If you are in the group of folks who look at the word edamame and “eda-what”, then you may be in the majority who are just discovering this little green bean.  Never fear edamame is just a fancy name for green soybeans – and the real secret is that they are much yummier than they sound.  

No matter where you stand on the benefits of soy, any way you slice it, the edamame is a star legume!  Just ½ cup a day really punches up the fiber, protein and vitamin/mineral content of your diet.  

On half-cup serving of shelled edamame (or 1 1/8 cup edamame in the pods) boasts the following nutritional value;  120 calories, 9 grams fiber, 2.5 grams fat, 1.5 grams polyunsaturated fat (0.3 grams plant omega-3 fatty acids), 0.5 gram monounsaturated fat, 11 grams protein, 13 grams carbohydrate, and 15 mg sodium.

That little serving of edamame gives you a bunch of fiber: 9 grams, about the same amount you'll find in 4 slices of whole-wheat bread or 4 cups of steamed zucchini. It has almost as much protein as it does carbohydrate. It contains around 10% of the Daily Value for two key antioxidants; vitamins C and A. And for a plant food, it's quite high in iron; it has about as much as a 4-ounce roasted chicken breast.

Pasta Edamame

1/2 pound bow tie pasta

4 slices bacon, diced

1 cup leftover Sautéed Edamame

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

2 tablespoons grated Parmesan, optional

Cook pasta according to box instructions.

While pasta is cooking sauté bacon in a medium skillet over medium-low heat until bacon is brown and crispy. Pour off half the excess bacon fat from the pan. Add the leftover soybeans and sauté for 2 minutes. Add cooked pasta, season with salt and pepper and stir so that the pasta is thoroughly coated with the bacon fat. Transfer to serving bowl and top with Parmesan cheese, if desired.

Crispy Edamame

1 (12 ounce) package frozen shelled edamame (green soybeans)

1 tablespoon olive oil

1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Salt and pepper to taste

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Place the edamame into a colander and rinse under cold water to thaw. Drain.  Spread the edamame beans into the bottom of a 9x13 inch baking dish. Drizzle with olive oil. Sprinkle cheese over the top and season with salt and pepper.  Bake in the preheated oven until the cheese is crispy and golden, about 15 minutes.

Honey Soy Grilled Salmon with Edamame 

1/4 cup packed cilantro leaves

2 scallions

2 teaspoons vegetable oil

1 teaspoon grated ginger

Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

4 center cut skin-on wild salmon fillets, about 6 ounces each

2 teaspoons fresh lime juice

2 teaspoons low-sodium soy sauce

2 teaspoons honey

1/4 teaspoon black sesame seeds

1 1/3 cups cooked edamame

Lime wedges, optional garnish

Preheat the grill over medium-high direct heat. Oil the grill grates. Finely chop the cilantro and scallion and mix in the oil and ginger. Season with salt and pepper.

Cut two 3-inch long slits through the skin lengthwise on the bottom of the salmon fillets, going about halfway into the salmon. Evenly stuff the slits with the herb mixture. Season the fish with salt and pepper.

Stir together the lime juice, soy and honey until smooth. Place the salmon, skin side up, on the grill and cook until well-marked, 3 to 4 minutes. Turn the salmon and continue to cook, brushing the tops with the sauce, until the fish is cooked through, about another 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer to a serving plate and sprinkle the tops with the sesame seeds. Serve with edamame and lime wedges.

Broiler directions: Position an oven rack so that a baking sheet set on the rack is about 4-inches below the heat source. Preheat the broiler. Prepare the salmon as above and place the fillets, skin down, on a foil lined baking sheet coated with cooking spray. Broil, basting 3 to 4 times with the sauce, until just cooked through, about 6 to 7 minutes.

Each serving contains;  Calories 345; Total Fat 15g (Sat Fat 1.8g, Mono Fat 4.1g, Poly Fat 5.8g) ; Protein 39g; Carb 10g; Fiber 3g; Cholesterol 93.5mg; Sodium 306mg

Cucumber Edamame Salad

For the Salad

4 English cucumbers, spiralized

2 cups fresh or frozen edamame, if frozen, thaw

1 large red bell pepper, chopped

1 jalapeno pepper, seeded, deveined and chopped

For the Dressing

1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil

1/3 cup seasoned rice vinegar

3 tablespoons toasted sesame oil

1 – ½ Tablespoons low sodium soy sauce

2 inches of fresh ginger

1 ½ teaspoons Dijon mustard

1 – ½ teaspoons fresh garlic

1 teaspoon red pepper flakes

Spiralize or very thinly slice your cucumbers, pat to dry.  Toss together cucumbers, edamame, red bell pepper and jalapeno in a large bowl.  Set aside. 

In a small bowl, add all ingredients for the vinaigrette dressing and whisk well.  Pour dressing into the cucumber mixture and toss well.  

Cover and refrigerate for at least two hours.  Serve within 24 hours for best results.  

Edamame Bean Dip

10 ounces frozen edamame pods or approximately 6 ounces of edamame beans, frozen or fresh 

1 jalapeno pepper, remove seeds to control heat

1 ripe avocado

1 clove garlic

1-2 limes juiced

¼ cup chopped red onion

½ cup fresh cilantro or more to taste

1 teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon black pepper

¼ cup olive oil or avocado oil

If using edamame pods, bring 3 cups of water to a boil.  Add frozen edamame and boil until tender, approximately 6-8 minutes.  Drain, cool and remove soybeans form their pods.

Remove the stem and seeds from your jalapeno.  For a spicier dip you may leave some more of the seeds.  

In a food processor, combine edamame, jalapeño, avocado, lime juice, red onion, cilantro, salt and pepper.  Pulse until finely chopped and mostly pureed, scraping down the sides once or twice as needed.  

With the processor running, slowly drizzle in the olive oil.  Once blended, scrape down the bowl and then process for another 10 seconds or so.  Add any extra oil as needed.  Adjust seasonings to taste and serve with your favorite sliced veggies and tortilla chips.