Edamame Recipe

Bring water to a rolling boil

Pour 4 cups of water into a medium saucepan, add 1 tablespoon coarse kosher salt, and bring to a vigorous rolling boil over high heat.

Add edamame and cook

Add 1 cup of frozen edamame in pods to the boiling water. Return to a boil, then cook uncovered for 3 to 5 minutes until the pods are bright green and the beans inside are tender but still slightly firm. For firmer beans, cook 3 minutes; for softer, cook up to 5 minutes.

Shock and drain

Immediately drain the edamame in a colander and transfer to a bowl of ice water (or run under very cold water) to stop cooking and set the color, about 1 minute. Drain thoroughly and shake off excess water.

While the edamame are still slightly damp, transfer them to a serving bowl. Drizzle with 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil and sprinkle with 1 teaspoon sea or flaky salt and 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper. If using, add 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes for heat and 1/2 teaspoon lemon zest for brightness. Toss gently or shake the bowl so the seasonings coat the pods evenly.

Serve warm or at room temperature. To eat, squeeze or pop the beans from the pod using your fingers or teeth; discard pods. Leftovers keep refrigerated in an airtight container up to 3 days; reheat briefly in microwave or skillet.