Edamame are high in fiber, high in protein, and best of all, high in deliciousness. As our previous round-up of edamame meal ideas can attest, frozen edamame is also a great pantry staple for any kitchen, vegan or omnivorian. Here are five more ideas for you to try this week.
Frozen edamame will thaw quickly on the counter (or even quicker given a minute or two in the microwave). If you buy edamame still in the pod, you'll need to split the inedible pod open and pop out the edamame beans inside. Just try not to eat them all as you're popping! Many grocery stores also sell edamame with their shells already removed.
1. Edamame Pesto - Whiz the edamame with a little olive oil and some fresh herbs and greens for a quick and tasty sauce for pasta or steamed vegetables. Some cooking water leftover from making pasta can help make the sauce thinner and creamier.
2. Edamame Veggie Burgers - Try mashing edamame beans with things like mushrooms, brown rice, cilantro, and tomato paste. A steamed potato does wonders for binding it all together.
3. Edamame Dumplings - Mixed with scallions, ginger, soy sauce, and rice vinegar, edamame makes a great filling for steamed dumplings. We like it just lightly mashed so we still get some nice texture from the edamame.
4. Edamame Soup - For a quick and creamy soup, sauté your favorite veggies and seasonings, add the edamame and some stock, and then purée in a food processor.
5. Edamame Spread for Sandwiches - This is similar to edamame pesto, but we'd leave the edamame more chunky and paste-like so that we can slather it on a piece of bread. Pile with fresh veggies for a great sandwich or wrap.
What are your favorite ways to cook with edamame?
Related: How to Stock a Vegan (or Vegetarian) Pantry
(Image: Flickr member nanaow2006 licensed under Creative Commons)
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I put these in my soup and salads all the time. I even brought some for today's lunch as well! Great, inexpensive way to add more protein to my meal.
Edamame hummus! I do a mixture of edamame and chickpeas and it is very satisfying.
for the pescatarians, add some shrimp to edamame dumplings. it is awesome!
Anyone have suggestions for cheap sources for edamame? I find it to be too pricey to buy on a regular basis, so it's only a special treat and eaten steamed with a little salt and olive oil on its own. Yum yum.
I like adding shelled edamame to pasta. A super easy go-to of mine: whole wheat pasta shells, edamame, tomato sauce, laughing cow cheese wedge, diced avocado (it sounds weird, but avocado is great in pasta!).
I put it in pilafs or in the rice cooker when I'm cooking grains. It's also great on salads as an extra rich protein source.
I have a bag of frozen edamame on hand to add to stir fries or fried rice when I need a quick vegetable component.
Mark Bittman's How to Cook Everything has a great recipe with tomato, edamame and cilantro - a light main course or a delicious side! Quick and healthy.
http://www.food.com/recipe/edamame-with-tomatoes-and-cilantro-402061
I get them in bulk at costco super cheap. My favorite way to eat them is as a side dish - steamed in the hulls we put a little butter or olive oil and salt and toss. When you pull them out of the hull with your teeth you get a little salt and butter, we've even eaten this instead of popcorn in front of a movie! Leftovers I throw in fried rice or use to garnish salad.
@mimee25 - trader joes! they have frozen bags for about $2
I love edamame! I eat them alone in their pod w/salt & keep a bag of shelled edamame in the freezer to throw into almost anything from soups and salads to stir-fry and quesadillas. Edamame hummus is delicious too!
Frozen edamame is part of my favorite 5 minute meal!
I use a small pot to prepare some couscous, and when I'm about to fluff the couscous, I stir in some frozen edamame and herbs (Trader Joe's 21 seasoning salute!), stir it around, and let it sit covered for another few minutes. Voila, 5 minute meal. (Sometimes I add finely diced vegetables, such as carrots, along with the edamame)