Steamed Edamame with Sea Salt Recipe

Steamed edamame with sea salt is the ultimate minimalist side dish from Japan: sweet, tender young soybeans steamed to perfection and finished with coarse sea salt. It is ready in under 10 minutes and requires almost no effort. Each serving packs an outstanding 12g of complete plant-based protein with only 125 calories, making it one of the best high-protein low-carb snacks and sides available.

Ingredients

• 400g edamame in pods (fresh or frozen)
• 1 tsp salt (for the cooking water)
• 1.5 tsp flaky sea salt (for finishing)
• Optional: sesame oil, chili flakes, garlic salt, or lemon juice for variations

Instructions

1. Fill a large pot with water, add 1 tsp salt, and bring to a rolling boil.
2. If using frozen edamame, there is no need to thaw first.
3. Add edamame pods to the boiling water.
4. Cook for 4-5 minutes until pods are bright green and tender, and the beans inside are heated through.
5. Drain edamame in a colander.
6. Transfer immediately to a serving bowl.
7. Sprinkle generously with flaky sea salt.
8. Toss to coat and serve immediately, warm or at room temperature.
9. Eat by squeezing the beans out of the pods directly into your mouth and discard the pods.

Tips & Variations

• Cook edamame in well-salted water. Some of the salt penetrates the pods and seasons the beans inside.
• Serve with an extra bowl for the discarded pods for a clean table presentation.
• For garlic edamame: toss with 1 tsp sesame oil and 1/2 tsp garlic powder after steaming.
• For spicy edamame: sprinkle with shichimi togarashi (Japanese seven spice) or red chili flakes.
• For citrus edamame: finish with a squeeze of lemon or yuzu juice and a tiny pinch of lemon zest.

Nutrition Breakdown

Calories: 122 kcal

Protein: 12g

Fat: 5.2g

Carbs: 9g

Fiber: 5.2g

Track It with Nutrify

Tracking steamed edamame with sea salt is easy with Nutrify's AI-powered food scanner. Just snap a photo of your plate and get instant calorie and macro data. Download Nutrify to start tracking smarter.