This Asian edamame crunch salad is loaded with edamame, shredded cabbage, carrots, and cucumber, plus puffed quinoa for serious crunch. It's tossed in a homemade carrot ginger dressing and comes together in 20 minutes. Naturally gluten-free, dairy-free, and nut-free.
Asian Edamame Crunch Salad At A Glance
- ✅ Recipe Name: Asian Edamame Crunch Salad (with Carrot Ginger Dressing)
- 🕒 Ready In: ~20 minutes
- 👪 Serves: 6
- 🍽 Calories: ~232 per serving
- 💪 Protein: ~9g per serving
- 🥣 Main Ingredients: Frozen edamame, red cabbage, carrots, cucumber, green onions, cilantro, puffed quinoa, carrot ginger dressing
- 📖 Dietary Info: Gluten-free, dairy-free, nut-free
- ⭐ Why You'll Love It: It's genuinely crunchy thanks to puffed quinoa instead of a soft grain, the carrot ginger dressing is bright and gingery, and leftovers hold up well for meal prep
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Edamame Bean Salad with Carrot Ginger Dressing
I've made a lot of crunch salads over the years, and most of them let me down the same way: they go soft by day two, and the "crunch" is gone by lunch. I need salads that stay crisp all week, just like my Mediterranean dense bean salad.
Not only do the edamame and crunchy veggies keep this salad crisp, I also add puffed quinoa for even more texture. Most recipes stir in a soft-cooked grain, but instead, I toast raw quinoa in a dry pan until it pops, then add it right before serving. It gives you that crunchy wonton-strip texture from a restaurant salad without the fried part.
But I have to admit... the carrot ginger dressing is the best part. I blend a whole carrot into it, which adds body and a little natural sweetness, so it needs less honey. It tastes like the ginger dressing from a Japanese steakhouse.
I love serving this salad with my honey soy chicken skewers to make it a high-protein meal with 40g+ of protein.
Jump to:
- Asian Edamame Crunch Salad At A Glance
- Edamame Bean Salad with Carrot Ginger Dressing
- Why You'll Love This Salad Recipe
- Is Edamame Crunch Salad Healthy?
- Ingredients You'll Need
- Easy Ingredient Substitutions
- How to Make Asian Edamame Crunch Salad (Step-by-Step)
- Tips for Maximum Crunch
- Variations & Add-Ins
- What to Serve With Edamame Crunch Salad
- How to Store and Make Ahead
- Edamame Crunch Salad FAQs
- More Salad Recipes You'll Love
- 📖 Recipe
- 💬 Comments
Why You'll Love This Salad Recipe
- Stays crunchy for days: Edamame, cabbage, carrots, and cucumber keep their crunch, so your leftovers still taste fresh.
- The carrot ginger dressing: Bright, gingery, and smooth, blended with a whole carrot for natural sweetness, with no added seed oils or refined sugar.
- Ready in 20 minutes: No real cooking, one bowl, minimal cleanup.
- Built for meal prep: Dress the whole batch, and it holds up all week.
- Nut-free, but still crazy crunchy: Most crunchy salads use cashews or peanuts. This one gets its crunch from puffed quinoa, so it's safe for people with nut allergies and for lunchboxes.
Is Edamame Crunch Salad Healthy?
Yes. This edamame crunch salad is a genuinely nutritious meal, with about232 calories, 9 grams of plant-based protein, and 6 grams of fiber per serving.
The edamame brings protein and fiber that help keep you full; the cabbage, carrots, and cucumber add vitamin C and antioxidants; and the carrot ginger dressing skips the refined sugar and heavy mayo you'll find in a lot of store-bought versions. It's naturally gluten-free, dairy-free, and nut-free, too.
Ingredients You'll Need
Here's what goes into this edamame bean salad, plus a few notes.
For the salad:
- Shelled edamame: The protein base. Buy it frozen and already shelled (also labeled mukimame) to save time. Cook, cool, and pat it dry so it doesn't water down the salad.
- Red cabbage: Adds color and a sturdy crunch that holds up for days. Green cabbage or a bagged coleslaw mix works too.
- Carrots: Grate them fresh for the best texture. Freshly grated carrots are crunchier and sweeter than the dry, pre-shredded bagged kind, which tends to be woody. Use pre-shredded in a pinch, but fresh is worth it here.
- Cucumber: Persian or English cucumbers are best since they're less watery. Chop into bite-size pieces. If you love cucumber salads, try my carrot cucumber salad next.
- Green onions and cilantro: Fresh, bright flavor. Not a cilantro fan? Swap in fresh basil or just leave it out.
- Quinoa: Toasted dry into puffed quinoa for a crunchy topping. Use uncooked white quinoa, not pre-cooked.
For the carrot ginger dressing:
- Carrot: Blended right into the dressing for body and natural sweetness. This is what makes it different.
- Fresh ginger: Gives it that bright, zippy steakhouse flavor. Fresh, not jarred, is worth it here.
- White miso (optional): Adds savory depth. Use certified gluten-free miso, or skip it to keep the salad fully gluten-free.
- Rice vinegar: For tang.
- Avocado oil and toasted sesame oil: Avocado oil for a neutral base, sesame oil for that toasty finish.
- Honey: Natural sweetness. Sub maple syrup to make it vegan.
Scroll to the recipe card for quantities!
Easy Ingredient Substitutions
- Edamame: Shelled edamame is the star here, but shelled fava beans or chickpeas work if that's what you have.
- Red cabbage: Green cabbage or a bagged coleslaw mix swaps in easily. You'll lose a little of the purple color, but none of the crunch.
- Cucumber: Persian or English cucumbers are best. If you only have a regular cucumber, scoop out the watery seeds first so the salad doesn't get soggy.
- Cilantro: Not a fan? Fresh basil, mint, or Thai basil all work.
- Quinoa: No time to puff quinoa? Swap in chopped roasted cashews or peanuts for crunch (just note it won't be nut-free).
- White miso: Optional to begin with. Leave it out for a lighter dressing, and use certified gluten-free miso if you need the salad fully gluten-free.
- Honey: Sub pure maple syrup to make the dressing vegan, or agave if that's what you keep on hand.
- Avocado oil: I recommend using extra virgin olive oil.
How to Make Asian Edamame Crunch Salad (Step-by-Step)
This crunchy Asian edamame salad comes together in about 20 minutes with no real cooking. Here's how to make it, step by step. Full measurements are in the recipe card below.
- Step 1: Add the salad ingredients to a bowl. Combine the cooked and cooled edamame, shredded red cabbage, grated carrots, chopped cucumber, green onions, and cilantro in a large mixing bowl.
- Step 2: Toast the quinoa until it puffs. Add raw quinoa to a dry skillet over medium-high heat. Shake often until the grains pop and turn golden, about 3 to 5 minutes, then transfer to a plate to cool.
- Step 3: Make the carrot ginger dressing. Add the carrot, ginger, miso, sesame oil, rice vinegar, avocado oil, honey, and salt to a blender.
- Step 4: Blend until smooth and pourable. Blend the carrot ginger dressing until it is bright orange and silky. Taste and add more rice vinegar for tang or more honey for sweetness.
- Step 5: Dress the salad and add the quinoa. Pour the carrot ginger dressing over the salad and toss to coat. Fold in the puffed quinoa just before serving so it stays crunchy.
Tips for Maximum Crunch
Crunch is the whole point of this salad, so here are the tips I've learned for keeping it that way.
- Add the quinoa just before serving: The dressed salad keeps well in the fridge, but puffed quinoa softens once it sits in the dressing. I like to dress the whole batch at once for easy meal prep and just add fresh quinoa to each serving so every bowl still gets that crunch.
- Pat the edamame dry: After cooking and cooling, blot the edamame so extra water doesn't dilute the dressing or soften the veggies.
- Don't skip cooling the quinoa: Let the toasted quinoa cool completely before it goes anywhere near the salad. Warm quinoa loses its crispness fast.
- Use firm, cold veggies: Persian or English cucumbers and fresh red cabbage hold their crunch far better than softer, watery produce.
Variations & Add-Ins
This edamame crunch salad is easy to make your own. Here are my favorite ways to switch it up or turn it into a full meal.
- Add chicken: This salad is light on its own, so add a protein to make it a full meal. It's great with my crispy air fryer chicken thighs or crispy grilled boneless chicken thighs.
- Add tofu: For a plant-based option, my super crispy tofu, which can be made in the air fryer or oven, is perfect here.
- Try it with salmon: For something heartier, add my furikake salmon or air fryer teriyaki salmon bites on top. The sweet-savory glaze pairs really well with the carrot-ginger dressing.
- Make it spicy: Stir a little sriracha or chili crisp into the dressing, or add a pinch of red pepper flakes to the salad.
- Swap the veggies: Snap peas, snow peas, shredded kale, or bell pepper all work. Use what you have.
- Extra crunch: If you're not keeping it nut-free, toasted cashews, peanuts, air fryer chickpeas, or slivered almonds add another layer alongside the puffed quinoa.
What to Serve With Edamame Crunch Salad
This salad is filling enough for a light lunch on its own, but it also makes a great side for a bigger meal. I love serving it alongside my air fryer orange chicken, grilled salmon, or air fryer chicken cutlets. It's also an easy make-ahead side for cookouts and potlucks, since it holds up well after dressing.
How to Store and Make Ahead
- In the fridge: Store the dressed salad in an airtight container for up to 4 days. The flavors actually get better as they sit. I dress the whole batch at once so it's grab-and-go all week.
- Keep the quinoa separate: Puffed quinoa softens once it sits in the dressing, so store it on its own and sprinkle it on each serving for the best crunch.
- Make the dressing ahead: The carrot ginger dressing keeps for up to 3 days in the fridge. Give it a stir before using.
- Freezing: I don't recommend freezing this one. The fresh veggies lose their crunch and turn watery once thawed.
Edamame Crunch Salad FAQs
Yes, frozen shelled edamame is what I use. Just cook it according to the package directions, cool it, and pat it dry before adding it to the salad so it doesn't water things down.
Shelled edamame, sometimes labeled mukimame, is edamame that's already been removed from the pod. It saves you the time of shelling each bean yourself and is usually found in the freezer section.
It keeps in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Store the puffed quinoa separately and add it per serving, since it softens once it sits in the dressing.
Yes, as long as you use certified gluten-free miso or leave the miso out. Everything else in the salad and dressing is naturally gluten-free.
Yes, it's great for meal prep. You can dress the whole batch, and it holds up all week. I just keep the quinoa on the side and sprinkle it on each bowl for crunch.
More Salad Recipes You'll Love
If you loved this fresh edamame crunch salad, here are a few more salad recipes to try next:
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📖 Recipe
Asian Edamame Crunch Salad
Ingredients
The Salad:
- 1 (12-ounce package) shelled edamame, cooked and cooled
- 2 cups shredded red cabbage
- 2 large carrots, grated
- 2 cups Persian or English cucumber, chopped
- ¼ - 1 cup green onions, thinly sliced
- ½ cup cilantro, chopped
- 2 - 3 tablespoon uncooked white quinoa
Carrot Ginger Dressing:
- 1 large carrot, cut into a few pieces
- 1 knob fresh ginger, peeled
- 1 tablespoon white miso, optional
- 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
- ¼ cup rice vinegar
- ¼ cup avocado oil
- 1½ tablespoon honey
- Salt, to taste
Instructions
- Prepare the edamame. Cook the frozen shelled edamame according to the package directions, then drain well and let cool completely. Alternatively, thaw it overnight in the refrigerator if it's already fully cooked. Pat dry before adding to the salad.
- Puff the quinoa. Heat a small, dry skillet over medium-high heat. Once hot, add the quinoa. It will begin to pop after a few minutes, and you'll notice the tiny spirals emerge. Stir or shake the pan frequently to prevent burning. Once most of the quinoa is puffed and lightly toasted, transfer it to a plate to cool.
- Assemble the salad. In a large bowl, combine the cooled edamame, shredded red cabbage, grated carrots, cucumber, green onions, and cilantro.
- Make the dressing. Add the carrot, ginger, miso (if using), sesame oil, rice vinegar, avocado oil, honey, and a pinch of salt to a blender. Blend until completely smooth. Taste and adjust as needed. Add more rice vinegar for extra tang or more honey for sweetness.
- Dress the salad. Pour the dressing over the salad and toss until everything is evenly coated.
- Add the puffed quinoa. Just before serving, gently fold in the puffed quinoa so it stays crisp.
- Serve. Enjoy immediately.
Notes
Nutrition
Recipe tested and developed by Tati Chermayeff, creator of Healthful Blondie. A former Division I rower, Ironman triathlete, and recipe developer based in Austin, TX, Tati creates high-protein and healthy recipes that actually taste like the real thing.
Tati Chermayeff says
This is the perfect meal prep recipe and I love it so much!