Sesame Edamame Salad with Cilantro and Toasted Almonds

I was on the hunt for another fresh, nutrient-dense salad that’s perfect for using up the last of that summer produce when I stumbled upon this recipe from 2011. Beautiful, crunchy veggies? Protein-packed edamame? And all thrown together in just 15 minutes? It’s too good not to re-share with all of you.

This beautiful vegan edamame salad is full of nourishing ingredients and is the perfect way to get your veggies in during the week. When I re-tested it this summer, I just noshed on it straight from the bowl because it was THAT good. The sesame dressing pulls it all together, and there are plenty of ways to make it your own with different vegetables and proteins. Enjoy it for a quick & easy lunch this week!

Everything you’ll need to make this edamame salad

We’re loading up this salad with basically every color the rainbow and all of the vegetables give it the perfect balance of textures. Here’s what you’ll need:

• Edamame: I always forget how much I LOVE these little beans, and my kiddos love them, too! One cup of edamame beans pack 17g of plant-based protein, and you can typically find it in the frozen vegetable section of the grocery store. Note that you’ll want to cook and shell them before adding them to the salad, unless you buy shelled edamame beans.
• Veggies & produce: we’ll be adding shredded red cabbage, Persian cucumbers, orange and red bell peppers, shredded carrots, a jalapeño (or a fresno chile pepper), and scallions. You’ll also need some fresh cilantro for a lovely herby element. You’ll get lots of fiber from all of these vegetables!
• Sesame dressing: this flavor-packed dressing is made with soy sauce, rice vinegar, toasted sesame oil, olive oil, maple syrup, fresh grated ginger, and garlic.
• To garnish: I love topping the salad with toasted sliced almonds and sesame seeds!

Customize this salad

Like (almost) all salads, this vegan edamame salad can really be customized to your liking. Here’s what I can recommend:

• Choose your veggies. You can really use your favs in here — finely chopped broccoli or even shredded brussels sprouts are great swaps.
• Add extra heat. The sliced jalapeño or fresno chile pepper add a nice kick of heat, but you could also whisk a tablespoon of sriracha or 1/4 teaspoon of cayenne pepper into the dressing if you want more.
• Keep it nut free. Simply omit the almonds on top.
• Add a grain. This salad would also be delicious tossed with a cup of cooked, cooled quinoa, rice noodles, or ramen noodles!

Try a creamy dressing

If you love creamier dressings, whisk in 1-2 tablespoons of tahini or your favorite nut butter.

Alternatively, you can try my Best Creamy Tahini Dressing or my Healthy Curry Tahini Dressing (delicious if you like curry flavors!)

More ways to add protein to this salad

If you don’t have edamame available or you want to add extra protein, feel free to add:

• A can of rinsed, drained chickpeas
• Cooked cubed tofu
• Cooked shrimp or my Grilled Sesame Chicken (if you’re not vegan or vegetarian)

Serving it as a side?

Here are some of my favorite main dishes that complement this edamame salad:

• Sweet and Spicy Gochujang Chicken Bowls
• Thai-Inspired Peanut Chicken Wings
• Crispy Broccoli Sweet and Spicy Sesame Tahini Noodles
• Slow Cooker Gochujang Chicken Sandwiches
• Sweet & Spicy Hot Chili Chicken Noodles

Storing tips

Store any leftover edamame salad in an airtight glass container for up to 3-4 days. You can also double it to serve a crowd or for extra meal prep!

More salad recipes you’ll love

• Sesame Chicken Cabbage Crunch Salad
• Curried Chickpea Couscous Salad
• Spicy Cashew Chickpea Broccoli Salad with Ginger Peanut Dressing
• Vibrant Curry Cashew Chickpea Quinoa Salad
• Cashew Crunch Shredded Brussels Sprouts Salad

Get all of my salad recipes here!

I hope you love this sesame edamame salad recipe! If you make it be sure to leave a comment and a rating so I know how you liked it. Enjoy, xo!

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High-Protein Sesame Edamame Salad

byby :Monique Volz of AmbitiousKitchen.com

Leave A Review Print Recipe

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Total Time 15 minutes minutes

ServesServes 4 servings

Beautiful edamame salad packed with a rainbow of crunchy vegetables, fresh herbs, and toasted almonds. Toss everything in a flavorful sesame dressing for a quick, easy-to-make lunch that's packed with plant-based protein and stays good for days!

Ingredients

• Salad
• 3 cups shelled edamame beans, cooked and cooled
• 2 to 3 cups shredded red cabbage
• 2 Persian cucumbers, quartered and sliced
• 1 red bell pepper, diced
• 1 orange bell pepper, diced
• 1 cup shredded carrots
• ½ cup chopped fresh cilantro
• 2 scallions, sliced
• 1 jalapeño or fresno chile pepper, thinly sliced or diced (optional)
• For the dressing
• 2 to 3 tablespoons reduced sodium soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
• 2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 tablespoon pure maple syrup
• 1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
• 1 clove garlic, grated
• To garnish
• ¼ cup toasted sliced almonds
• 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds

Instructions

• Combine edamame, cabbage, cucumber, diced bell peppers, carrots, cilantro and scallions in a large bowl.
• To make your dressing, in a small bowl whisk together soy sauce, rice vinegar, toasted sesame oil, olive oil, maple syrup, ginger and garlic. Add dressing mixture to edamame salad and toss to combine until salad is fully coated.
• Sprinkle toasted almonds and sesame seeds on top. Enjoy immediately or place in fridge for up to 3 to 4 days.

Recipe Notes

See the full post for easy ways to customize this salad!

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving (based on 4)Calories: 375calCarbohydrates: 29.6gProtein: 20.4gFat: 22.2gSaturated Fat: 3gFiber: 11.1gSugar: 11g

Recipe by: Monique Volz // Ambitious Kitchen | Photography by: Eat Love Eats

This post was originally published on November 1st, 2011, and republished with an updated recipe and photos on September 3rd, 2025.