There are salads, and then there are SALADS. You know what I mean? This edamame crunch salad is a SALAD! It's got serious crunch and flavor from kale and cabbage, edamame 2 ways, salty pistachios, and the most addictive creamy sesame dressing that seeps its way into every nook and cranny. Top tier salad!

Creamy Asian ginger dressing being poured onto a crunchy edamame kale and cabbage salad.

When I'm hungry and want something nourishing and delicious, my favorite meal is a packed salad like this edamame crunch salad. It's got everything - a variety of textures; enough heft to be satisfying but not heavy; tons of goodies in every bite; and a killer dressing! All the things that make a salad exceptional and keep you going back for more.

If you love a crunch salad, check out these other popular salad recipes next: Thai Crunch Salad and Asian Crunch Salad.

Recipe Details

Prep time: ~30 minutes
Difficulty: Easy for all levels of cooks.
Salad profile: Crunchy, chewy, crispy, creamy, spicy, tangy, sweet and salty.
The secret ingredient: Uses edamame two ways—chewy, crispy roasted edamame and tender crisp fresh edamame.
Serves: 2-4 for lunch or dinner, 6 as a side dish
Meal prep friendly?: Yes! The sturdy vegetables hold up beautifully.
Dietary: Plant based (vegan), gluten free, high protein, high fiber!

Key Ingredients

Roasted edamame is by far my family's favorite part of this salad - well that, and all the tasty, crunchy treasures you'll discover digging through the layers! Here's what you'll need:

Ingredients measured out to make a roasted edamame crunch salad.

Edamame two ways: Frozen shelled edamame. The big bag at Costco is pre cooked and super convenient. This edamame salad recipe stands out because it includes both roasted edamame AND raw edamame (killer texture combo!). But you can go all roasted or all raw if you prefer.
Slaw base: Carrots, cabbage, kale, broccoli - prepped individually or buy a bag of pre-shredded cabbage, kale, broccoli slaw like the cruciferous crunch mix at Trader Joe's or Costco.
Crunchy veggies: Cucumbers and green onions for extra texture and plant diversity.
Fresh herbs: Thai basil, mint, cilantro (choose your favorite or use all 3!)
Finishing touch: Crunchy roasted pistachios (at Costco). Roasted pistachios are unexpected both in flavor and texture. They look just like the roasted edamame so you're in for some surprise bites!
Salad dressing: This 5 minute Creamy Sesame Dressing is the best dressing for a crunchy edamame salad recipe! It's vibrant and zesty with a kiss of heat. Plus it's luxurious and substantial so it stands up to the textures in the salad. Ingredients needed: toasted sesame oil, olive oil, rice vinegar, lime juice, soy sauce, maple syrup, fresh ginger and garlic, tahini, hot pepper flakes.

How to Make Edamame Crunch Salad

This is an easy salad to make and pretty quick (10-30 minutes) depending how many pre-chopped veggies or add ins you choose:

Prep the edamame: Start by thawing the edamame beans. Remove a portion of the thawed edamame for roasting, season them, then bake in a single layer until chewy with crispy edges. Set the remaining edamame aside. This two-way edamame texture method is unexpected and exciting to the palate.

Homemade ginger sesame dressing being blended with an immersion blender.

Make the dressing: Blend (stick blender or Vitamix) all the ingredients together to get a smooth and creamy dressing. Chef's Tip: Can be made days in advance and stored in the fridge. If you double the dressing you'll have extra dressing to use all week!

Kale and cabbage being shredded using a sharp knife and a mandoline.

Prepare the veggies and herbs: If you are not using a pre-shredded slaw mixture, it's time to get chopping and shredding using a sharp knife or mandoline (more details in the recipe card). This step can be done a couple days in advance.
For serving family style: Add the veggies and edamame to a large bowl. Toss gently to combine. Dress right before serving then scatter with pistachios, fresh herbs, and any optional add-ins over the top.

For serving buffet style: The set up is simple - set all the ingredients out in individual bowls including the dressing. Then everyone customizes their own salad and dressing to suit their taste and dietary preferences. Pro Tip: I typically have all the ingredients stored in deli containers in the fridge then just remove the lids and add a serving spoon so everyone can help themselves. Then the lids go back on after dinner and clean up is basically done!

Optional Add Ins & Variations

The salad as written is exceptional, but feel free to load it up with whatever you have on hand. Customize the salad to match your hunger level, cravings, and dietary needs:

Nuts & seeds variations: Sub in chopped or sliced almonds, cashews, peanuts or sunflower seeds for a nut free alternative.
Salad dressing options: A few other homemade dressings that pair perfectly with edamame salad - Spicy Peanut Sauce, Miso Ginger Sesame Dressing, Asian Carrot Ginger Dressing.
Veggie options: Vary the vegetables according to your preferences or what you have on hand.
Protein boosters: Of course edamame is a great source of plant protein, but if you want more, add a side of baked tofu or teriyaki tofu.
Make it hearty: Add quinoa, lentils, couscous or rice. For extra layers of crunch, add crispy roasted lentils (my favorite!). These can be made well in advance and stored in the fridge or freezer until ready to use.

Expert Tips

Here's a few time-saver tips and meal prep ideas:

Buffet style meal service: For efficiency, I do my meal prepping as I go: eg. When I make rice, lentils or quinoa, I always make a double or triple batch and freeze the rest. I feed my family with a Buffet Style approach to most meals (like above). I hope this system will help make cooking faster, easier, and funner for you; and more nourishing for you family. You'll see more of this approach to meal prep in my How to Make An Epic Salad post. It's packed with tips, recipes, and more for effortless meal prep ideas.
Make a double batch of roasted edamame so you have extras to snack on or sprinkle on your meals all week. It takes the same amount of time to make - but saves you a ton of time later in the week. Plus, they're delicious, high fiber, and a great source of plant protein too.
Make ahead friendly?: Yes! Make ahead components: chop and prep all the veggies in advance and mix them together. To keep the salad fresh and the textures crunchy, wait to add the dressing and garnishes until just before serving.

How to Store

Store any leftover salad in an airtight container in the fridge for up to several days. Or store the veggies and dressing in separate containers and the salad will stay fresh all week.

This salad is part of my Crunch Salad Series - check out the full collection of crunch salads and dressings!

More Crunch Salad Recipes

If you enjoyed this Crunchy Edamame Salad recipe, please leave a star rating and comment at the bottom of the page. Also, tag me with any photos on Instagram.
For more Vegan Recipes everyone loves : Sign up for my NEWSLETTER!

Edamame Crunch Salad with Creamy Sesame Dressing

This roasted edamame crunch salad is everything! High protein, high fiber, super nourishing, tons of texture, and the most epic creamy sesame dressing. Make-ahead friendly, gluten free and nut free options, dairy free, plant based, and EVERYONE devours it at parties and potlucks. Make it for lunch or dinner.

Author : Tracy Halasz

Servings: servings

Rate this recipe!

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

INGREDIENTS

16 - 20 ounces edamame (frozed, shelled)
3 - 4 cups cabbage shredded (slaw mix)
2 cups kale, chopped
1 ½ cups broccoli, chopped
2 mini cucumbers or ½ English cucumber
1 ½ cups carrots, shredded or julienne
3 - 4 green onions, sliced
basil, mint, cilantro, chopped
1 - 2 cup pistachios

Optional Add Ins/Garnish Ideas

crispy lentils or quinoa
1 tablespoon sesame seeds, toasted
1 avocado, chunks

Creamy Sesame Dressing

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 - 1 ½ tablespoons toasted sesame oil
2 tablespoons soy sauce (low sodium, gf, tamari)
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
1 ½ tablespoons lime juice
2 tablespoons maple syrup (more or less to taste)
1 tablespoon fresh ginger, ~1" piece peeled and grated
2 cloves garlic, grated or pressed
2 tablespoons tahini
1-2 teaspoons hot pepper flakes or sriracha (optional)

INSTRUCTIONS

Preheat the oven to 420º F. Cover a baking sheet with parchment, spray with cooking oil or add a drizzle of olive oil and spread it evenly.
Roast the edamame: Thaw the edamame by placing it in a large bowl and running warm water over it. Drain and pat dry. Take out half the edamame and set aside. To the remaining edamame, toss with the spices and oil then spread out on the prepared baking sheet. Roast in the oven for 20 minutes, give it a stir, then return to the oven until starting to turn crispy on the edges (around 8-10 minutes more).
Make the ginger sesame dressing: Blend all salad ingredients together until creamy in a Vitamix or use a immersion blender and a tall jar. Chef's Tip: If using a handheld blender, be sure the stick is touching the bottom of the jar before turning it on then slowly lift the stick up and back down until the dressing is smooth, light, and creamy.
Taste and adjust ingredients to suit your taste (acidity, sweetness, garlic, tangy, etc.).
Prep the veggies: If not using a pre-shredded slaw mix like Trader Joe's or Costco's, strip the kale from the stems and then finely chop. Chop the broccoli into small pieces. Thinly slice/shred the cabbage using a sharp knife or mandoline.
Cut the cucumbers into quarters and then slice. Shred the carrots using the large holes on a box grater, julienne them or cut into matchsticks. Slice the green onions, and chop the fresh herbs.
For serving family style: Add the veggie and edamame to a large bowl and toss to combine. Drizzle with dressing right before serving then scatter the pistachios, fresh herbs, and any optional add-ins over the top.
For serving buffet style: The set up is simple - set all the ingredients out in individual bowls including the dressing. Then everyone customizes their own salad and dressing to suit their taste and dietary preferences.

NOTES

Convenience factor: Use the pre-shredded packs of broccoli, kale, cabbage slaw available in most grocery stores to save yourself time. Or double up the amount you shred and chop by hand and tuck the extras into the fridge for another quick meal later in the week.

Salad dressing options: A few other homemade dressings that pair perfectly with edamame salad - Spicy Peanut Sauce, Miso Ginger Sesame Dressing, Asian Carrot Ginger Dressing.

Make ahead components: The dressing and veggie prep can all be done several days in advance and stored in the fridge in separate containers. If using quinoa or crispy lentils as add-ins, those can be made several days in advance and stored in the fridge as well.

Buffet style: I usually store my ingredients in deli containers in the fridge then just remove the lids when ready to eat, and everyone helps themselves. Then the lids go back on after dinner and clean up is basically done!

Storage: Any leftover salad holds up well in the fridge for 2 or 3 days since the veggies are sturdy. If you want to extend the storage time; but keep the salad super fresh, store the salad and dressing in separate containers and then just dress the amount you need before serving.

DID YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE?Please leave a rating and/or review below. Your feedback means a lot to me, and helps others find my recipes! Please tag me on IG @ceeceecooks - I LOVE seeing what you're cooking!

Comments

5 from 5 votes