Easy Edamame Beans (Delicious and Addictive!)

Easy Edamame Beans (Delicious and Addictive!)

Usually sprinkled with sea salt, these soybean pods are spiced with a Japanese seasoning salt known as Schichimi Togarashi. Tossed with soy sauce and a bit of sugar, you won't be able to eat just one.

Course Appetizer, Side Dish

Cuisine Japanese

Diet Low Fat, Low Lactose, Vegan, Vegetarian

Keyword edamame, vegan

Prep Time 5

Cook Time 5

Servings

Calories 102kcal

Author Agile Test Kitchen

Equipment

1 pot to boil the edamame at least 2 qt in size
1 bowl with ice to make an ice bath for the cooked edamame

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

This recipe makes about 5 cups of edamame pods. This can serve about 4 people or 6-8 if served along with other appetizers.

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.

This recipe was inspired by the free edamame appetizer served at Chef Roy Yamaguchi's Eating House Restaurant in Kauai.

Nutrition