This Cucumber Edamame Salad is fresh and crunchy and takes less than 10 minutes to make. It is light, crisp, savoury, slightly sweet, and full of texture from the sesame seeds, tender edamame, and cool cucumber. The dressing, made with soy sauce, garlic, ginger, sesame oil, fresh coriander, and a little maple syrup or honey is good enough to drink!
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This cucumber edamame salad is great as quick lunch on a picky plate, an easy side dish, or part of a bigger dinner spread like with salmon and noodles. It is also ideal for meal prep because the flavours get even better after a short chill in the fridge and there are so many ways to use it.
This salad is fast, easy, and made with simple ingredients, but it has so much flavour. The edamame adds protein and fibre and makes the salad more filling than a standard cucumber salad. It so easy to adapt depending on what you have in the fridge.
Looking for more ways to use edamame? Check out our quick 15 Minute Noodle Bowls, high protein Edamame Hummus or simple Tuna Sushi Bowl.
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Ingredients and Substitutions
A full ingredients list, along with US Customary and Metric measurements, can be found in the recipe card at the end of this post.
- Edamame - Edamame gives this salad a lovely bite and makes it more satisfying. Shelled edamame is easiest here. You can use frozen edamame and simply cook it according to the pack instructions before cooling.
- Cucumber - Persian cucumbers or mini cucumbers are best because they are less watery, but a regular cucumber works too. If using a large cucumber with lots of seeds, you can scoop the centre out first.
- Spring onion - Also known as green onions or scallions.
- Soy sauce - Use light soy sauce. If you need the salad to be gluten-free, use tamari instead. If you like a stronger dressing, you can add an extra teaspoon of soy sauce. If you want more freshness, a squeeze of lime works really well too.
- Sesame oil - You could use olive oil, but sesame oil adds such an incredible flavour.
- Garlic and ginger paste - Freshly grated garlic and ginger also work if you prefer.
- Fresh coriander (cilantro) - If you are not a fan, fresh parsley or even fresh mint can be used instead, although the flavour will change slightly.
- Honey - You could use maple syrup to keep it vegan.
- Sesame seeds - Toasted sesame seeds are especially good if you have them.
Edamame Cucumber Salad Variations
Extra vegetables - Shredded carrot, red cabbage, sugar snap peas, avocado, or thinly sliced peppers all work well.
Spicy - Add a teaspoon of chilli crunch, a pinch of chilli flakes, or a little sriracha to the dressing.
Meal - To make this more of a meal, mix in cooked noodles, rice, or quinoa.
Extra protein - Add shredded chicken, grilled salmon, tofu, or prawns. Check out this Crispy Baked Tofu.
Nuts - For a nuttier finish, top the salad with crushed peanuts or cashews just before serving.
How To Make Cucumber Edamame Salad
- Step 1: Cook the edamame beans according to the packet instructions. Once cooked, drain and rinse under cold water until cooled.
- Step 2: In a large bowl, add the edamame, cucumber, spring onions, coriander and sesame seeds.
- Step 3: Add the oil, soy sauce, garlic paste, ginger paste and honey. Mix well to coat everything.
Serving Suggestions
You can serve this cucumber edamame salad alongside stir-fries, teriyaki dishes, noodle bowls, or simple grilled meats or fish.
It is also a very good addition to a summer spread/BBQ because it is cool, crunchy, and easy to make ahead. I always think it's nice to have something light and colourful at a BBQ to balance out the heavier dishes.
For a super quick lunch/meal prep idea, pair it with cooked chicken or tofu and some rice for a balanced meal that keeps well.
Why not use it to make our delicious Cold Noodle Salad?
Meal Prep and Storage
This edamame cucumber salad is good for meal prep, but it is best within the first 24 hours when the cucumber is still at its crispest.
If you want to prep it in advance, you can cook the edamame, chop the spring onion, mix the dressing, and store everything separately. Then just chop the cucumber and toss it all together when ready to eat.
If you do want to fully assemble the salad ahead of time, store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. The flavour will still be good, but the cucumber will soften and release a little water as it sits.
Before serving leftovers, give the salad a good stir and, if needed, add a small splash of soy sauce or sesame oil to freshen it up.
This recipe is not ideal for freezing because cucumber loses its texture once thawed.
Dannii's Top Tips
- Make sure you drain the edamame and let it cool completely. This is important because warm edamame can make the cucumber soften too quickly.
- Dice or slice the cucumber into bite-sized pieces. Thin half-moons/quarters work well, but small chunks also work if you want a slightly chunkier salad. Slice the spring onions finely and roughly chop the fresh coriander.
- Salt the cucumber lightly and pat it dry if you want a less watery salad, especially if making it ahead. This step is optional, but helpful if your cucumber is very juicy.
- Use toasted sesame seeds if you can. They add much more flavour than plain sesame seeds.
- Do not overdress the salad. This recipe has enough dressing to coat everything without making it soggy. If you double the recipe, do not automatically double the dressing without tasting first.
- Chill the salad briefly before serving if possible. Even 20 minutes in the fridge improves the flavour.
- Add the coriander just before serving if you want it to stay especially fresh and bright.
More Side Salad Recipes
If you've tried this edamame cucumber salad, let us know how you got on in the comments below.
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Recipe
Cucumber Edamame Salad
Ingredients
For the salad:
- 200 g (1 cups) of Edamame
- 200 g (7 oz) of Cucumber - sliced and quartered
- 4 Spring onion - thinly sliced
- 5 g (0.25 cup) of Fresh coriander (cilantro) - finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon of Sesame seeds
For the dressing:
(see notes below if you are adjusting the serving size)
- 2 tablespoon of Soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon of Sesame oil
- 1 teaspoon of Ginger paste
- 1 teaspoon of Garlic paste
- 1 tablespoon of Honey
Instructions
- Cook 200 g of Edamame according to the packet instructions. Once cooked, drain and rinse under cold water until cooled.
- In a large mixing bowl, add the edamame, 200 g of Cucumber (sliced), 4 Spring onion (sliced), 5 g of Fresh coriander (cilantro) and 1 tbsp of Sesame seeds.
- Add 2 tbsp of Soy sauce, 1 tbsp of Sesame oil, 1 tsp of Ginger paste, 1 tsp of Garlic paste and 1 tbsp of Honey. Mix well to coat everything.
Recipe Tips
- Make sure you drain the edamame and let it cool completely. This is important because warm edamame can make the cucumber soften too quickly.
- Dice or slice the cucumber into bite-sized pieces. Thin half-moons/quarters work well, but small chunks also work if you want a slightly chunkier salad. Slice the spring onions finely and roughly chop the fresh coriander.
- Salt the cucumber lightly and pat it dry if you want a less watery salad, especially if making it ahead. This step is optional, but helpful if your cucumber is very juicy.
- Use toasted sesame seeds if you can. They add much more flavour than plain sesame seeds.
- Do not overdress the salad. This recipe has enough dressing to coat everything without making it soggy. If you double the recipe, do not automatically double the dressing without tasting first.
- Chill the salad briefly before serving if possible. Even 20 minutes in the fridge improves the flavour.
- Add the coriander just before serving if you want it to stay especially fresh and bright.
Nutritional Information
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The nutritional information provided is approximate and is calculated using online tools. Information can vary depending on various factors, but we have endeavoured to be as accurate as possible.
As all appliances vary, cooking times are a guide. Please note that by changing the serving size, the cooking time may also need to be altered.
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