Japanese Edamame Cucumber Salad (Printable)

Crisp cucumbers and tender edamame tossed in a bright sesame soy dressing for a refreshing Japanese-style side.

# What You’ll Need:

→ Vegetables

01 - 1 1/2 cups shelled edamame, fresh or frozen
02 - 2 medium Japanese cucumbers or English cucumber, thinly sliced
03 - 1/4 cup sliced green onions

→ Dressing

04 - 2 tbsp soy sauce (use gluten-free if needed)
05 - 1 tbsp rice vinegar
06 - 1 tbsp toasted sesame oil
07 - 1 tsp sugar or maple syrup
08 - 1/2 tsp fresh grated ginger
09 - 1 small garlic clove, finely minced

→ Garnish

10 - 1 tbsp toasted sesame seeds
11 - 1 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro (optional)

# Directions:

01 - Bring a pot of water to a boil. Add edamame and cook for 3–5 minutes until tender. Drain and rinse under cold water to stop cooking.
02 - Slice cucumbers thinly and place in a large mixing bowl. Sprinkle with a pinch of salt and let sit for 5 minutes, then pat dry with a paper towel to remove excess moisture.
03 - In a small bowl, whisk together soy sauce, rice vinegar, sesame oil, sugar, grated ginger, and minced garlic until smooth and well combined.
04 - Add cooked edamame, sliced cucumbers, and green onions to the mixing bowl. Drizzle with dressing and toss gently to coat evenly.
05 - Transfer to a serving dish and garnish with toasted sesame seeds and cilantro, if using. Serve immediately or refrigerate until ready to serve.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It comes together in under 20 minutes but tastes like you put in way more effort
  • The sesame dressing is the kind of thing you'll want to drizzle on everything
  • It actually gets better after sitting in the fridge for a few hours
02 -
  • Skip the salt-and-wait step with cucumbers and your dressing will become weirdly diluted and watery
  • Let the salad sit for at least 15 minutes before serving—the flavors need time to really meld together
  • The ginger should be freshly grated, not jarred paste, which can taste metallic
03 -
  • Toast sesame seeds in a dry pan over medium heat, shaking constantly, until fragrant and golden—about 2 minutes
  • If you only have regular cucumbers, peel strips of the skin off in a striped pattern to mimic the thinner skin of Japanese varieties

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