Enjoy a bowl of this Asian Edamame Crunch Salad made with edamame beans, quinoa and veggies for a healthy lunch or side. This salad is healthy, vegan and gluten-free.

A bowl of edamame salad with a wood spoon in it

What is Edamame?

Edamame is a young soybean is that is still green when harvested and are soft and can be eaten raw. Once the soybean matures, it turns white and hardens and is used to make soy products like tofu.

Edamame beans are often served in Japanese restaurants in their pods and are lightly boiled or steamed to help them soften. Edamame beans are also packed with tons of health benefits and are a great source of protein and fibre.

You can find edamame at most grocery stores in the freezer section, sold either in their pods, or shelled. Sometimes you may also be able to find canned edamame beans, or fresh edamame beans at your local farmers market.

Why you’ll love this edamame salad

  • High in protein. This edamame bean salad is packed with plant-based protein from the edamame, quinoa and cashews. Each serving has 11 grams of protein.
  • 20 minutes to make. This salad is easy and simple to make and comes together in just 20 minutes.
  • Stores well in the fridge. If you’re looking for a great meal prep recipe, this edamame salad is perfect! It stores well in the fridge even after being dressed.

Edamame salad ingredients and substitutions

Ingredients for edamame salad
  • Edamame beans: you want to use shelled edamame beans (edamame that have been removed from the shells) for this recipe if possible. You can also use whole edamame beans and just remove the edamame from the pods yourself.
  • Quinoa: you can leave this out if you prefer the salad to just have vegetables.
  • Red bell peppers: you can substitute with any colour bell pepper you love.
  • Purple cabbage: you could also use green cabbage or Napa cabbage if you prefer!
  • Carrots: you can buy pre-shredded carrots or shred them yourself.
  • Green onions: also called scallions. If you prefer red onion you can use that instead.
  • Cilantro: leave this out if you don’t like the taste of cilantro.
  • Cashews: or any other nuts or seeds you love such as peanuts, toasted almonds or sesame seeds
  • Sesame dressing: this simple homemade dressing is made with olive oil, sesame oil, rice vinegar, tamari and ginger.

How to make edamame quinoa salad

Step 1

Add the edamame, quinoa, carrots, red bell pepper, purple cabbage, green onions, cilantro and roasted cashews to a large mixing bowl or salad bowl.

edamame beans, quinoa, cashews and vegetables in a salad bowl

Step 2

Prepare the salad dressing and pour it onto the salad.

edamame salad in a large bowl with sesame dressing being poured into it

Step 3

Mix the salad together until everything is combined. Serve immediately.

a mixing bowl with edamame and quinoa salad

What to serve with edamame salad

This Asian edamame and quinoa salad can be enjoyed on it’s own, can be served as a side with your favourite protein, or be served family-style with other Asian-inspired dishes. Here are some great options to serve with this salad.

How to store leftovers

Store any leftovers of this edamame salad in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 4 days. This salad can be stored separately from the dressing or can be stored once it’s already dressed. (It won’t get soggy if you store it after dressing it!)

Expert tips

  • Use shelled edamame. These are the edamame beans that have been removed from their pods. This will save you time having to remove the beans from their pods.
  • Cook the quinoa while you prepare the vegetables. If you don’t have quinoa already made, cook it on the stove while you prepare the rest of the ingredients.
  • Add any vegetables you love. Feel free to customize this salad and add any veggies or other ingredients you love! You can try adding kale, broccoli, different nuts, seeds or herbs.

Edamame salad FAQ

Can I use canned edamame beans?

Yes! Canned edamame beans aren’t as common to find at the grocery store as frozen edamame, but if you have canned edamame you can use them for this recipe.

Is edamame salad good for you?

Yes. Edamame salad is a great source of fibre, protein and other nutrients. Each serving of this salad has 300 calories, 5.3 grams of fibre and 11 grams of protein.

Can I make this salad ahead of time?

Yes. This is a great salad to prepare ahead of time and is a great option to bring to a dinner or potluck.

Where can I buy edamame?

You can find edamame sold at most grocery stores in the frozen vegetable section.

Try these tasty salads next!

If you tried this Asian Edamame Crunch Salad or any other recipe on the blog let me know how you liked it by leaving a comment/rating below! Be sure to follow along on Pinterest, Instagram, Tiktok and Facebook for even more deliciousness!

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A close up of edamame quinoa salad in a bowl

Asian Edamame Crunch Salad

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 5 from 2 reviews
  • Author: Jessica Hoffman
  • Prep Time: 15 minutes
  • Cook Time: 5 minutes
  • Total Time: 20 minutes
  • Yield: 4 servings 1x
  • Category: Appetizer/side
  • Method: Mix
  • Cuisine: Asian
  • Diet: Vegan
Print Recipe

Description

Enjoy this crunchy Edamame and quinoa salad as a light lunch or protein-packed side dish!

Ingredients

Units Scale
  • 14 ounces of shelled edamame (about 2 cups)
  • 1 cup cooked quinoa (approx 1/2 cup uncooked)
  • 1 red bell pepper, chopped
  • 1 cup shredded carrots
  • 1 cup shredded purple cabbage
  • 2 green onions, chopped
  • 1/4 cup roasted cashews, chopped
  • 1/4 cup chopped cilantro

Sesame dressing

  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 tbsp sesame oil
  • 1 tbsp rice vinegar (can sub lime juice)
  • 2 tsp tamari (or soy sauce)
  • 1 tsp maple syrup
  • 2 tsp grated ginger
  • salt & pepper to taste

Instructions

  1. Cook the edamame beans according to the package directions, then let cool.
  2. Add the edamame beans, quinoa, red bell pepper, carrots, purple cabbage, green onions, cashews and cilantro to a mixing bowl.
  3. Prepare the dressing by mixing the olive oil, sesame oil, rice vinegar, tamari, maple syrup, ginger, salt and pepper together in a small cup or jar.
  4. Pour the dressing onto the salad and mix together to combine and serve.

Notes

Store leftovers in the fridge for up to 4 days.

Customize this salad with any veggies or other ingredients you love!

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1/4 of the recipe
  • Calories: 300
  • Sugar: 6.4g
  • Fat: 18g
  • Carbohydrates: 28g
  • Fiber: 5.3g
  • Protein: 11g