Edamame Recipe

Prepare pot and water

Bring a medium saucepan of water to a rolling boil (about 4–6 cups water for 1 cup edamame). Add 1 tablespoon coarse sea salt to the boiling water to season the pods from the inside out.

Cook edamame

Add the edamame pods to the boiling, salted water. Return to a boil, then cook uncovered for 3–5 minutes for frozen edamame, or 4–6 minutes for very fresh pods, until pods are bright green and beans inside are tender when popped.

Shock in ice bath

While edamame cooks, fill a medium bowl with 1 cup ice cubes and cold water. When cooking time is reached, immediately transfer the edamame to the ice bath using a slotted spoon or drain them into a colander and plunge under cold running water. Chill for 1–2 minutes to stop cooking and preserve color.

Drain

Drain the edamame thoroughly in a colander, shaking off excess water. Pat gently with a clean kitchen towel or paper towel if needed to remove surface moisture so seasonings stick.

Season and serve

Place the drained edamame in a serving bowl. Sprinkle 1 teaspoon flaky sea salt evenly over the pods. If using, drizzle 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil and sprinkle 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper. Toss lightly to distribute seasonings.

Optional citrus

Serve immediately with 2 lemon wedges on the side for diners who prefer a bright squeeze of lemon before popping pods open. To eat, pop beans from the pod with your teeth and discard the pod.