Japanese · Starter · Easy
Edamame
Steamed young soybeans tossed with flaky salt. The simplest, most snackable starter in Japanese cooking.
The whole recipe in 60 seconds
Edamame, in 5 ideas
- Do not thaw first, frozen edamame goes straight into boiling water for the best texture
- Salt while hot so it sticks to the pods instead of falling to the bottom of the bowl
- The pods are not eaten, just squeeze the beans out with your teeth
- A little sesame oil and garlic turns plain edamame into an izakaya style snack
- These are done when bright green and tender, dull color means overcooked
What you need
Ingredients
- 1 lb frozen edamame in pods
- 1 tbsp flaky sea salt
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- 1/2 tsp chili flakes
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 tsp soy sauce
How to make it
Directions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil.
- Add the frozen edamame straight from the freezer and cook 4 to 5 minutes until bright green and tender.
- Drain well in a colander, shaking off as much water as possible.
- While still steaming hot, toss with the flaky sea salt so it sticks to the pods.
- Drizzle with sesame oil and soy sauce, then toss with garlic and chili flakes. Serve warm.
Money saver. A big bag of frozen edamame costs a few dollars and makes many batches. The restaurant markup on this appetizer is enormous.