Edamame Recipe

Bring water to a boil

In a medium pot, add 6 cups of water and 1 tablespoon kosher salt. Bring the water to a rolling boil over high heat. The salted water seasons the edamame as it cooks and helps preserve color.

Blanch edamame

Add 1 cup frozen edamame (in pods) directly to the boiling water. Stir once to separate pods. Return to a boil and cook for 3 to 4 minutes until the pods are bright green and tender-crisp. Do not overcook — they should be easily pierced with a finger but still slightly firm.

Shock and drain

Immediately drain the edamame in a colander and rinse under cold running water for 30 to 60 seconds (or transfer to a bowl of ice water) to stop cooking and preserve color. Drain well and shake out excess water.

Dress edamame

Return the drained edamame to the empty (warm or cool) pot or a mixing bowl. Drizzle 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil over the pods and toss to coat evenly so the oil adheres to the shells.

Add finishing seasonings

Sprinkle 1 teaspoon coarse sea salt (or to taste), 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional for heat), and 1/2 teaspoon lemon zest (optional for brightness) over the pods. Toss or shake the pot to distribute seasonings evenly so each pod gets seasoning on the outside of the shell.

Serve

Transfer seasoned edamame to a serving bowl. Serve warm or at room temperature. To eat, squeeze or pop the beans from the pods with your fingers or teeth; discard the inedible pods.