Bright green edamame soy beans in pod are tasty and fun to eat. High in protein, low in carbs they make a great snack for carb counters.
Total carbs 6g, net carbs 2g
(Image credit: Sachiko Goodyear)
Eating fresh, green edamame straight out of the pod reminds me of my mother. She would often make this classic Japanese snack for me to eat while I watched TV. Back then, I didn’t even know that they were healthy. I just loved them so much.
You may already have tried edamame. Many Japanese restaurants serve a small bowl of edamame to snack on while you wait for your order.
What is edamame?
Edamame are unprocessed green soy beans in the pod, much like peas in a pod. They are legumes, members of the bean family along with chickpeas, navy beans, peas, and lentils.
It's just another way to eat soybeans. It is the same bean used to make soy sauce, tofu, tempeh, miso and soy milk.
Edamame nutrition
Nutritionally, edamame (soybeans) are a complete protein. It is also high in protein, low in carbs, high in fiber and low on the glycemic index. This makes it an ideal healthy snack for carb counters.
Where can I find edamame?
When I was growing up you could only find edamame in Asian grocery stores. Now you can buy frozen edamame in most supermarkets.
How do you say edamame?
Ed-a-mom-eh
How to cook edamame
Bring a pot of salted water to a rolling boil, add edamame and cook for 5 minutes. Drain and rinse under cold running water to stop the cooking process. Then sprinkle with a generous pinch of sea salt and serve.
Edamame can be used in many recipes. Try them in place of beans or peas in dishes like three bean salad, succotash and pasta.
If you like spicy foods you can make spicy edamame. Try them with Japanese Shichimi Togarashi, a spice mix of red chili peppers, orange peel, sesame seeds, Japanese pepper, ginger and seaweed. Or give them a shake of Cajun seasoning.
How to eat edamame soy beans in pod
Although edamame look similar to sugar snap peas, you cannot eat the pods. Just like regular peas, you eat the beans inside the pod and discard the pod. The pods are too tough to eat. The proper way to eat edamame is to bite down on the pod, using your teeth to squeeze the soybeans into your mouth. Alternatively, you can pinch the pods between your fingers to squeeze out the beans.
Serving suggestions
Serve sprinkled with sea salt and an empty bowl on the side to collect the discarded pods.
Frequently asked questions
Edamame is a soybean. It is in the legume family, which includes beans, peas, peanuts and lentils.
No. You cannot eat raw soybeans. They must be cooked to become digestible.
According to this Healthline article, “Edamame is rich in the antioxidant kaempferol, which has been shown to cause weight loss and lower blood sugar”.
Edamame (fresh young soybeans in pod)
- Total Time: 10 minutes
- Diet: Diabetic
Description
Bright green edamame soy beans in pod are tasty and fun to eat. High in protein, low in carbs they make a great snack for carb counters.
Ingredients
- 1 pound package (454 grams) edamame soy beans in pod
- 2 tablespoons table salt
- 2 quarts water
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt for serving
Instructions
- Bring water to a rolling boil, add table salt and edamame soy beans in pod.
- Return water to a boil.
- Boil edamame for 5 minutes.
- Drain.
- Rinse with cold water to halt the cooking process.
- Drain.
- Sprinkle with sea salt and serve.
Notes
You can find microwave instructions on packages of frozen edamame, but I suggest boiling them to avoid wrinkly, dehydrated, sad looking pods.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 5 minutes
- Category: Snack
- Method: Boil
- Cuisine: Japanese
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