This Chickpea Edamame Salad is the perfect light side dish or lunch to enjoy during the warmer months! The colorful ingredients in this rainbow quinoa salad pack in tons of health benefits. This recipe is vegan and gluten-free as well.

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What is edamame?

Edamame is simply an immature soybean. It’s a great source of plant based protein and dietary fiber. One cup of shelled edamame provides about 20 grams of protein.

You can typically find edamame in the frozen section of the store. You can find it in the pod or shelled. To save time and prep work, I recommend buying it pre-shelled. This is often labeled as “mukimame” or “shelled edamame”. 

How to cook edamame in microwave

For this recipe, you’ll need 1 cup of shelled edamame. I like to buy steamable bags you can simply microwave in the bag to cook. However, since these bags contain more than 1 cup of edamame, you may want to take out just 1 cup and throw the remaining frozen edamame back in the freezer. Extra edamame is perfect to add to power bowls or leafy green salads later on.

For this recipe, my favorite way to quickly cook shelled edamame is to add it to a microwave-safe bowl and completely cover the edamame with water. Then microwave for 3-5 minutes until the water starts to simmer. From there, use a colander to strain out the cooked edamame.

If you don’t want to microwave it, you can also place shelled edamame in a steamer or pan with some water to simmer for 5-10 minutes.

What ingredients do you need for this rainbow salad? Is it healthy?

As a dietitian, I’m always telling people to “eat the rainbow”. That’s because all the different colors in plant foods represent different nutrients that help keep us healthy. This salad is especially great because it includes the whole color spectrum. 

Here are the colorful ingredients you’ll need + various health benefits of each:

• Bell peppers – Peppers come in all different colors and contain a nutrient called lycopene, which can help protect our cells from damage. 
• Carrots – Carrots contain Beta-carotene which is converted to Vitamin A in the body. Vitamin A is important for vision and keeping our immune system strong
• Edamame – Edamame actually contains more folate and vitamin K than mature soybeans.
• Blueberries – Blueberries are rich in anthocyanin which provide anti-inflammatory effects.
• Quinoa – Quinoa is high in a phytonutrient called quercetin, which studies have shown to help improve blood pressure and blood sugar.
• Chickpeas – Chickpeas are high in plant-based protein and fiber, allowing us to feel satisfied for longer.

How do you make chickpea edamame salad?

This recipe is as simple as prepping your ingredients and combining them all together in a bowl. 

• First, prepare your quinoa and edamame. If you don’t have any cooked quinoa already prepared, you’ll need to either cook or buy some. I often like to cheat and buy pre-cooked quinoa at the store or thaw out some I previously batch cooked and froze. For the edamame, I like to buy steamable bags you can simply microwave to cook.
• Chop up your vegetables. Everything will be diced into similar bite-sized pieces.
• Then, mix it all together. Add your chopped vegetables, edamame, blueberries, quinoa, and chickpeas in a large bowl. Use a spoon or tongs to combine everything.
• Next, pour over the dressing. The dressing is a basic vinaigrette that adds some light creaminess to this salad. Shake it up in a mason jar before tossing with the other ingredients.
• Finally, garnish with fresh herbs. Once everything is mixed, I like to sprinkle over fresh herbs for an extra pop of flavor. 

Customize it your way

Like all of my other recipes, this chickpea edamame salad is completely customizable. For the vinegar, feel free to use whichever one you like best or have in your pantry. I typically use balsamic vinegar but you can also use everything from champagne vinegar to rosé vinegar.

Berries are perfect to enjoy in the warmer months when they are in season. If you don’t have any blueberries lying around, you could use another berry like blackberries or raspberries.

For the fresh herbs on top, customize with any you have on hand or are growing in your garden, I love to sprinkle on everything from fresh mint to basil.

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Can I make chickpea edamame salad ahead of time?

You can definitely make this salad recipe ahead of time and store it in the fridge until you are ready to serve. It’s also the perfect option to meal prep and eat throughout the week. This chickpea edamame salad will last for up to 5 days in an airtight container in the fridge.

You might like these other salad recipes too:

• Chickpea “Chicken” Salad
• Customizable Peanut Salad
• Strawberry Spinach Salad

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