Edamame Cucumber Sesame Salad (Printable)

Chilled edamame mixed with crisp cucumber and a nutty sesame dressing for a light, fresh dish.

# What You Need:

→ Vegetables

01 - 2 cups shelled edamame (fresh or frozen)
02 - 1 large cucumber, diced
03 - 2 green onions, thinly sliced
04 - 1 small red bell pepper, diced (optional)

→ Dressing

05 - 2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
06 - 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
07 - 1 tablespoon soy sauce or tamari (for gluten-free)
08 - 1 teaspoon honey or maple syrup
09 - 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
10 - 1 clove garlic, finely minced
11 - 1 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds

→ Garnish

12 - 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds
13 - 1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro (optional)

# How-To Steps:

01 - Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Add the edamame and cook for 3 to 5 minutes until tender. Drain and rinse under cold water to chill.
02 - In a large bowl, combine the chilled edamame, diced cucumber, green onions, and red bell pepper if using.
03 - In a small bowl, whisk together toasted sesame oil, rice vinegar, soy sauce or tamari, honey or maple syrup, grated ginger, minced garlic, and 1 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds until well emulsified.
04 - Pour the dressing over the salad ingredients and toss gently to combine.
05 - Sprinkle with additional toasted sesame seeds and chopped cilantro if desired. Serve immediately or chill for 30 minutes to meld flavors.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It tastes like you spent hours sourcing ingredients, but you really just combined things that were already in your kitchen.
  • The sesame dressing hits that perfect balance where its savory and sweet without trying too hard, and people always ask for the recipe.
  • You can make it ahead and it actually gets better as it sits, which means less stress if someone texts asking if they can come over early.
02 -
  • Dont skip the ice bath for the edamame because warm beans will wilt the cucumber and make the whole salad taste limp and sad instead of crisp and alive.
  • The sesame oil is toasted, which means its already been through heat once, so dont cook with it or you'll burn it and ruin everything you worked for.
  • One clove of garlic is genuinely enough because raw garlic intensifies as it sits, and nobody wants to bite into something that tastes like a vampire repellent.
03 -
  • Toast your own sesame seeds in a dry pan for two minutes if you want them to taste absolutely nuttier and more alive than store-bought toasted ones.
  • Make extra dressing and keep it in a jar in the refrigerator because you'll find yourself drizzling it over grilled vegetables, rice bowls, and even roasted chicken without meaning to.
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