Air Fryer Edamame is the perfect recipe to prepare an easy snack that is high in protein, gluten-free, oil-free, low in calories, and simply delicious. All you need is an air fryer, some frozen or fresh edamame, and 10 minutes! Serve as a tasty snack, delicious side dish, or quick appetizer.
This recipe was first posted last year, way before I grew my own edamame plants. I've always liked having shelled and in-the-pot edamame in my freezer, ready to go. I use them to add protein to Ramen, noodle salads, or prepare a quick side dish using the Air Fryer.
Edamame is not only high in protein and fiber, but it is also low in fat and calories and rich in vitamins and minerals.
Last summer was the first time for me to grow edamame, and maybe I was lucky, but we got a fantastic harvest from our four plants. I'm definitely planning to grow a few more plants this year, as I think we have the perfect weather at home for them to thrive.
If you have fresh, frozen, or even homegrown edamame, this recipe is an easy way for you to enjoy these soybeans.
Air Fried vs Steamed Edamame
When it comes to cooking edamame at home, we use two different methods: steaming and air frying. Both ways result in yummy edamame, and both cooking methods are an easy way to enjoy these soybeans. If we had to choose one, we would choose air-frying edamame for the crispy texture and its convenience.
Steamed Edamame
When we started cooking Edamame at home, it always consisted of steamed edamame. You can use a small or medium size pan with boiling water and add the edamame for a couple of minutes (7-8 minutes).
All you need to do after is drain the edamame, add some sea salt and flavorings of your choice, and serve them. We absolutely love edamame served with some toasted sesame oil.
This is a great way to cook edamame if you don't have an air fryer.
Air Fried Edamame
Recently, we have discovered that you can cook edamame using the air fryer. We've got the Ninja Air fryer, and since we first got it, we've been using it nonstop.
People tend to think you need some oil added to Air Fryer Edamame, but you don't necessarily need to add any oil. All you need to do is add the frozen or fresh edamame directly into the air fryer basket, set your air fryer, and cook the edamame for 10 minutes.
Additionally, we add some tamari or soy sauce when the edamame has been cooking for 5 minutes to add some flavor, umami, and saltiness.
Air frying produces a crispy, crunchy texture that we prefer over steamed edamame, so we have been air frying this plant-based protein since we discovered this cooking method.
Ingredients
Edamame. For this recipe, we use frozen pod edamame. We use frozen edamame as they are easier to find in most grocery stores in different countries. We can find this type of edamame in our local supermarket, which makes it really handy. When we have fresh homegrown edamame, we also use it for air frying. We prefer using edamame in their pods as if you air fry them shelled, they tend to get dry. Keeping them in the pot is a way of ensuring the perfect texture.
Soy sauce or tamari. We like adding a little soy sauce or tamari (gluten-free option) to add umami and saltiness to the edamame.
Sesame seeds. This is another ingredient we like to add to our Air Fryer Edamame. White or black sesame seeds, or alternatively, some toasted sesame oil.
Sea salt. Edamame pairs beautifully with sea salt. This enhances the flavor of the soybeans, taking them to the next level.
Optionally, you can add other seasoning ingredients to add spiciness, saltiness, or sweetness.
Cooking Method
- Add your frozen edamame to the air fryer basket. Set the air fryer to 200 C (400F) and cook for 10 minutes. Halfway through, open the air fryer, shake the basket so the edamame beans cook evenly, add some soy sauce, and keep cooking.
- Take the edamame out, serve with some sea salt, sesame seeds, and your favorite seasoning ingredients, and enjoy!
Air Fryer Edamame
Ingredients
- 17 oz frozen edamame unshelled
- 1 ½ tablespoon tamari or soy sauce
- A pinch sea salt
- sesame seeds for garnishing
Instructions
- Add your frozen edamame to the air fryer basket.17 oz frozen edamame
- Set the air fryer to 200 C (400F) for 10 minutes.
- When the edamame has been cooking for five minutes, open the air fryer, shake the basket so the edamame beans cook evenly, add some tamari or soy sauce, and keep cooking.1 ½ tablespoon tamari
- Take the edamame out, serve with some sea salt, sesame seeds, and your favorite seasoning ingredients.A pinch sea salt, sesame seeds
Notes
- You can add some spice by adding chili sesame oil or chili flakes. We love adding some Shichimi Togarashi.
Newsletter
Nutrition
Variations to our Air Fryer Edamame recipe
- Use shelled edamame. You can use shelled edamame and follow the same cooking instructions. Normally, you can find shelled and unshelled frozen edamame in large supermarkets or Asian stores.
- Change the seasoning. We use soy sauce, sesame seeds, and sea salt. Three simple ingredients that you probably already have at home. We would also love to add some Shichimi Togarashi, which is a Japanese chili pepper spice mix. Some other popular seasoning ingredients are garlic powder, onion powder, black pepper, Italian seasoning, curry powder, maple syrup, lemon juice, or spicy condiments such as red pepper flakes, chili flakes, red chili powder, cayenne pepper, or chili oil.
- Use fresh edamame. If you are using fresh edamame, you may need to adjust (reduce) the cooking time as they will cook faster. Also, using fresh edamame, you will have to spray some olive oil or another type of vegetable oil on the edamame pods before cooking them. When you use frozen edamame, the steam helps cook the young soybeans.
Serving Suggestions
Air Fryer Edamame is a versatile dish that can be served in a variety of ways. It can be a great side dish, appetizer, or snack. Here are some ideas on how to serve this great source of protein dish.
- Side dish. Air-fried edamame is a delicious side dish to accompany your favorite Asian-style meals. It is a healthy and flavorful alternative to traditional side dishes like noodles or rice. One of our favorite combinations is edamame with ramen, and this vegan tantanmen is a flavorful ramen that pairs beautifully with our Edamame.
- Appetizer. You can serve air-fried edamame as a quick appetizer, too. We love serving edamame and gyozas, mixed Vegetable Tempura, or Agedashi Tofu as starters when we make Asian-style dinners or party-style meals.
- Snack. Edamame is a satisfying snack that you can enjoy anytime. Air-fryer edamame and these chili lime pepitas have become an after-school or afternoon snack at home, as it's a great way to add more plant-based protein to our diets.
- Topping for salads. This recipe makes a great salad topping that adds a crunchy texture and nutty flavor to your greens. If you want to use edamame as a topping for your salad or stir-fries, we recommend using shelled edamame instead of whole edamame.
Store and Reheat
Making Air Fryer edamame takes just 10 minutes, and this is why we recommend you simply cook a portion big enough to enjoy right after cooking. It doesn't make much sense to make bigger portions to keep for later. If you still have some leftovers, you can keep them in the fridge, using an airtight container, and reheat using the air fryer for 3-4 minutes at 200C. If your air fryer has a reheat mode, you can use that.
FAQ
Yes, you can use shelled edamame for air frying. You don't need to adjust the cooking method.
It is not necessary to thaw edamame before air frying. We find that cooking edamame directly from frozen is the perfect way to do it. The steam helps cook the edamame evenly, and you won't need to use oil.
If you are using frozen edamame, you don't need to add any oil when air frying edamame. The steam helps cook the soybeans evenly.
Leave a Reply