How to Eat Edamame

The Japanese soybean, edamame, is rich in protein and dietary fiber. Because the soybean is still immature in its pod, unlike the mature soybeans found in tofu, the soft texture of the bean makes it a perfect ingredient for adding nutritional value to any meal. After the edamame has been either steamed or boiled and touched with a pinch of salt for taste, you can eat it in a variety of ways, from eating it plain, making it into a dip, or enjoying it as a key ingredient in fried rice or salad. If you want to know how to eat edamame, just follow these steps.

Ingredients

Plain Edamame

  • 1 cup cooked edamame
  • 1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper
  • 1 tsp. soy sauce.

Edamame Dip

  • 12 oz. fresh shelled edamame
  • 1/2 cup chopped cilantro
  • 1/2 cup plain yogurt
  • 1 pitted and chopped avocado
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 1/4 cup lime juice
  • 1-2 tsp. salt
  • 5 shakes Tabasco
  • 3 drops sesame oil

Edamame Salad

  • 3 tbsp. lime juice
  • 2 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 tbsp. canola oil
  • 1 small pressed garlic clove
  • ½ tsp. sugar
  • 2 cups of corn
  • 1 cup cooked edamame soybeans
  • 1 15-oz. can drained black beans
  • ½ cup diced red onion
  • ½ cup chopped fresh cilantro

Edamame Fried Rice

  • 1 lb. thin asparagus
  • 3 tbsp. canola oil
  • 1 tbsp. minced garlic
  • Pinch of ground ginger
  • Pinch of red pepper flakes
  • 3 cups thawed frozen edamame
  • 1 tbsp. low sodium soy sauce
  • 2 cups cooked brown rice
  • 3 diced scallions
Method 1
Method 1 of 5:

Plain Edamame

  1. Image titled Eat Edamame Step 1
    1
    Place the cooked edamame in a bowl.
  2. 2
    Sprinkle it with cayenne pepper and soy sauce. Sprinkle 1/2 tsp. of cayenne pepper and 1 tsp. of soy sauce over the edamame for a spicy snack.
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  3. Image titled Eat Edamame Step 3
    3
    Eat it. To eat the edamame, just put one edamame pod in your mouth, slide out the edamame beans with your teeth, and discard the pods. If you'd rather not do this every time you at edamame, you can remove the beans from the pods first, and then you can place them in a bowl and garnish them with spices of your choice.[1]
  4. Image titled Eat Edamame Step 4
    4
    Store it. This edamame will hold in the refrigerator for at least two days.
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Method 2
Method 2 of 5:

Edamame Dip

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    1
    Bring 2 quarts of salted water to a boil. Throw at least 2 tbsp. of salt into the water. This is the first step to making this tasty edamame dip.[2]
  2. 2
    Put 12 oz. of fresh shelled edamame into the water.
  3. Image titled Eat Edamame Step 7
    3
    Return the water to a simmer and cook the edamame for 5 minutes. Cook them until they're cooked through and tender. Then, drain them with cold water.[3]
  4. 4
    Place the edamame in a food processor and pulse several times.[4]
  5. 5
    Add 1/2 cup of chopped cilantro to the processor and pulse again.
  6. 6
    Add the remaining ingredients and pulse until they're puréed well. Add 1/2 cup of water, 1/4 cup of lime juice, 1-2 tsp. of salt, 5 shakes of Tabasco, and 3 drops of sesame oil to the processor and pulse until they're blended. If you'd like the dip to be a bit smoother, add a bit more water.
  7. Image titled Eat Edamame Step 11
    7
    Serve. Place this tasty edamame dip into a bowl and enjoy it with pita chips, carrots, or a variety of chips or veggies.
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Method 3
Method 3 of 5:

Edamame Salad

  1. 1
    Make the dressing. Combine the lime juice, oils, garlic, and sugar in a small bowl. Place 3 tbsp. of lime juice, 2 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil, 2 tbsp. canola oil, 1 small pressed garlic clove, and ½ tsp. of sugar in a small bowl.
  2. Image titled Eat Edamame Step 13
    2
    Whisk the ingredients together. Whisk the ingredients together to combine the flavors and set them aside.
  3. 3
    Place the edamame, corn, black beans, onion, and cilantro in a large bowl. Place 2 cups of corn, 1 cup of cooked edamame soybeans, 1 15-oz. can of drained black beans, ½ cup of diced red onion, and ½ cup of chopped fresh cilantro in a large bowl.
  4. Image titled Eat Edamame Step 15
    4
    Pour the dressing over the vegetable mixture. Gently toss the veggies and the dressing to combine the flavors.[5]
  5. Image titled Eat Edamame Step 16
    5
    Refrigerate. Refrigerate this salad for at least an hour, or even overnight, for the flavors to fully blend.[6]
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    6
    Serve. Enjoy this cold salad as a side dish at any time.
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Method 4
Method 4 of 5:

Edamame Fried Rice

  1. 1
    Put the diced asparagus in a bowl with 2 tbsp. of water. Wash and dice the asparagus into 1" pieces first. This is the first step to making this edamame fried rice.[7]
  2. Image titled Eat Edamame Step 19
    2
    Microwave the bowl for 30 seconds. This will cook the asparagus slightly.
  3. 3
    Heat 3 tbsp. of canola oil in a skillet. After the oil heats up for a minute or so, add the asparagus. Cook it for about a minute, making sure you don't burn the pieces.
  4. 4
    Add the garlic, powdered ginger, and pepper flakes to the mixture. Cook 1 tbsp. of minced garlic, one pinch of ground ginger, and one pinch of red pepper flakes to the skillet and cook the ingredients together until the asparagus has started to turn brown.
  5. 5
    Add 3 cups of thawed frozen edamame to the mixture and cook for 5 minutes. Stir the ingredients together, and then add 1 tbsp. of low sodium soy sauce and a tsp. of water to the rest of the ingredients. Add a bit more water if the ingredients start to dry up or burn a bit.[8]
  6. Image titled Eat Edamame Step 23
    6
    Stir in the rice and 3 diced scallions and cook for 1 more minute. Stir the ingredients together to combine the flavors for 1 minute, or until the ingredients are cooked through. Then, remove the ingredients from the heat.[9]
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    7
    Serve. Season the rice with soy sauce and red pepper flakes to taste and enjoy it immediately.[10]
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Method 5
Method 5 of 5:

Other Ways to Eat Edamame

  1. Image titled Eat Edamame Step 25
    1
    Add it to stews or soups. Instead of using common vegetables, for example carrots or peas, use edamame beans as a substitution. It's a great addition in slow cooker soups as well.[11]
  2. Image titled Eat Edamame Step 26
    2
    Pair it with pasta or shellfish dishes. If you're planning to have shrimp scampi or a very light pasta dish with seasonal vegetables, sprinkle some beans as a nice crunchy topping.
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Community Q&A

  • Question
    Can I eat the whole bean, pod and all?
    Community Answer
    Community Answer
    You can eat the whole pod, but it may be too fibrous for your liking. You can remove the beans with your teeth or a knife, and just eat the bean rather than the entire pod. Some places also sell their edamame pre-shelled, so you will not have to remove them from the pod.
  • Question
    Can I eat them straight out of the freezer bag if they're shelled?
    Community Answer
    Community Answer
    Check the bag for whether they are pre-cooked -- if so, sure.
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References

  1. ↑ https://www.epicurious.com/expert-advice/how-to-eat-edamame-every-possible-way-article
  2. ↑ http://www.simplyrecipes.com/recipes/edamame_dip/
  3. ↑ https://www.bonappetit.com/recipe/edamame-dip-with-pita-chips
  4. ↑ https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/edamame-dip-recipe-1952123
  5. ↑ https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/221108/quick-edamame-salad/
  6. ↑ https://www.food.com/recipe/edamame-salad-175799
  7. ↑ http://thecookinglife.wordpress.com/2011/03/23/recipe-edamame-and-asparagus-stir-fry/
  8. ↑ https://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/edamame-fried-brown-rice
  9. ↑ https://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/edamame-fried-rice-51186610
  1. ↑ https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ree-drummond/edamame-fried-rice-3055435
  2. ↑ https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/food-network-kitchen/edamame-soup-with-mushrooms-and-spinach-recipe-2084438

About This Article

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wikiHow is a “wiki,” similar to Wikipedia, which means that many of our articles are co-written by multiple authors. To create this article, 10 people, some anonymous, worked to edit and improve it over time. This article has been viewed 298,429 times.
7 votes - 100%
Co-authors: 10
Updated: February 10, 2023
Views: 298,429
Categories: Eating Techniques
Article SummaryX

If you want to eat edamame plain, place the cooked edamame in a bowl and sprinkle it with soy sauce and a little cayenne pepper. Place one of the edamame pods in your pod and use your teeth to scrape out the beans, then discard the pods. If you have any leftover edamame, keep it in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. To learn how to make edamame dip, keep reading!

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