Nutrient-Rich Edamame Salad With Miso Dressing
This Edamame Salad is a vibrant and satisfying dish that’s more than just a side. Whether you’re looking for a light lunch, a nourishing addition to a grilled protein dish, or a healthy weeknight dinner, this salad delivers on both flavor and nutrition.

In This Article
Nutritional Benefits
Edamame beans are the foundation of this salad, and they have an impressive nutritional profile. These immature soybeans are a good source of protein and are considered a complete protein too given they contain all nine essential amino acids. This makes them a valuable protein source for vegetarians and vegans. Beyond protein, edamame is rich in dietary fibre, which supports digestion and helps maintain a healthy gut microbiome. In addition to this, edamame beans are a good source of vitamins and minerals, including folate (needed for cell growth and development), vitamin K (plays a vital role in blood clotting), and magnesium (essential for muscle and nerve function, contributes to strong bones plus more!). Then we have the probiotic rich miso that also support a healthy gut microbiome, which plays a crucial role in overall health and well-being. There’s plenty of healthy fats with the olive oil in the dressing too!
Ingredients – What You’ll Need To Make This Recipe
This salad is incredibly versatile and easily customizable so you can swap put the vegetables here for any of your favorite vegetables. Chopped red cabbage, thinly sliced red onion, red bell pepper, cherry tomatoes and green beans all work well. Non-kale lovers can replace this with pan-fried, roasted or steamed broccoli, which is equally delicious and nutritious.
- Edamame beans – bring an earthy, slightly sweet, and nutty flavor to the salad, providing a satisfying base that combines well with the other ingredients.
- Cooked brown rice – this is used to bulk up the salad making it more filling. The brown rice is a perfect match for the combination of tastes, textures and flavors in this salad too. It can be replaced with quinoa or any other grain of your choice.
- Kale – adds a slightly bitter, earthy flavor to the salad and contributes good amounts of vitamins A, C, and K too.
- A mix of vegetables – Cucumber, carrots, spring onion/shallots, avocado – add a variety of tastes, textures and nutrients.
- Nuts and seeds – I’ve used walnuts and hemp seeds to add a rich and earthy taste and to increase healthy fats in the salad. Sunflower seeds also work well.
- Fresh cilantro/coriander – brings a bright, herbaceous, and slightly citrusy flavor to the dish. If you’re not a fan, this can be replaced with any other fresh herbs of your choosing. Parsley is a great substitution.
- Dressing ingredients – these include white miso paste, tamari or soy sauce, white wine vinegar or rice vinegar, extra virgin olive oil, sesame oil, garlic, grated ginger, lime juice or lemon juice, raw honey or maple syrup along with salt and black pepper. When combined these ingredients create a rich and earthy dressing that is perfect for this salad.
The list of ingredients here looks extensive given the dressing is also made from scratch. It takes minutes to make though so don’t let that put you off! If you do want a super simple option, serve a bowl then drizzle over a little tahini, olive oil, salt and pepper. You can also add any ready-made dressing you have to this too. Just keep in mind the earthy flavour profile when choosing one. Herbaceous (like a chimichurri) or tahini-based dressings are great with this salad.
How To Make An Edamame Salad
This easy edamame salad recipe is earthy, nourishing and packed with plenty of flavor. The protein-packed edamame combined with the brown rice make it filling enough to be a main meal but it’s also a perfect side dish too.
- Make the Dressing: In a small bowl, whisk together all the dressing ingredients until smooth and well combined. Set aside.
- Add the shelled edamame beans to a large bowl and cover with boiling water. Let sit while you cook the kale.
- Heat a large frying pan over a medium-high heat then add some olive oil. Once warmed through, add the sliced kale, salt and pepper and pan-fry for 5-7 minutes or until wilted.
- Combine Salad: Drain the edamame, then add to a large bowl. Next, add in the cooked brown rice, kale, carrot, cucumber, spring onion/shallots, cilantro and avocado.
- Pour the dressing over the salad and toss to coat evenly.
- Sprinkle with hemp or sunflower seeds, chopped walnuts and serve immediately.
There’s no need to stick to the vegetables used here as many others are equally delicious. Fresh edamame can be difficult to come by, so I’ve used frozen, shelled edamame in this recipe. These are available in the freezer aisle at most grocery stores.
Substitutions And Variations
Don’t have miso? Swap it out for 2-3 tablespoons of tahini instead.
Aside from the edamame, if you don’t have some of the salad ingredients listed above swap them out for what’s in your fridge. Things like red cabbage, thinly sliced red onion, red bell pepper, cherry tomatoes and green beans are a great addition to this dish.
For some extra protein consider adding in some soft-boiled eggs, roast chicken, black beans, green lentils – or any other cooked legume of choice.
Hate kale? Pan-fried, steamed or roasted broccoli is a great substitute, as is spinach. If using baby spinach, you may want to add an additional cup as it wilts significantly once cooked.
Tips For Success With This Recipe
Prep all your ingredients up front rather than make this while grabbing things on the fly. There are a few elements here so if everything is in front of you this is even more simple to make.
Let the salad sit for a few minutes after tossing with the dressing to allow the flavors to meld together.
This salad is great for meal prep! Make the full recipe on the weekend and enjoy it throughout the week for a quick and healthy lunch. Just keep the dressing to the side and add it as you need it.
Need to cook a batch of brown rice for this recipe? I do mine in the instant pot!
- Rinse 1 cup of brown rice and add it to the inner pot of the instant pot with 1 cup of water. Or top tip – add chicken or veg stock to amp up the flavor.
- Secure the lid and make sure the vent is closed. Select the “Manual” or “Pressure Cook” setting and set the timer for 15 minutes.
- Once the cooking time is complete, allow the pressure to release naturally for 5 minutes.
- After the natural pressure release, quickly release any remaining pressure with the venting knob.
- Fluff with a fork and set aside while you prepare the rest of the salad.
Storing/Freezing/Make Ahead
Store leftover salad in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. If using this for meal prep, I suggest keeping the dressing separate and just adding it to a serving each time you have one. This will stop the salad from going soggy.
FAQ
Yes. Edamame beans are highly nutritious and packed with fiber, and essential vitamins and minerals. They’re also high in protein so a great way for vegetarians and vegans to improve their protein intake.
Frozen edamame are blanched before packaging and safe to eat without further cooking. They can be briefly blanched, microwaved or just have boiled water poured over them and left to sit for a few minutes to reheat.
Yes, edamame and soybeans are essentially the same thing, but they refer to different stages of the soybean plant’s development. Edamame are young, immature soybeans harvested while they are still green and tender. In contrast, soybeans are mature beans that have fully ripened on the plant. They dry out and harden before being used to make various soy products such as soy milk, tempeh, tofu, and soy sauce.
More Salad Recipes
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Nutrient-Rich Edamame Salad With Miso Dressing
Equipment
- 1 Large Bowl
Ingredients
- 1 lb frozen, shelled, edamame beans
- 3 cups thinly sliced kale (my cups were tightly packed)
- 1.5 cups cooked brown rice
- 2 medium Persian/Lebanese cucumbers
- 2 large carrots, grated
- 1 avocado, sliced
- 2-3 green onions/scallions/shallots, sliced
- ½ cup cilantro/coriander (see note 1), roughly chopped
- ½ cup walnuts, chopped (use more if preferred)
- 2 tbsp hemp or sunflower seeds
- 1.5 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- Salt and pepper to taste
For The Miso Dressing
- 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tbsp rice wine vinegar (white wine vinegar is also fine)
- 1.5 tbsp white miso paste
- 1.5 tbsp tamari or soy sauce
- 1.5 tbsp maple syrup or honey
- 1 tbsp sesame oil
- 1-2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tsp grated fresh ginger
- 1 tbsp lime juice, about ½ a lime.
Instructions
- Make the Dressing: In a small bowl, whisk together all the dressing ingredients until smooth and well combined. Set aside.
- Add the shelled edamame beans to a large bowl and cover with boiling water. Let sit while you cook the kale.
- Heat a large frying pan over a medium-high heat then add 1.5 tbsp of olive oil. Once warmed through, add the sliced kale, salt and pepper to taste and pan-fry for 5-7 minutes or until wilted (see note 2).
- Combine Salad: Drain the edamame, then add to a very large bowl. Next, add in the cooked brown rice, kale, carrot, cucumber, spring onion/shallots, cilantro and avocado.
- Pour the dressing over the salad and toss to coat evenly.
- Sprinkle with hemp or sunflower seeds, chopped walnuts and serve immediately. This salad will serve 6 as a side or 3-4 as a main.
Video
Notes
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- Rinse 1 cup of brown rice and add it to the inner pot of the instant pot with 1 cup of water. Or top tip – use chicken or vegetable stock instead to amp up the flavor.
-
- Secure the lid and make sure the vent is closed. Select the “Manual” or “Pressure Cook” setting and set the timer for 15 minutes.
-
- Once the cooking time is complete, allow the pressure to release naturally for 5 minutes.
-
- After the natural pressure release, quickly release any remaining pressure with the venting knob.
-
- Fluff with a fork and set aside while you prepare the rest of the salad.
Nutrition
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Gabby Campbell
Gabby is a degree qualified Naturopath/Nutritionist (BHSc Nat) with a love of all whole foods. She started her Naturopathic career in clinical practice before making the move to recipe development and online education – a result of wanting to combat the misinformation that abounds on the internet about food and health. Whole Natural Kitchen aims to transform the way you think about healthy eating by helping you embrace an abundance of nutritious foods while leaving the health fads behind. MORE ABOUT GABBY