Natural form

Fresh edamame pods: bright green, fuzzy-surfaced, with two or three visible bean bulges.

Shows the defining physical form — the intact green pod with visible bean bumps — so readers can identify raw edamame at a glance.

Legumes & Beans

Edamame

Young soybeans in the pod — a bright, snackable protein

Tender young soybeans, steamed in the pod and sprinkled with salt for a snack or shelled into salads and stir-fries. Keep them frozen until you need them.

Edamame are young, green soybeans harvested while still soft and sweet, before they harden into the mature beige beans pressed for oil and tofu. The name means 'beans on a branch' in Japanese, and they're eaten as a vegetable — bright, tender, faintly sweet and grassy, with a satisfying pop. Boiled or steamed in their fuzzy pods and showered with flaky salt, they're the quintessential izakaya snack: you squeeze the beans straight into your mouth and discard the pod. Shelled, they go into stir-fries, salads, rice bowls, and dips, bringing a fresh green color and a serious protein hit — like all soybeans, edamame is a complete protein, which makes it a star of plant-forward eating. They're sold fresh in season but mostly frozen, which keeps them at their peak.

Measured in: g
Storage: Freeze

Allergens

Soy

Find it in

Frozen Aisle

Types & varieties

In-pod edamame

Whole fuzzy pods — boiled and salted as a snack; you eat the beans, not the pod.

Shelled edamame (mukimame)

Beans only — convenient for stir-fries, salads, and bowls.

Fresh edamame

Seasonal, on the branch — sweetest at peak; rare outside soy-growing regions.

How to cook

Edamame cooks in minutes — boil or steam the pods until the beans are tender but still bright green and poppy. Frozen edamame is already blanched, so it just needs warming through. Salt the pods generously while hot.

In-pod: boil in well-salted water 4–6 min, drain, toss with flaky salt
Shelled: boil or steam 3–5 min until tender and bright
From frozen: a quick boil, steam, or even a microwave warms them through
Don't overcook — they dull in color and lose their snap

How to serve

As a snack, the salted whole pods are the point — squeeze the beans out with your teeth. Shelled, edamame is a versatile green protein you can scatter almost anywhere.

Snack: salted pods, served warm or room temp
Toss shelled beans into stir-fries, fried rice, and noodle bowls
Add to salads and grain bowls for color and protein
Blend shelled edamame into a bright green dip or hummus

Common uses

Salted edamame snackStir-fries and fried riceGrain and rice bowlsSalads (shelled)Edamame dips and spreadsNoodle and soba dishesSushi and poke toppingsSuccotash-style sides

Tips & pitfalls

Salt the pods while they're hot so the seasoning clings.
Don't eat the fibrous pod — squeeze out the beans and discard the shell.
Frozen edamame is already blanched; just warm it, don't boil it to death.
Toss with chili, garlic, and sesame for a punchier snack.
Blend shelled edamame into a vivid green dip for a fun hummus alternative.

Nutrition

109kcal

Energy

456 kJ · per 100 g

Where the calories come from

Protein 38%Carbs 26%Fat 36%

Protein

11.2g

22% DV

Carbs

7.6g

3% DV

Fat

4.7g

6% DV

Fiber

4.8g

17% DV

Sugars

2.5g

of which

Sodium

6mg

0% DV

Notable micronutrients

Folate76% DV

Vitamin K26% DV

Riboflavin (B2)20% DV

Magnesium15% DV

Thiamin (B1)13% DV

Phosphorus13% DV

Source · USDA FoodData Central · approx. Edamame, frozen, unprepared

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In the shops

Matched grocery products

Roasted White and Black Soy Edamame
BONPREU · kg · Bonpreu
€1.55

Good to know

Flavor & texture: Sweet, grassy, fresh; tender with a firm, satisfying pop
Cook ratio & time: Boil or steam in pods 4–6 min (3–5 min if shelled); frozen ready fast
Soak?: No — boil or steam from fresh or frozen; eat young (don't dry-mature)
Nutrition: ~121 kcal/100g; ~11g protein (complete), ~5g fiber; rich in folate & vitamin K
How to store: Keep frozen until use, or refrigerate fresh pods 2–3 days; cooked ≤3 days

Substitutes