Edamame Recipe

Prepare

Measure out 6 cups of water and place a medium saucepan on the stove. If using frozen edamame, keep it in the freezer until ready to cook. If using fresh, rinse the pods briefly under cold running water and drain.

Bring water to a boil

Add the measured water to the saucepan and bring it to a rolling boil over high heat.

Salt the water

Once boiling, add 1 tablespoon coarse sea salt to the water and stir to dissolve. The water should taste noticeably salty—this seasons the beans as they cook.

Cook edamame

Add 1 cup of edamame pods to the boiling, salted water. If using frozen pods, add directly from the freezer. Cook for 3 to 5 minutes until the pods are bright green and tender when squeezed (3 minutes for frozen, up to 5 minutes for very fresh or larger pods). Avoid overcooking; the beans inside should be slightly firm but cooked through.

Drain and cool briefly

Drain the edamame in a colander and shake off excess water. Let the pods sit 30–60 seconds to cool slightly so they're comfortable to handle, but serve warm.

Season and finish

Transfer the drained edamame to a serving bowl. Sprinkle with 1 teaspoon flaky sea salt or kosher salt and, if using, drizzle 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil and sprinkle 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper. Toss or shake the bowl so the pods are evenly coated.

Serve

Serve warm with lemon or lime wedges if desired. To eat, squeeze or pop the beans from the pod directly into your mouth and discard the pods.