Fresh and crunchy Edamame Salad with Sesame Miso Dressing is the perfect salad for summer. Filled with shelled edamame, shredded cabbage, red peppers, carrots, green onions, cilantro, roasted peanuts and sesame seeds all tossed in a Japanese-inspired creamy miso dressing for the best ever slaw.
The star of this edamame salad is the sesame ginger miso dressing that’s full of umami flavour. The easy to make dressing gets its salty, earthy flavour from miso, zesty bite from ginger, tartness from rice vinegar and lime, punch of spice from chili, nuttiness from sesame oil, and sweetness from honey. It’s seriously good - you’ll want to lick it straight off the spoon. It’s so versatile that you can also drizzle it over other green salads, bowl meals, Asian noodles, veggies, tacos and different proteins. You’re going to love it!
This fabulous Asian edamame salad is like a coleslaw since it has shredded cabbage and carrots; but you can see it’s far more unique than a traditional coleslaw recipe. Whether it’s for a summer barbeque, potluck, healthy side dish, meal prepped lunches, or a meal on its own, this colourful edamame and cabbage slaw coated in a miso dressing is as delicious as it is nutritious. It’s loved by everyone and guaranteed to be a crowd-pleaser!
Why this Recipe is so Great
- Fun to serve and enjoy. With a delicious punch of flavour, variety of textures, rainbow of colours, and serious crunch, this crisp cabbage and edamame salad with peanuts is a sensational twist on the usual coleslaw. It will become your new summer favourite for pot lucks, picnics or barbecues.
- Super quick easy to make. Whisk up the dairy free miso sesame dressing, blanch edamame, chop veggies, add cilantro and peanuts, toss everything together then garnish with sesame seeds all in less than 30 minutes. This makes it the ideal coleslaw for hot summer evenings.
- Healthy and nutritious. A tasty way to get your daily dose of veggies since this vibrant superfood salad is a powerhouse of goodness loaded with fiber, protein and nutrients. You don’t have to hold back on seconds.
Ingredients You’ll Need for Edamame Salad with Miso Dressing and Peanuts
(Ingredient amounts are listed in the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post).
- White Miso Paste – Use white or even yellow miso for this recipe which have a milder taste and most brands are gluten free.
- Ginger – Use fresh peeled ginger and grate it finely with a zester.
- Soy Sauce – Use low sodium, regular or gluten free tamari as desired.
- Honey or Maple Syrup – For a vegan version use the maple syrup option.
- Rice Vinegar – Adds a nice mild acidic and sweet floral flavour to the salad dressing.
- Canola or Vegetable Oil – Use your favourite neutral tasting oil for the dressing.
- Sesame Oil – Use a good quality toasted sesame oil to impart a nice nutty taste to the dressing.
- Lime Juice – Provides brightness and acidity to the dressing.
- Chili Garlic Sauce or Sriracha – Either one of these condiments adds a little spice to the dressing and you can make it as spicy as you wish.
- Frozen Shelled Edamame – Look for shelled edamame in the frozen vegetables section and be sure to blanch, rinse and cool them as directed.
- Green Cabbage – When thinly sliced cabbage adds a nice crunch to the salad but for more crunch slice it a little thicker.
- Red Bell Pepper – Adds a nice pop of colour and freshness to the salad.
- Carrots – Add a nice pop of colour and a little crunch to the salad.
- Green Onions – Use both the white and green parts and slice them thinly on the diagonal.
- Cilantro – Adds a fresh zesty flair to the salad, use as much or little as desired.
- Peanuts – Buy toasted peanuts and lightly chop them to add a nice peanut-y flavour and crunch.
- Toasted Sesame Seeds – For garnishing the salad and to add additional sesame flavour and crunch.
How to Make This Edamame Salad
(Note: This is an overview of the instructions. The full instructions are in the recipe card below.)
- In a medium bowl, whisk the simple miso dressing ingredients together.
- Cook, rinse, drain and pat the edamame dry.
- In a large salad bowl add the edamame, cabbage, red pepper, carrot, green onions and cilantro.
- Add the dressing, toss to combine then garnish with more cilantro, more peanuts and the sesame
seeds.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Miso is a fermented soybean paste which is a traditional staple of Japanese and Asian cuisines. It’s a thick, salty paste used to add depth and umami-rich flavour to sauces, marinades, spreads, salad dressings and soups. There are different varieties of miso, namely, white, yellow, red or dark. The colour is a good indicator of the strength of flavour, with the white or yellow miso being the most delicate. This recipe uses white miso which has a mellow, slightly sweet flavour. Miso is rich in nutrients with many healthy vitamins and minerals and is high in probiotics. It’s a must try!
What does sesame miso dressing taste like? Unbelievably delicious and flavourful! Savoury creamy miso dressing has a thick texture and layers of flavour. It’s an explosion of earthy, salty, nutty, zippy, acidic, mildly spicy, and subtly sweet with a burst of umami undertones. These flavours are addictive and keep you coming back for more.
Yes they are! This Japanese edamame salad recipe is made with green edamame beans that are young soybeans harvested before they mature. They are a nutritious protein-packed member of the legume family and they’re rich in fiber, antioxidants and vitamins.
Expert Tips and Variations
- Make it nut free. Replace peanuts with sunflower seeds or pumpkin seeds.
- Make it gluten free. Use white miso which is gluten free and choose a gluten free soy sauce such as tamari.
- Make it vegan. Use the maple syrup option.
- Don’t like it spicy? If you’re not the biggest fan of spice, add less of the chili in the dressing or skip it altogether.
- Don’t overcook the edamame. The ideal texture of cooked edamame is tender, yet firm with a little bite, so err on the side of undercooking them so they won’t become mushy.
- Drain the edamame. Rinse the cooked edamame with cold water, drain and pat them dry with paper towels before adding to the salad bowl.
- How to slice red pepper. Slice the red pepper in thin strips so it balances with the size of the other vegetables in the salad.
- How to shred carrots. Shred peeled carrots on the large holes of a box grater.
- How to slice cabbage. Use a mandoline, food processor with a slicing disc, or a sharp knife. The sharp knife is my favourite since I like the cabbage a little thicker with longer strands to get more of a crunch factor.
Make Ahead and Storage Tips
- Make the sesame dressing ahead. Store mixed dressing in a sealed jar in refrigerator and it will keep for 3 - 5 days. Before using, bring it to room temperature and shake well.
- Assemble salad ingredients ahead. Assemble the salad ingredients up to a day ahead, but for the freshest and crunchiest salad, wait to toss in the dressing until 1 to 2 hours before you need to serve the salad.
- Leftovers. Any leftovers stay pretty fresh tasting and crunchy in the refrigerator for 2 - 3 days. You will notice some of the ingredients in the salad will lose their bright colour but the salad will still be good.
If you like Asian-inspired recipes then try these:
Sheet Pan Cashew Chicken and Vegetables
Edamame Beans with Japanese 7-Spice Blend
Recipe
Edamame Salad with Sesame Miso Dressing
Fresh and crunchy Edamame Salad with Sesame Miso Dressing is the perfect salad for summer. Filled with shelled edamame, shredded cabbage, red peppers, carrots, green onions, cilantro, roasted peanuts and sesame seeds all tossed in a Japanese-inspired creamy miso dressing for the best ever salad.
Ingredients
Sesame Miso Dressing
- 2 tablespoons white miso paste
- 1 tablespoon grated ginger
- 2 teaspoons soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon honey or maple syrup
- 3 tablespoons canola or vegetable oil
- 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
- 2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lime juice
- 2 teaspoons chili garlic sauce or sriracha as desired
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
Salad Ingredients
- 300 g frozen shelled edamame beans (2 heaping cups)
- 3 cups green cabbage sliced thinly
- 1 large bell pepper sliced thinly into strips
- 1 large carrot or 2 medium shredded
- 4 green onions sliced thinly on the diagonal
- ¼ cup cilantro chopped, plus more for garnish
- ½ cup toasted peanuts roughly chopped, plus more for garnish
- 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds for garnish
Instructions
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1. In a medium bowl whisk the dressing ingredients, miso, ginger, soy sauce, honey, rice vinegar, oil, sesame oil, lime juice, chili garlic sauce or sriracha and salt. Set aside at room temperature while preparing the salad ingredients.
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Meanwhile, bring a medium pot of water to a boil. Add frozen edamame beans and once the water comes back to a boil, cook for 2 minutes. Drain edamame, rinse with cold water then pat them dry with paper towels. Do not overcook.
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In a large salad bowl, add edamame beans, cabbage, red pepper, carrot, green onions, cilantro and peanuts. Pour the dressing over and toss to combine.
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Top with more cilantro, more peanuts and the sesame seeds. Serve immediately or ideally cover and refrigerate for 1 hour or longer to chill.
Recipe Notes
- For a nut free salad replace peanuts with sunflower seeds or pumpkin seeds.
- For a gluten free salad use white miso and also choose a gluten free soy sauce such as tamari.
- For a vegan salad use the maple syrup option instead of honey.
- The ideal texture of cooked edamame is tender, yet firm with a little bite, so err on the side of undercooking them so they won’t become mushy.
- Slice the red pepper into thin strips so it balances with the size of the other vegetables and shred the carrots on the large holes of a box grater.
- Shred cabbage with a mandoline, food processor with a slicing disc, or a sharp knife. The sharp knife is my favourite since I like it a little thicker with longer strands to get more of a crunch factor.
- Dressing can be made ahead and stored in a sealed jar in refrigerator where it will keep for 3 - 5 days. Before using, bring it to room temperature and shake well.
- Salad ingredients can be assembled up to a day ahead, but for the freshest and crunchiest salad, wait to toss in the dressing until 1 to 2 hours before you need to serve it.
- Leftovers stay pretty fresh tasting and crunchy in the refrigerator for 2 – 3 days. You will notice some of the ingredients in the salad will lose their bright colour but the salad will still be good.
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