Edamame cucumber sesame salad (Printable)

A vibrant mix of chilled edamame, cucumber, and sesame dressing for a light, flavorful dish.

# Ingredient List:

→ Vegetables

01 - 2 cups shelled edamame (fresh or frozen)
02 - 1 large cucumber, diced
03 - 2 green onions, thinly sliced
04 - 1 small red bell pepper, diced (optional)

→ Dressing

05 - 2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
06 - 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
07 - 1 tablespoon soy sauce or tamari (for gluten-free)
08 - 1 teaspoon honey or maple syrup
09 - 1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger
10 - 1 garlic clove, finely minced
11 - 1 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds

→ Garnish

12 - 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds
13 - 1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro (optional)

# Directions:

01 - Bring a medium saucepan of salted water to a boil. Add shelled edamame and cook for 3 to 5 minutes until tender. Drain and rinse under cold water to chill.
02 - In a large mixing bowl, combine chilled edamame, diced cucumber, sliced green onions, and diced red bell pepper if using.
03 - Whisk together toasted sesame oil, rice vinegar, soy sauce or tamari, honey or maple syrup, grated ginger, minced garlic, and 1 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds until well emulsified.
04 - Pour the dressing over the vegetable mixture and toss gently to combine evenly.
05 - Sprinkle additional toasted sesame seeds and chopped fresh cilantro on top. Serve immediately or chill for 30 minutes to enhance flavor integration.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It comes together in under twenty minutes, which means weeknight dinners just got easier.
  • The sesame dressing is bold enough to make you feel like you're treating yourself, but the whole thing is genuinely good for you.
  • It tastes even better the next day when the flavors get to know each other in the fridge.
02 -
  • Don't skip chilling the edamame immediately after cooking; warm edamame in a cold dressing tastes off and creates condensation that waters everything down.
  • Toasted sesame oil is strong, so measure it carefully; I learned this the hard way by accidentally using regular oil once and realizing halfway through that the dressing tasted completely different.
03 -
  • Make a double batch of the dressing and keep it in a jar in the fridge; it works beautifully on grain bowls, roasted vegetables, or greens for at least a week.
  • Toasting your own sesame seeds in a dry pan for two minutes right before you use them creates a flavor difference you'll immediately notice and wonder why you weren't doing it all along.
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