying, this recipe just might have you craving beans instead of bread before dinner.
This recipe was inspired by the complimentary edamame pods served at Eating House Restaurant in Kauai, a Roy Yamaguchi restaurant.
Serve with other lively appetizers such as fun baked salmon collars, along a spread of sides for tuna steaks, or with a Hawaiian gochujang salmon.
For plant based options, serve as an appetizer with wild rice fried rice, Korean BBQ mushrooms, or at a vegan BBQ.
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Reasons to try this recipe
- Adds flavor to otherwise traditional, plain salted edamame beans
- it doesn’t coat the beans with a sticky sauce, so your fingers don't need too many napkins while eating.
- Makes a fun snack or appetizer, kind of like peanuts in the shell, where you just eat the nuggets inside and discard the shell.
Ingredients
This uses mostly regular ingredients, but there is one special spice mix.
- Edamame Pods - Buy these frozen, or pre-cooked.
- Recommend the organic 365 Whole Foods brand
- (I find precooked edamame to be a bit tough and undercooked, so I prefer cooking the pods myself. )
- Soy Sauce - Tamari or liquid aminos work well too for gluten free options.
- Schichimi Togarashi - Schishimi Togarashi is a 7 spice Japanese blend that adds adds spicy heat and umami.
- Substitution - Toasted sesame seeds or furikake seasoning, which can also be used to make the classic Hawaiian dish, furikake salmon.
See recipe card for quantities.
Instructions
This recipe starts with frozen, uncooked beans rather than precooked edamame pods.
- Step 1: Drop frozen edamame into a pot of boiling salted water. Cook until the beans are tender but not completely mushy, about 4-6 minutes.
- Step 2: Drain the beans and shock in an ice bath to stop them from continuing to cook.
- Step 3: Mix the dressing together of sugar, soy sauce, and water.
- Step 4: Toss the beans in the dressing. Serve within a day.
Hint: Salt raises the temperature required for water to boil, so add it after the water has come to a boil.
Storage
The edamame will last for about a week in the fridge, but it will start to turn brown from the soy sauce.
These are best consumed for appearances sake within 2 days.
Top Tips
- Shocking the cooked edamame in ice water helps keep the edamame green stay extra bright green a little more than cool running water.
- Try serving these instead of bread as a starter. It's less filling, has less carbs, and contains more protein.
- If not serving right away, continue to toss the edamame with the soy sauce dressing from time to time, so it evenly marinates with the sauce.
- The soy sauce dressing also works with already cooked edamame pods. However, I find precooked edamame to be a bit tough and undercooked, so I prefer cooking the pods myself.
Edamame Trivia
- The word 'edamame' is the same in both singular and plural form.
- Edamame are soybeans that have been picked 45-60 days before maturation.
- These are the same soybeans used to make tofu, but these green pods are picked when the plant is still young and immature.
Related Plant Based Recipes
Looking for other plant based side dishes? Try these:
Other Asian Side Dishes
Here are some other Asian inspired side dish recipes to try:
Easy Edamame Beans (Delicious and Addictive!)
Ingredients
- 1 lb edamame pods frozen
- ½ tsp salt to season the boiling water
Dressing Ingredients
- 3 Tb soy sauce or tamari or liquid aminos
- 2 Tb sugar or other sweetener such as agave, maple syrup, or honey
- 2 Tb water
Garnish
- 1 tsp shichimi togarashi seasoning or toasted sesame seeds or furikake seasoning
Instructions
- Bring 6 cups of water to a boil. Drop in the salt and frozen edamame pods.Cover, and cook for 4-6 minutes (or according to the package directions). (Note that 4-6 minutes is the total time in the hot water. It likely will not come back to a boil within that time. Uncover, the pot if it starts to boil, and lower heat to a gentle simmer.)
- Taste a bean inside the edamame pod. It should be tender and not crunchy. Once the edamame is sufficiently cooked, drain and put into a bowl of ice water, or run the drained edamame under cold running water until it is cooled.
- Stir together dressing ingredients (soy sauce, sugar, 2 Tb water) in a large bowl. It should be large enough to hold the edamame once cooked.
- Add the drained, cooled edamame to the dressing, and toss to coat evenly. Sprinkle on the shichimi togarashi garnish.
- Serve right away or the next day. Don't forget to serve with an empty bowl or plate nearby for people to discarded the pods.If not serving right away, continue to toss the edamame with the soy sauce dressing from time to time, so it evenly marinates with the sauce.
Notes
- Salt raises the temperature required for water to boil, so add it after the water has come to a boil.
- Shocking the cooked edamame in ice water helps keep the edamame green stay extra bright green a little more than cool running water.
- Try serving these instead of bread as a starter. It's less filling, has less carbs, and contains more protein.
- The edamame will last for about a week in the fridge, but it will start to turn brown from the soy sauce. These are best consumed for appearances sake within 2 days.
- The soy sauce dressing also works with already cooked edamame pods. However, I find precooked edamame to be a bit tough and undercooked, so I prefer cooking the pods myself.
Edamame in the Wild
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