Making this edamame with soy and sesame sauce dish is one of my favorite evening snacks! Not only are these edamame pods good for you, they hit the spot whenever I crave something savory, nutty, and filling. Only three ingredients are needed and they take five minutes to make.
I’ve been munching on edamame beans since I was a little girl.
As soon as summer arrived my mother took a break from cooking complicated meals and served a light Japanese fare that I always looked forward to dive into.
Dishes like zaru soba (chilled buckwheat noodles with a tare dipping sauce), squid boiled with soy sauce and sugar, hiyayakko (chilled silken tofu), oshitashi (boiled spinach with ground sesame seeds), and steamed edamame with salt.
I loved sucking on the salty edamame pods and chewing on the sweet beans inside. To me, edamame will always be a summer snack.
However, in Japan edamame is a snack that’s served all year round in izakayas (Japanese tapas style pubs) and convenience stores, and one known to pair beautifully with a cold glass of beer.
Tokyo Life
I must have had edamame almost every week during the three years I spent living in Tokyo.
It was a healthy snack I picked up at Seven Eleven and carried around in my large shoulder bag along with my modeling portfolio and high heels. I always look back fondly at my time spent in Japan because it’s where I fell in love with food, where I started my modeling career, where I had my first long-term boyfriend, and where I first became independent.
Japan will always have a special piece of my heart not only because my mother is from there, but also because it’s given me so much.
Today, I have a super yummy edamame recipe you will love!
These edamame pods are boiled and then sauteed in a sesame oil and soy sauce seasoning.
The flavors pair so well with the sweet green soybeans, plus, the pods look stunning! And you don’t need fresh edamame either because I’m using…
Frozen Edamame
I don’t even know where to find fresh edamame to be honest since I’ve always used frozen edamame!
There are plenty of brands to choose from these days such as Seapoint Farms (the brand I usually use), Nature’s Promise, Bird’s Eye, and Market Pantry. I always buy edamame in their pods because I find that the texture of the beans is better than the shelled ones.
It’s also harder to season edamame beans because of their slippery texture so for this recipe, I’m using the pods.
How to Cook Edamame
Add edamame pods or shelled beans to a pot of salted water and boil for 5 minutes. Drain in cold water and serve.
Put the edamame pods or shelled beans in a steam basket and place the basket over a pot filled with about 1 inch of water. Bring the water to boil, put a lid over the basket and steam for 5-10 minutes.
Place the edamame pods or shelled beans in a microwave safe bowl and sprinkle a little water over them. Cover with a a paper tower and microwave on high for 1-3 minutes.
Can You Eat Edamame Pods?
No, you can only eat the beans inside since the pods are too tough and fibrous to eat. You can however cook the pods and suck on them as you squeeze the beans out. That’s by far my favorite way to eat edamame!
Can You Eat Edamame Raw?
Edamame beans are poisonous when eaten raw.
They can cause nausea, diarrhea, vomiting and could also lead to long-term damage to organs and tissues if ingested in large amounts. so it’s very important that you cook the beans before eating them.
How to Eat Edamame
The traditional way to eat edamame is to sprinkle the shells with a little salt and let the beans pop into your mouth with a gentle squeeze.
This recipe is a little different because the pods are sauteed in soy sauce and sesame oil, so the bulk of the flavor is on the outside. Make sure you take a good licking to the pods because they are delicious!
Nutty, salty and peppery, it feels like I am eating some sort of Szechuan dish minus the heat.
How Long Cooked Edamame Last
Cooked edamame will last a maximum of 4 days, refrigerated in an airtight container. They should be refrigerated within 2 hours of cooking.
I wouldn’t recommend keeping them in the fridge for longer 3-4 days, even if they look and smell fine since they could be unsafe to eat.
Can Dogs Eat Edamame?
Yes but only in very small portions since they can really upset your dog’s stomach.
The reason is that they are extremely high in fiber so they could give your dog diarrhea if you feed it too many beans. They can also cause bloating and gas which can be uncomfortable so if you feel like sharing a snack with your pup, stick to no more than 2 or 3 beans.
What about Cats?
The same goes for cats. I have a cat and never feed him human food, period. It’s too risky so I don’t take any chances. Okay, I’ll admit to giving Tsukune (his name means chicken meatball in Japanese) certain fresh herbs like cilantro and basil, and a teeny tiny bit of plain yogurt, but that’s about it.
What to Serve with This Edamame Recipe
As I previously mentioned, this dish makes a delicious snack or side to serve at a sushi party. But you can also serve it as part of Japanese home style dinner with Japanese classics such as:
Did you like this Edamame with Soy and Sesame Sauce Recipe? Are there changes you made that you would like to share? Share your tips and recommendations in the comments section below!
Boil edamame for 3-4 minutes. Drain in cold water and dry with paper towel.
In a pan over high heat, add sesame oil. When the oil is hot, almost smoking, add edamame pods and fry for about 2-3 minutes, until the pods are slightly charred.
Add soy sauce and stir until the sauce has evaporated.
Season with salt and lots of black pepper.
Serve immediately or save it for later in the fridge. It’s good hot and cold!
Notes
This edamame snack will keep refrigerated for up to 3 days.
Thanks for the proper way to eat edamame! I tried some after some blog said they were like green beans…. And was extremely confused with how difficult it was to chew it up and thought they were overcooked So glad I found your blog I don’t like wasting food.
I’ll give your recipe a whirl but first need to google how much “150 grams edamame in pods” is in U.S. measurements.
I’m tempted to doctor the recipe and use the same sauce I use with “Grilled Shishito Peppers” consisting of:
1 TBSP + 1 Tsp Toasted Sesame Oil
2 Garlic Cloves, Minced
2 1/2 Tsp Low Sodium Soy Sauce
3/4 Tsp Huy Fong Chili Garlic Sauce
1/2 Tsp Honey
Garnish: Toasted Sesame Seeds
Super delicious and so easy to make. I have been eating edamame the boring way for all these years. This will be my go-to recipe whenever I prepare edamame! Thank you for this recipe.
I will be making this for the first time!!!! I’ll serve it with spicy sweet sticky pork with broccoli over jasmine rice!!!! So excited!!!!
Thank you!!!!
I will never prepare Edamame any other way again! I used SteamFresh Edamame – dried it off and the rest is history. The char flavor is to die for, just enough soy, sprinkle of salt and lots of cracked black peppercorn – perfect! Thank you!
Hi Tim,
Yes they are pan seared for 2-3 minutes until they are charred. It is mentioned in the recipe which is all the way down, but not in the ‘how to cook edamame’ section 🙂
Hi Caroline, I see from the comments that this recipe was posted some years ago. Well, it is still inspiring people! I fed these edamame beans to my family last night and we have had different versions of them before but this is definitely the most delicious. I am buying lots more beans and this will be a regular dish from now on. I am going to use it as a go-to dish for taking to friends as a snack, too. Thank you and YUM! Julia 🙂
This looks delish! But I’m wondering, do you eat the pod too or just the inside? Typically I just pop out the inside and discard the pod but wondering what you recommend.
I just stumbled upon your blog and as soon as I saw this recipe I went out and bought two bags of edamame and sesame oil and tried it right when I got home! Totally worth it!! This was the best edamame that I have ever had! Thank you so much for this amazing recipe!
Tonight will be my first time trying edamame, and you can never go wrong with roasted/slightly charred vegetables. I love this recipe already and haven’t tried it yet. I’ll be back to let you know what I think!
I don’t eat edamame much and def not at home, but when I saw this recipe I dropped off my son at daycare and went straight to the grocery store to buy some edamame. I just tried out your recipe and i absolutely love it! It was the best vegetable recipe i have ever tasted! Thanks so much!
Hi Caroline,
I’ve been meaning to write you to give thanks for your amazing recipes. This edamame post has my mouth watering and I can barely wait to try it at our next big family gathering, with beer and pickles! Every time I’ve brought one of your recipes to a gathering, friends and family always would ask it’s origin, and I would say “Pickled Plum” or “Caroline.” Now, they don’t even ask, they just say “Oooo, this must be Pickled Plum!” or “Hmmm, so Caroline visited your kitchen this week!”
Thank you! You are loved!
All the Best,
Belinda in Denver
Caroline Caron-Phelps is a Japanese/French Canadian recipe creator, food blogger, and photographer. She showcases delicious, authentic Asian recipes, especially Japanese, vegan, and vegetarian, with beautiful photography, easy-to-follow instructions, videos, and practical recipe variations. Caroline has been featured on Bon Appetit, Shape Magazine, Self, Today Show, and more.
Thanks for the proper way to eat edamame! I tried some after some blog said they were like green beans…. And was extremely confused with how difficult it was to chew it up and thought they were overcooked So glad I found your blog I don’t like wasting food.
Regards, Caroline. This will be my meal tonight, along with ahi tuna tartare! It sounds amazing. google
Great recipe
★★★★★
Howdy !
Your recipes are so Cool !!!
I’ll give your recipe a whirl but first need to google how much “150 grams edamame in pods” is in U.S. measurements.
I’m tempted to doctor the recipe and use the same sauce I use with “Grilled Shishito Peppers” consisting of:
1 TBSP + 1 Tsp Toasted Sesame Oil
2 Garlic Cloves, Minced
2 1/2 Tsp Low Sodium Soy Sauce
3/4 Tsp Huy Fong Chili Garlic Sauce
1/2 Tsp Honey
Garnish: Toasted Sesame Seeds
★★★★
Thanks Caroline! I’ll be making this along with Ahi Tuna Tartar tonight for dinner! It sounds incredible.
Cheers,
Morgan
★★★★★
Sounds delicious Morgan!
Super delicious and so easy to make. I have been eating edamame the boring way for all these years. This will be my go-to recipe whenever I prepare edamame! Thank you for this recipe.
★★★★★
That’s so great Stephanie! Thank you for sharing 🙂
I will be making this for the first time!!!! I’ll serve it with spicy sweet sticky pork with broccoli over jasmine rice!!!! So excited!!!!
Thank you!!!!
Wonderful Cindy! 🙂
I will never prepare Edamame any other way again! I used SteamFresh Edamame – dried it off and the rest is history. The char flavor is to die for, just enough soy, sprinkle of salt and lots of cracked black peppercorn – perfect! Thank you!
★★★★★
Thank you so much Susan! 🙂
The pictures of these pods looked like they have been pan seared and browned? I do not see this in the recipe?
Hi Tim,
Yes they are pan seared for 2-3 minutes until they are charred. It is mentioned in the recipe which is all the way down, but not in the ‘how to cook edamame’ section 🙂
This is great with shelled edamame too! Delicious!!!
★★★★★
Hi Caroline, I see from the comments that this recipe was posted some years ago. Well, it is still inspiring people! I fed these edamame beans to my family last night and we have had different versions of them before but this is definitely the most delicious. I am buying lots more beans and this will be a regular dish from now on. I am going to use it as a go-to dish for taking to friends as a snack, too. Thank you and YUM! Julia 🙂
★★★★★
Thank you so much Julia! It’s also my favorite way to eat edamame, I’m happy you enjoyed this recipe as much as I do 🙂
I just came across this post and these look to die for! My only question is, did you use frozen or fresh edamame pods?
Hi Megan, I used frozen edamame for this recipe and they came out tasting delicious! 🙂
This looks delish! But I’m wondering, do you eat the pod too or just the inside? Typically I just pop out the inside and discard the pod but wondering what you recommend.
Hi Jennie!
Yes, only eat the inside but do enjoy sucking on the pod, they are delicious 🙂
I just stumbled upon your blog and as soon as I saw this recipe I went out and bought two bags of edamame and sesame oil and tried it right when I got home! Totally worth it!! This was the best edamame that I have ever had! Thank you so much for this amazing recipe!
★★★★★
Thank you Morgan, comments like yours always make me so happy!
Tonight will be my first time trying edamame, and you can never go wrong with roasted/slightly charred vegetables. I love this recipe already and haven’t tried it yet. I’ll be back to let you know what I think!
Thank you Carmen, let me know what you think and I hope you enjoy it!
I don’t eat edamame much and def not at home, but when I saw this recipe I dropped off my son at daycare and went straight to the grocery store to buy some edamame. I just tried out your recipe and i absolutely love it! It was the best vegetable recipe i have ever tasted! Thanks so much!
★★★★★
Jessica, you just put a HUGE smile on my face! Thank you so much for leaving such a lovely comment! I’m so happy you liked it, I love it too 🙂
I love edamame and this takes it to a whole new level. Trying soon!
Let me know what you think Lauren! 🙂
Hi Caroline,
I’ve been meaning to write you to give thanks for your amazing recipes. This edamame post has my mouth watering and I can barely wait to try it at our next big family gathering, with beer and pickles! Every time I’ve brought one of your recipes to a gathering, friends and family always would ask it’s origin, and I would say “Pickled Plum” or “Caroline.” Now, they don’t even ask, they just say “Oooo, this must be Pickled Plum!” or “Hmmm, so Caroline visited your kitchen this week!”
Thank you! You are loved!
All the Best,
Belinda in Denver
★★★★★
You are so sweet! Thank you SO much for the beautiful words Belinda, you totally made my day!