Japanese-Style Salted Edamame

Try enjoying edamame the traditional Japanese way! With Japanese-Style Salted Edamame, the pods are boiled in salted water, which brings out their natural sweetness and umami—creating a perfect balance that simply sprinkling salt on top can't match.

Japanese-Style Salted Edamame is a snack made by simply boiling edamame pods in salted water. Boiling edamame with salt is the most common way to enjoy it in Japan, as it enhances the beans' natural sweetness and umami. The salt lightly seeps into the pods, allowing you to enjoy the unique flavor of the beans with a subtle, savory taste.

It is easy to prepare and packed with nutrients, making it a popular choice in Japan not only as an appetizer but also as a healthy snack or the perfect accompaniment to a drink. You will often find it as a staple on the menu at izakayas (Japanese pubs). While it is delicious when freshly cooked, it is also great served chilled—perfect for a hot day.

Before exploring this Japanese-style snack, let’s take a moment to talk about edamame itself.

Do you know what edamame actually is? Due to the widespread use of the Japanese word “edamame,” many people might assume it is a crop unique to Japan. But in reality, it is simply immature soybeans harvested before they fully ripen. This means edamame can be grown anywhere soybeans are cultivated.

From a nutritional standpoint, edamame is sometimes classified as a vegetable rather than a legume in Japan, as it offers the benefits of both categories and contains nutrients such as:

• Protein
• Isoflavones
• Dietary fiber
• Iron
• Methionine
• Vitamins B1 and B2
• Potassium

One great thing about these green beans is that most of their nutrients, aside from some loss of vitamins, remain intact even after boiling or stir-frying. Since edamame is typically harvested during the hot summer months and loses its freshness quickly, it is commonly sold frozen—yet most of its nutrients are preserved even after freezing. So when making this snack, you can use frozen edamame, and it works just as well.

The salt concentration for boiling

Avoid rinsing edamame after boiling

If you are planning to make this edamame snack with fresh edamame, there is one extra step you should take: rubbing salt onto the pods before cooking them.

Edamame pods have tiny fuzzy hairs on the surface, which can affect the mouthfeel. Therefore, it is best to sprinkle salt over the pods and rub them together gently to remove those hairs.

This step is generally unnecessary when using frozen edamame, as the pods have usually already been rubbed or the freezing process makes it easier to remove the hairs. However, if you still notice some fuzz, you can go ahead and do this step as well.

If you are not familiar with how to eat edamame, let’s take a moment to go over how it is typically enjoyed. Follow these simple steps:

1. Pick up an edamame pod with your fingers and bring it to your mouth.
2. Gently bite down on the pod near the bean using the backs of your front teeth, while slowly pulling the pod away from your mouth. This will pop the bean into your mouth, allowing you to eat it. The pod is not edible.
3. Once you have eaten the beans, put the empty pod in a separate bowl. By the time you finish eating, you will have a pile of empty pods ready to throw away all at once.

While you can also push the beans out of the pod with your fingers, this is not a common way to eat edamame. Some people might think that putting the whole pod in your mouth is a bit impolite, but in Japan, it is actually the typical way to eat edamame.

One advantage of this method is that you can taste the subtle salty flavor on the pods. It also increases the number of times you chew, which can help you feel more satisfied.

Picking up edamame with your hands creates a relaxed, casual atmosphere. It is a great way to break the ice and encourage friendly conversation. This is one reason why edamame is a staple at izakayas (Japanese pubs). When eating edamame, try enjoying it in the traditional Japanese way.

Ingredients

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Instructions

🕒 Total: 10 mins mins

Step 1
Fill a pot with water and bring it to a boil. Once boiling, add salt and stir well until it dissolves completely.

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Step 2
If you are using fresh edamame, sprinkle them with some salt (not included in the recipe) and gently rub them together to remove the tiny fuzzy hairs. Then, rinse them under running water. If you are using frozen edamame, you can skip this step.

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Step 3
Add the edamame pods to the pot and cook them for the recommended amount of time as follows:
Pre-cooked frozen edamame ("heat-and-eat"): 1-2 minutes (just until the water returns to a boil)
Uncooked frozen edamame: about 5 minutes (cook for 2-3 minutes after the water returns to a boil)
Fresh edamame: about 4 minutes

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Step 4
Transfer the cooked edamame to a colander to drain. Let them sit until they are cool enough to handle. Do not rinse them under running water, as this will wash away their saltiness.

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Step 5
Serve the edamame on a plate. They are already salted, but you can sprinkle on a bit more salt if you prefer a stronger flavor.

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To store

You can store it in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.