Spicy Edamame

Edamame

In Japan, edamame are traditionally boiled in heavily salted water and eaten straight from the pod. It's a healthy snack often ordered with a beer in Izakayas (Japanese pubs), like the local version of potato chips or beer nuts. 

They're easy to gussy up by stir-frying them with spices and seasonings. This crave-worthy Spicy Edamame recipe is redolent of pungent crispy garlic and has a well-balanced heat thanks to the addition of both black pepper and chili peppers. Paired with your favorite beverage, they're an addictive snack perfect for game days and movie nights, but they could also make for a fun snack that's a great source of protein.

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• Edamame
• Why this recipe works
• Ingredients for Spicy Edamame
• How to make Spicy Edamame
• 📖 Recipe
• Comments

Why this recipe works

• A blend of black pepper and chili peppers gives this dish two different kinds of spicy flavor. The chili peppers lend immediate heat to your mouth, while the black pepper is fragrant and offers a slow lingering heat.
• The olive oil draws out the heat from the two types of pepper and coats each edamame pod evenly.
• Crushing the garlic before chopping gives it more surface area to brown and helps the pieces stick to the pods.

Ingredients for Spicy Edamame

• Edamame - I've used precooked frozen edamame that has been defrosted for this recipe. You're more likely to find these in An Asian grocery store. You can use fresh ones, but you will need to boil or steam them first.
• Garlic - Two large cloves may sound like a lot, but you want enough garlic in here that every pod has a few bits of crisp garlic clinging to it.
• Oil - I prefer olive oil for this recipe, but neutral oils will work, like vegetable oil or rice bran oil. If you want to impart a more nutty flavor, toasted sesame oil will also work, but I recommend blending it with a neutral oil so it doesn't overwhelm the flavor of the soybeans.
• Whole Black Peppercorns - Black pepper (like any spice) starts losing its potency and aroma as soon as its ground, so while the pre-ground stuff will work, it won't taste nearly as good as freshly cracking the peppercorns yourself. I usually do this in a mortar with a pestle, but if you don't have one, you can pulse it a few times in a food processor or blender, or you can put it in a zipper bag and pound the bag with something heavy, like a pot, or rolling pin.
• Crushed Chili Flakes - I used crushed red pepper flakes (the kind you use on pizza), but any pepper flakes or chili powder you have on hand will work, or just crush your own dried chilies. Alternatively, you can use a chili paste, like doubanjiang or sambal oelek. Just be aware that these contain salt, so you may need to reduce the salt you add. You can easily adjust the heat in this spicy garlic edamame recipe by reducing the amount of chili pepper.
• Salt - I used flaky sea salt (similar to kosher salt) for this, but any form of salt, like soy sauce, fish sauce, or oyster sauce, will work while changing its flavor.

How to make Spicy Edamame

The first thing you want to do is smash the garlic. You can do this with the side of a knife or any heavy object like a pot or rolling pin. This should make the skin fall off. Then, you can chop the garlic into rough chunks. Use a mortar and pestle for the black peppercorns, or pulse them in a food processor or blender to roughly crack them.

To make the edamame, heat a frying pan over medium-high heat until it's hot and add the olive oil and garlic. Sauté the garlic until it's fragrant and starting to brown around the edges. Add the defrosted cooked edamame pods and stir-fry until the pods have been warmed through.

Sprinkle on the cracked black pepper, crushed chili flakes, and salt, and toss the mixture together until everything is evenly distributed. Give it a taste and adjust the seasonings if needed. If you want to get a little fancier, you can garnish the spicy garlic edamame with chopped herbs like cilantro or chives. These would go well with some Blistered Shishito Peppers, otherwise known as Hot Pepper Roulette. Check out this article, Vegan Appetizer Recipes Everyone will Enjoy, to find more party inspiration.

📖 Recipe

FAQ

What is edamame?

Edamame is the Japanese word for immature soybeans. The whole pods are typically boiled in well-salted water and then eaten either hot or at room temperature. They're often served in Japanese restaurants as an appetizer for a meal or with drinks.

How do you pronounce edamame?

E-da-ma-me has four syllables, and each one is pronounced as follows:

e like enter

da like dot

ma like mom

me like men

How do you eat edamame?

The pods of soybeans aren't edible, so the most common way of eating them is to bite the pod with your front teeth, which causes the soybeans inside to pop out of the pod and into your mouth. This method keeps your hands relatively clean while allowing you to enjoy the flavoring on the outside of the pod.

Is edamame good for you?

"Good for you" is subjective, but edamame beans are loaded with fiber, protein, and minerals while being relatively low in bad carbs (i.e., sugar), which can be a great addition to a balanced diet.

How do you cook edamame?

Most frozen edamame has been precooked, so check the instructions on the packaging. If they're raw, you'll need to boil them in heavily salted water for 5-7 minutes to cook them before making this recipe. Check out my fresh edamame recipe for more details.

Can I make Spicy Edamame with other vegetables?

It wouldn't be same dish anymore, but the seasoning and method in this recipe will work for almost any vegetable. I love doing this with fava beans, snap peas, green beans, and even carrots.