Edamame Dip

At a glance

What stands out: Bright green and deliciously creamy, edamame dip is nutritious and satisfying. You’ll want to keep a container of this dip in your fridge to spread on sandwiches and wraps, too. Use instead of mayonnaise to add flavor and nutrition to your wraps and sandwiches.

How long it takes: 10 minutes
Equipment you’ll need: food processor
Servings: makes 3 cups

Have you tried edamame? Edamame are rich, packed full of protein and other nutrients. Some people compare them to peas or baby lima beans because they have a buttery texture and just a hint of sweetness. You can usually find edamame in the freezer section of your grocery store, included with other frozen vegetables.

Mukimame

You may have seen edamame labeled at mukimame. Technically, edamame are immature soybeans in the pod. Mukimame are the shelled soybeans; the pods are inedible and usually discarded. However, to avoid confusion, most people refer to both products, unshelled or shelled, as edamame. You may see products sold as either edamame or mukimame so it’s good to be aware of the distinction.

Creamy Edamame Dip

Straightforward on the eyes. Isn’t this dip the most beautiful shade of green? We want to paint a room using this color! Wouldn’t you say it’s much more appealing than the boring tan of hummus or plain white veggie dip?

An alternative to avocado. Like avocado, edamame beans have a relatively mild flavor which blends well with many other flavors. This edamame dip is a great substitute for avocado or guacamole. A bonus is that the dip doesn’t turn brown in the fridge like mashed avocado. Another bonus is that frozen edamame are available year round, and you don’t have to wait until they ripen (unlike the rock hard avocados you find in the grocery store).

Versatile. This rich edamame dip can be enjoyed as a dip for veggies, crackers, and so on. It can also be spread on crackers, sandwiches, and wraps. You could compare it to hummus, which is made with chickpeas. Edamame dip is great on a crostini, too, with diced grape tomatoes, and an extra drizzle of olive oil. We love to top it with our favorite pickled red onions.

Good for many diets. The dip is vegan friendly with no dairy products, and gluten free.

Eda..What?

Not sure how to pronounce “edamame”? We've got you covered! Say it like this: eh·duh·maa·may.

How it comes together

You can make this dip in about ten minutes. Your food processor will do most of the work for you. There’s no cooking involved; you won’t even have to turn on your stove.

All you’ll need to make the recipe is edamame beans, green onions (scallions), garlic, hot sauce, and sea salt. If one of those ingredients isn’t your cup of tea, it’s straightforward to mix substitutions or simply omit it.

Put all the ingredients into your food processor, using the S-blade. Pulse a few times, so that everything gets chopped finely. Then while the processor is running, drizzle in extra virgin olive oil and water until the dip is just the consistency you like.

That’s it! Scrape it into a bowl and it’s ready to serve.

How To Serve Edamame Dip

• Serve the dip with pita rounds, crackers, crostini or vegetables.
• Use it as a lighter substitute for mayonnaise or other spreads on sandwiches, wraps, or burgers.
• Substitute it for guacamole and serve it with chips and salsa, or as a topping for tacos or burritos.

Ways to change it

• Garnish creatively. Just like hummus, you can season or garnish edamame dip with herbs, roasted garlic, roasted red peppers, pine nuts, etc. Some recipes add toasted sesame oil, miso, wasabi, or smoked paprika.
• Add extra zip (or not). Increase the garlic if you like (or omit it!). Increase or omit the hot sauce, or stir in a pinch of red pepper flakes instead. Substitute chopped fresh cilantro or fresh parsley for the green onions, or simply add them.
• Give it a citrus twist.Replace a tablespoon or two of the water with fresh lemon or lime juice. Stir in a teaspoon of finely shredded zest.
• Skip the added oil. For an oil-free dip, substitute plain yogurt for the olive oil, or substitute tahini (sesame paste).

Make-Ahead Ideas

Make a double batch! Because this dip stores so well in the refrigerator or freezer, it’s a great make-ahead recipe. It’s just as straightforward to mix a double batch as a single batch; simply double all the ingredients (as long as it all fits in your food processor). Freeze what you aren’t going to use within a week.

Having an impromptu get-together? Take a container of the dip out of the freezer. Depending on the size of your container, it will thaw pretty quickly. Make a speedy charcuterie board with crackers, edamame dip, cheese, and veggies and you’re good to go.

Keeping leftovers

Refrigerate: Put any leftover edamame dip in an airtight container and it will keep for a week in the refrigerator.

Freeze: The dip can also be frozen for up to six months. We like to freeze it in individually sized containers. It’s reliable for lunches. Put the frozen dip in your lunch and it’s thawed and ready to eat by lunchtime.

Lighter Dip Recipes

• Yield: 10
• Prep: 10 minutes
• Total: 10 minutes

Ingredients

• 16 oz. shelled edamame (mukimame), thawed if frozen (about 3 cups)
• ½ cup roughly chopped scallions or green onions (about 2 scallions)
• 1 teaspoon chopped garlic ( 1 small clove)
• ¾ teaspoon sea salt
• ¼ teaspoon hot sauce, more to taste
• ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
• ½ cup cold water

Method

1. Combine thawed edamame (see note), scallions, garlic, salt, and hot sauce in food processor fitted with S-blade. Process until fairly smooth.
2. With food processor running, drizzle in olive oil and water until a smooth consistency is reached. You may not need the entire amount of water. Taste and season with additional salt, if needed.
3. Serve with crackers, vegetables, or spread on a sandwich.

Notes

Raw edamame: Soybeans should always be cooked before using because they contain toxins that make them hard to digest and could be harmful in large quantities. The toxins are destroyed by heat. Most frozen edamame has been blanched before it’s frozen, so you don’t have to worry about it. If the package states that the edamame are raw, blanch the soybeans in boiling water for a few minutes and cool before continuing with the recipe.

Storage: Refrigerated dip will keep for up to a week. The dip can also be frozen for up to six months. It’s great for lunchboxes; freeze it in small containers and it will be thawed by lunchtime. We often make a double batch so we can keep some in the freezer!

Flavor variations: Substitute lime or lemon juice for some of the water. Substitute plain yogurt for the olive oil for an oil-free version. Tahini can be substituted for the olive oil if you prefer. Instead of, or in addition to the green onions, add chopped cilantro or parsley. Omit or increase garlic. Omit or increase hot sauce.