Chickpea Edamame Salad

by | Apr 7, 2021

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.

Close up of rainbow quinoa salad

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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:

Colorful ingredients on top of white marble background
  • 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. 
  • Edamame Salad 5309
  • Edamame Salad
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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.

Looking for more customizable recipes made for you and your health goals? Click here to learn more about my coaching + cooking program.

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.

Edamame Salad 5338 scaled

Chickpea Edamame Salad

Mackenzie Burgess, RDN
The perfect light side dish or lunch to enjoy during the warmer months. The colorful ingredients in this rainbow salad pack in tons of health benefits too!
4.36 from 28 votes
Prep Time 10 minutes
Additional Time 10 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes
Servings 6 servings
Calories 260 kcal

Ingredients
  

Edamame Salad:

  • 1/2 cup red pepper, diced
  • 1/2 cup shredded carrots
  • 1/2 cup yellow pepper, diced
  • 1 cup shelled edamame, cooked
  • 1/2 cup blueberries
  • 1 cup quinoa, cooked
  • 1 – 15 ounce can chickpeas, drained and rinsed

Dressing:

  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons vinegar of your choice (balsamic vinegar, red wine vinegar, champagne vinegar, rosé vinegar, honey apple vinegar, or apple cider vinegar)
  • 1 tablespoon maple syrup
  • 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper

Garnish:

  • Chopped fresh herbs of your choice (mint, basil, thyme, or cilantro)

Instructions
 

  • In a large bowl, mix all edamame salad ingredients together until combined.
  • In a small bowl or mason jar, whisk or shake all dressing ingredients until smooth. 
  • Pour dressing over edamame salad and mix until everything is lightly coated.
  • Garnish with fresh herbs, if desired. Let chill in the fridge for 10 minutes and serve cold. 
  • Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.

Video

Nutrition

Serving: 1servingCalories: 260kcalCarbohydrates: 28gProtein: 11gFat: 12gSaturated Fat: 2gSodium: 320mgFiber: 8gSugar: 8g
Tried this recipe?Tag us @cheerfulchoices and let us know how it was!

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This Chickpea Edamame Salad is the perfect light side dish or lunch. The colorful ingredients in this rainbow salad pack in tons of health benefits. Vegan and gluten free too! #SummerSalad #Edamame #PlantBased #CheerfulChoices

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I’m a registered dietitian nutritionist (RDN) and recipe developer. I create simple recipes with customizable ingredients “of your choice.” I also help busy people gain kitchen confidence through my hands-on program.

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2 Comments

  1. Liz

    This was really good!! I left out the maple syrup to avoid the sugar, and substituted lemon juice for mustard (since that was what I had). I also added a handful of walnuts for some extra crunch. So good!!

    Reply
    • Mackenzie Burgess

      Hi Liz! So glad you enjoyed and thanks for sharing how you customized this recipe to work with what you had on hand! That’s what Cheerful Choices is all about. 🙂 ~Mackenzie

      Reply
4.36 from 28 votes (28 ratings without comment)

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