Crunchy, savory and perfectly spiced, this simple Asian crunch edamame salad is the ultimate meal prep recipe. It’s naturally vegetarian, gluten free, easy to make and drizzled with a peanut dressing that is to die for.
I know this is called an edamame salad, but before you go and imagine a tasteless pile of soybeans, let me tell you about this recipe.
It starts with a base of, you guessed it… edamame! It’s then mixed up with a bunch of different raw veggies (kale, cabbage, carrots) and quinoa which will soon taste nothing like veggies usually taste like. Kind of like my broccoli salad.
Everything will be smothered in a creamy, tangy, subtly sweet peanut dressing that comes together in a matter of 30 seconds.
Top it all off with crunchy roasted cashews, chopped cilantro and scallions for flavor and a pinch of red pepper flakes if you like it spicy.
To really make it taste and feel like a dish from your favorite restaurant, add a handful of crispy wonton sticks on top! Be sure to try my peach & quinoa salad or vegan taco salad next!
How to make an edamame salad
Rinse the quinoa and add to a pot with 1 cup of water. Cook according to these instructions.
Meanwhile, add the edamame to a bowl with 1/2 cup of water and cover. Microwave on high for 5-7 minutes, or add to a steamer basket and steam on the stove.
Like other soybeans, you don’t want to eat raw edamame straight from the bag, so we just need to cook it quickly before adding to the salad.
While those are cooking, prepare the other veggies. Shred the cabbage (I like to use a mandoline), finely chop the kale, grate the carrot and chop the scallions and cilantro.
When the edamame and quinoa are done, let cool for about 10 minutes.
Add all ingredients for the dressing into a shaker bottle, mason jar, or just a bowl and whisk together until smooth. Taste and adjust seasonings as desired.
Depending on the peanut butter and soy sauce you used, you may want a small pinch of salt.
Add the quinoa, edamame and all veggies to a large mixing bowl.
Pour the dressing on top of the salad and mix until well combined. Top with chopped roasted cashews and a sprinkle of red pepper flakes.
The best asian dressing for salad
I love a good carrot ginger dressing on an Asian salad but this recipe has a creamy peanut butter dressing. It works really well since we have a base of tough and crunchy veggies like kale and cabbage, plus quinoa to soak it all up.
Make it a meal!
This edamame salad is so loaded with protein from the edamame and quinoa, healthy fats from the dressing and fiber from all the veggies so it is definitely a meal all on its own!
However, if you want to bulk it up, serve this salad with grilled chicken, teriyaki salmon, or my orange cauliflower or teriyaki tofu for a vegetarian option.
I also like to add a few hard boiled eggs on the side for a bit more protein. This salad pairs well with so many things, so you really can’t go wrong!
How to store
This salad gets better with time as the dressing has a chance to soften the veggies and infuse them with flavor. As prepared, it will keep in the fridge for about 5 days in an air tight container.
Variations
Peanut butter. If you have a peanut allergy, sub the peanut butter in the dressing for any other nut or seed butter of your choice. For this recipe, I’d recommend almond, cashew, or sunflower seed butter.
Other veggies. Feel free to throw in or take out any veggies from this recipe. Don’t like kale? Sub for spinach or arugula! Add some broccoli, cucumber or anything else you enjoy.
This recipe is easily customizable depending on what you have on hand.
Pro tip: To make life easier, I recommend purchasing shelled edamame for this recipe. Shelled edamame has been removed from the shell so you won’t need to do that yourself.
Can’t get enough salads? Try these next!
Lastly, if you want more recipes straight to your inbox, be sure to subscribe to my email list. As always, tag me on instagram if you make this recipe so I can see your creation!
Asian Edamame Peanut Crunch Salad
by: claire cary
Ingredients
Salad:
- ½ cup uncooked quinoa
- 1 pound frozen edamame (not in the shell) 16 ounce
- 1 ½ cups shredded red cabbage
- 2 cups finely chopped kale
- 2 large carrots
- ¼ cup chopped scallions
- ½ cup chopped cilantro
- 1 cup chopped roasted cashews can sub for peanuts
- Optional: crispy wonton strips
Dressing:
- 3 tbsp natural creamy peanut butter preferably unsalted
- 2 tbsp rice vinegar
- 2 tbsp honey maple syrup for vegan
- 1 tbsp toasted sesame oil
- 2 tbsp low sodium soy sauce or tamari
- 1 tsp grated fresh ginger
- 2 clove garlic minced
- 2 tsp sriracha can omit if you don’t like spice
- 2-4 tbsp water to thin
Instructions
- Rinse the quinoa and add to a pot with 1 cup of water. Cook according to these instructions.
- Meanwhile, add the edamame to a bowl with 1/2 cup of water and cover. Microwave on high for 5-7 minutes, or add to a steamer basket and steam on the stove.
- While those are cooking, prepare the other veggies. Shred the cabbage (I like to use a mandoline), finely chop the kale, grate the carrot and chop the scallions and cilantro.
- When the edamame and quinoa are done, let cool for about 10 minutes.
- Add all ingredients for the dressing into a shaker bottle, mason jar, or just a bowl and whisk together until smooth. Taste and adjust seasonings as desired.
- Add the quinoa, edamame and all veggies to a large mixing bowl.
- Pour the dressing on top and mix until well combined.
- Top with chopped roasted cashews and a sprinkle of red pepper flakes.
Sara says
This was delicious! My hubby and I loved it. I’m definitely adding it to the rotation
Terri says
So light and delicious.I did use Siracha and don’t regret it! I did add some tofu for added protein.
Claire Cary says
Perfect, love this with tofu!
Elaine Bray says
Hello, this recipe looks delicious but I’m not a quinoa fan, could I use rice or orzo instead? Or do you have any other suggestions? Thank you 😊
Claire Cary says
Yes! Rice, millet, barley etc. would all work great!
Allison says
Love this salad, have made multiple times. No substitutions. Tasty and easy. Great for meal prep.
Ashlyn says
I just made this salad and it does have a good flavor ; but it makes me feel super thirsty after each and every bite that I take. I had fun making it but I don’t think that I will be making it again.
Michelle says
Wow! This is an amazing salad. Will definitely be making it repeatedly. The balance of textures and flavors is perfect. Didn’t do any substitutions, just skipped the red pepper flakes and Sriracha. This was a satisfying dinner tonight, and it would make a great lunch at the office too.
Claire Cary says
Amazing, thank you Michelle!
Tish says
Loved this salad! It was crunchy, satisfying and so flavorful. I had to use spinach and romaine instead of the kale and cabbage since that was what I had on hand. The dressing was so good I recommend making a double batch!
Thank you Claire for sharing your recipe!
Claire Cary says
Thank you Tish! So happy you enjoyed it.
Mary says
This recipe by far surpassed any expectation I had for this salad! The dressing is perfect balance of all the flavors (I used nut butter since I cannot eat peanut butter) with the ginger and sesame oil making a pop at the end of each bite. I also added 1/2 block of marinated tofu since I didn’t have enough soybeans and subbed the kale for 1 bell pepper. I cannot wait to eat lunch this week! Thank you!
Claire Cary says
Thank you so much for the kind review, Mary!
Elyse says
I found this recipe on Pinterest and already left a comment on that post, but this recipe was so good I wanted to share on here as well. I made this recipe as meal prep for at-work lunches and it is a new favorite. Incredibly tasty and filling! If you are considering making this, definitely give it a try, you will not be disappointed.
Cheryl says
My family really enjoyed this salad. We ended up making lightly breaded chicken nuggets and lightly coating them in the dressing and putting them back in the air fryer for a couple minutes. Great addition to the already protein packed, flavorful dish.
Claire Cary says
That sounds delicious with the chicken! So glad you all enjoyed this recipe.
Crystal says
Excellent!
Jessica Brodie says
The best thing I’ve tasted in ages!!! Delicious
Claire Cary says
Thank you, Jessica!
Jessie Georges says
Delicious and healthy. I was feeling lazy so bought a bag of broccoli slaw which had broccoli, red cabbage and carrots.
lyn-ann bedoun says
This has become on of my favorite salads! Thank you!
Erika says
Can we use Tahini instead of peanut butter?
Claire Cary says
Yes, that will work!
Nicki O says
This salad is wonderful! The dressing is especially worth saving. Time-saver tip: I used a bagged slaw mix of cabbage, broccoli, carrots, and kale which saved me a ton of chopping time, and a microwaveable pouch of quinoa.
Allison says
If I were served this salad in a restaurant, it would be my new favourite lunch spot! I made extra dressing to keep in the fridge.
Claire Cary says
Amazing! Thank you, Allison!
Corinne says
This should be added to everyone’s meal prep list. It hits all the boxes; it’s yummy, filling, healthy, AND lasts in the fridge for about a week.
Claire Cary says
Thank you, Corinne!
Laura says
Love this recipe! Perfect recipe for dinner (when combined with chicken or salmon), but also perfect for lunch the next day.
Debbie says
Amazing!!!!
Cat Lewis says
SO good! Takes a bit of time to prep (like all good things), but I had 2 c./day for 3 days! Kept dressing separate and added before eating.
Gina says
Wowwww this salad is absolutely AMAZING! I made it for the first time tonight and fell in loveee! The flavors, different textures and the crunch are just amazing. I could easily eat this every day (good thing because I made a HUGE batch for the week). Will absolutely make this again, thank youuu!!
Melinda says
Delicious and even better the next day!
Kara says
I could tell by the ingredients this was going to be good…it’s so refreshing and delicious 🙂😋
Claire Cary says
Thank you Kara, it’s a favorite for sure!
Liz says
Making this today! For any roasted nuts or seeds in your recipe – I assume you mean raw and unsalted? Does it matter?
Claire Cary says
totally depends on your preference!
Anne-Marie says
This salad is amazing! Make lunch prep bowls with it. Perfect balance of crunchy veggies with the softer quinoa and edemame! The entire family loved it. I’ll add a little more vinegar to the dressing next time because we like more zing but otherwise it’s PERFECTION!
Claire Cary says
Amazing! Gotta love a family favorite recipe!
@halocooks says
Honestly this is the salad I could eat ALL summer long! Absolutely delicious! My entire family loves it. I double or triple the recipe and watch as we all grab some to add to a meal or as a meal itself.
Holly says
Yummy! Will make again
Kayla says
This salad beyond exceeded expectations! The dressing is SO GOOD and goes great with the salad. Will definitely be making again.
Jenna says
DELICIOUS!!!
Jayne says
This was beyond delicious!!! I used spinach instead of kale a my family are not fans of kale. I will be using this in my meal prep rotation. Will make dressing separate and add when I have my salad for lunch. Thankyou!!!!!
Alison says
Oh my goodness this is so delicious! I don’t normally take the time to give ratings, but this was well worth it. It’s a little labor-intensive but HIGHLY worth all of the work. And it keeps for 5 days in the refrigerator! Definitely recommend!
Ann says
Delicious! We made this for the base of our meal prep this week and swapped quinoa for brown rice and added blanched cauliflower and broccoli. Took a shortcut by using a shredded cabbage and brussel sprout mix. Hubby will get grilled chicken on top of his. I believe this is a new “go to” for the family!
Claire Cary says
Sounds perfect! Love the addition of cauliflower and broccoli.
Laura says
Is it 1 cup of cashews before or after they’re chopped? Trying this tonight! 🙂
Claire Cary says
Before! But it’s not an exact science with this, so whatever you have!
Erin says
Absolutely love this recipe. I’ve made it maybe 5 times and it’s a great lunch to take to work. Quinoa messes with me so we use brown rice instead and then double the sauce for extra peanut goodness.
Kristen says
This was so yummy, the only mistake I made was measuring the peanut butter with my heart, and not a measuring spoon. I also did not have any quinoa so I did not add that. Otherwise this was amazing! I think I may add chicken when I eat it tomorrow for lunch.
Claire Cary says
Yes, so good with chicken!
Fiona says
Hello, what are the macros for this salad please?
Claire Cary says
The nutrition breakdown is in the recipe card!
Joey says
Hi Claire,
I made this for my family this evening with a couple of tweaks. I used a ‘kaleslaw’ salad mix from the supermarket and just added the scallions, cilantro and edamame. This made it super quick and very close to the original meal. (For Aussies, this was a prepackaged salad from Woolworths).
I also substituted almond butter for the peanut butter and garlic infused oil for the garlic in the dressing. This made it allergy friendly for our family.
It was DELICIOUS! Definitely going to make it again.
Thanks so much for your recipe 🙂
Joey
Claire Cary says
Perfect! So glad you were able to make it work!
Elisa Nikolai says
This took a second to make and tastes sooo good! Even right away! Thank you!!!
Jessi Doshier says
Made this for dinner tonight, easy and super yummy!
Thanks for sharing 🙂
Ashley says
Stunner of a recipe! Deceptively delicious!!!!!! The recipe seems too simple to be so packed with flavor! Spicy, sweet, salty, crunchy – I’m obsessed! Thank you!!!!
Mindy says
So, quick question. 1 lbs 16oz edamame… ? So.. 2 lbs? Am I reading that weird? Otherwise this is fabulous .
Claire Cary says
Hi Mindy, 16 ounces is 1 pound, not 2 🙂
User says
ha ha.. so i think the 16 oz. part should be in parenthesis? cuz yes, this reads 1 lb.. AND 16 oz. which would be 2 lbs. should read 1 lb. (16 oz.)
Claire Cary says
Yes, thanks for pointing that out!
Nana says
16 Oz equals 1 lb. so you only use 1 lb. of edamame.
Linda says
This is fabulous! I can munch on it all day! Bravo!
Kat T says
I made this with PB2 to reduce the fat and calorie content and it came out scrumptious!
Claire Cary says
Perfect! So glad it worked with that substitution!
Liz says
Hey I doubt you’ll see this but in case you do, do you happen to remember if you reconstituted the PB2 before you added it to the other dressing ingredients? Or did you just add the powder?
Claire Cary says
You would definitely want to mix the PB2 with water, don’t just add the powder!
Daniela says
I love edemames but sometimes I don’t know how to incorporate them in my dishes, this salad is the perfect way to do so. By the way, the dressing is delicious.
Thank you.
Claire Cary says
Perfect! So glad you enjoyed this recipe.