This refreshing cucumber edamame salad is the perfect summer side dish or no-cook dinner salad. The fresh cucumbers and plump edamame pair wonderfully with the creamy avocado and tangy, aromatic dressing.Serves 6 as a side or 3 as a light main dish.
Servings6
Ingredients
Ginger Sesame Lime Dressing
- 2 tablespoons olive oil , or avocado oil
- 2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce , or tamari (for gluten-free)
- 1½ tablespoons rice vinegar
- 1½ tablespoons fresh lime juice , or more rice vinegar
- 2 teaspoons maple syrup
- 1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger
Edamame salad
- 2 cups shelled edamame , thawed if using frozen edamame beans
- 1 English cucumber , cut into cubes similar in size to edamame beans
- 2 green onions (scallions) , thinly sliced reserving some green parts for garnish
- 2 avocados , cut into cubes
- 2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds , more to garnish
- ½ teaspoon gochugaru chilli flakes* (optional)
- kosher salt , to taste
Instructions
- Whisk together the ginger sesame salad dressing ingredients in a small bowl until well combined.
- Add the edamame, cucumber slices, green onions, and cubed avocado to a large bowl.
- Sprinkle with the toasted sesame seeds, chilli flakes (if using) and a pinch of kosher salt. Use your hands or a wooden spoon to very gently toss the salad. Then, pour the dressing over the edamame mixture and again gently toss until everything is evenly coated in the dressing. Taste and season with more salt if needed – I use ½ teaspoon salt in total.
- Garnish the edamame cucumber salad with more toasted sesame seeds and the reserved green onions. Serve and enjoy immediately.
Notes
- Edamame: If you're using frozen shelled edamame beans, you can speed up defrosting by rinsing the beans in hot water.
- Toasted sesame seeds: You can toast raw sesame seeds in a dry pan over medium heat or make a large batch of toasted sesame seeds in the oven. They are very versatile and amazing to have on hand! See how to toast sesame seeds with step-by-step instructions for both methods.
- Gochugaru: This moderately spicy Korean chilli flake has a beautiful fruity flavour. You can also use Aleppo chilli flakes or your favourite red pepper flakes, or omit the chilli for a non-spicy salad.
- Storage: The salad tastes best on the day it's made. But you can refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for 3 days. The avocado will brown, but it's still edible. Feel free to discard them if you prefer.
- Bulk it up: For a more filling salad, add a cup of cooked quinoa or sweetcorn. See the full blog post for more serving suggestions.