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Bowl of edamame salad with two spoons on a white table.
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Garlicky Sesame Edamame Salad

Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time10 minutes
Total Time30 minutes
Servings: 4 as a main
Calories: 371kcal
Author: Nisha Vora

Ingredients

  • 12 ounces (340g) frozen shelled edamame (see Note 1)
  • 1 tablespoon white or black sesame seeds
  • ¼ cup (25g) unsweetened shredded coconut (skinny shreds like this) (optional, can omit if desired)
  • ⅓ cup (45g) dry-roasted peanuts (or cashews), roughly chopped
  • 1 tablespoon neutral-flavored cooking oil of choice
  • Kosher salt
  • 1 serrano pepper or Fresno pepper, diced
  • 4 scallions, top 1 inch trimmed and sliced thinly (save dark greens for garnish)
  • 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
  • 2 cups (160g) red cabbage, finely grated (optional, see Note 2)
  • 1 ½ tablespoons tahini
  • 1 tablespoon agave nectar
  • 1 medium lime, zested + juiced
  • 2 tablespoons tamari or soy sauce (see Note 3)
  • 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
  • ½ cup (8g) cilantro leaves and tender stems, chopped
  • 1 small handful of fresh mint leaves, torn (optional)

Instructions

  • Cook the edamame per package instructions. (I typically boil the edamame for 3-4 minutes.) Drain the edamame. If you prefer a cold salad, rinse the edamame under cold water until cool. Shake the colander well to remove excess water. Transfer the edamame to a serving bowl.
  • While the water comes to a boil and the edamame cooks, prep anything else you can: dice the chili pepper; thinly slice the scallions or very thinly slice the shallot; finely chop the garlic; chop the cilantro; make the dressing.
  • Make the dressing: In a small bowl, combine the tahini, agave nectar, lime zest and 1 tablespoon juice, soy sauce, and sesame oil. Whisk until smooth, adding a bit more lime juice if desired. The dressing will be fairly thin, that’s fine.
  • Heat a medium frying pan over medium heat (don’t add the oil just yet). Once hot, add the sesame seeds, coconut, and peanuts. Toast briefly, stirring frequently, about 2 minutes.
    a. Now add the oil to the pan, followed by the chile pepper, scallions, garlic, and a pinch of salt. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring frequently, until the sesame seeds and coconut are turning golden brown.
    b. Take the mixture off of the heat to prevent overcooking and pour over the edamame. Add the cabbage, if using. Re-whisk the dressing and pour over the edamame, and toss to combine so that all the edamame is well coated.
  • Stir in the cilantro and mint, if using. Season to taste with a pinch of salt or squeeze of lime juice as needed.

Video

Notes

  1. Be sure to buy shelled edamame. If you can only find whole edamame in a pod, you will need to shell it yourself and buy about 24 oz whole edamame to end up with 12 oz shelled. If your edamame bag comes with 16 ounces, feel free to use that. The sauce is quite flavorful and saucy, so it should be enough to coat more edamame. If it feels a bit dry, add a splash more of soy sauce and lime juice and toss to coat. You can also buy refrigerated pre-cooked edamame at some stores, like Trader Joes. 
  2. The cabbage is here to add some veggie action, but you can omit it. I prefer to use the large holes of a box grater to get a really fine grated cabbage, as it almost melts into the salad and doesn’t feel cruciferous. You can also use a mandoline, a food processor slicing disc, or a sharp knife to slice the cabbage. Or, you can replace it with grated carrots (you can buy pre-grated carrots if you want).
  3. Use tamari or gluten-free soy sauce to keep this salad gluten-free.