Spicy Edamame Recipe

Bring water to a boil

In a medium pot, bring 6 cups of water to a rolling boil. Add 1 tablespoon coarse kosher salt to the boiling water.

Cook edamame

Add frozen edamame to the boiling water and cook for 3–5 minutes until bright green and tender but still with slight bite. If using in-pod edamame, cook 4–5 minutes. Taste one to check doneness.

Drain and cool briefly

Drain edamame in a colander and shake off excess water. If you prefer slightly firmer texture, rinse briefly with cold water to stop cooking; otherwise proceed while warm.

Prepare kimchi

If your kimchi is very wet, drain and finely chop until you have about 3 tablespoons. Reserve 1 teaspoon of kimchi liquid to use in the sauce if desired (counted in rice vinegar component).

Mix sauce

In a small bowl, combine 3 tablespoons chopped kimchi, 1 tablespoon gochujang, 1 teaspoon sesame oil, 1 teaspoon low-sodium soy sauce, 1 teaspoon rice vinegar (or reserved kimchi liquid), 1 teaspoon honey or maple syrup, 1 teaspoon minced garlic, and 1 teaspoon neutral oil if you need to loosen the texture. Whisk until uniform. Taste and adjust: add an extra 1/2 teaspoon soy or 1/2 teaspoon honey if needed to balance salt and heat.

Add seeds and scallion

Stir in 1 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds and 1 tablespoon thinly sliced scallion to the sauce. Reserve a pinch of sesame seeds and scallion for final garnish.

Transfer the drained, still-warm edamame to a large mixing bowl. Add the prepared spicy kimchi sauce and toss thoroughly so each pod (or shelled bean) is evenly coated. If the mixture seems dry, add up to 1 teaspoon of neutral oil or a splash of the reserved kimchi liquid to loosen.

Taste and finish: sprinkle 1/2 teaspoon flaky finishing salt (or to taste) and additional 1/2 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds over the edamame. If you want extra heat, add 1/4 teaspoon chili flakes or togarashi and toss again. Squeeze a little lime or lemon over top (about half a wedge) if using.

Plate and serve warm or at room temperature in a shallow bowl. Garnish with the reserved scallion and an extra pinch of sesame seeds. Serve immediately as a small plate or appetizer; provide small bowls for discarding pods if in-pod edamame was used.