Edamame might not come to your mind when you’re thinking about what to throw on the grill for dinner, but let this recipe change your mind. Grilled edamame is a fun-to-eat appetizer that’s a perfect starter to any meal. It’s a dish dressed up enough for a party but easy enough to be served as a snack at home.

grilled edamame in bowl

This recipe is inspired by sister restaurants, Uchi and Uchiko, in Austin, Texas (read more about them here!). These dining spots offer unique dishes with the perfect balance of traditional Japanese techniques and innovative flavor. Favorite menu items include the chicken karaage, hama chili, brussels sprouts, and the madai nigiri, but no matter when you’re dining or who you’re with, an order of the grilled edamame to start off your meal is essential.

Grilled edamame is simple and unassuming, but one of the best starters you will ever consume. Grilled and garnished with lemon juice and flaky salt, you’ll never want to eat edamame any other way. This recipe, inspired by this must-visit Austin restaurant, is as close as you can get to the real deal in your very own home.

horizontal photo of grilled edamame in bowl

What is Edamame?

Edamame is a type of young soybean that is harvested before it ripens and hardens. Each pod has 2-5 light green seeds encased in a tough, inedible shell. The beans have a nice creamy texture and taste similar to lima beans. 

How to Eat Edamame 

If you’ve never had the pleasure of eating edamame before, it’s quite fun. Typically, edamame is served whole– beans in shell– and is boiled or steamed. You might want to dig right in like you would a snow pea, but the shell is thick, sinewy, and unpleasant to chew. To eat edamame, pull the beans out of the shell with your teeth. Usually, the outside of the shell is seasoned so you get all that flavor as you slurp the bean out of the pod.

close up shot of grilled edamame with flaky sea salt

How to Make Grilled Edamame

For this recipe, you’ll need a grill basket (or an uncoated metal cooling rack), frozen edamame, lemons, and flake sea salt. That’s it. 

You’ll grill the edamame for 10 minutes, turning once or twice, until the edamame is cooked through and slightly charred. Then, toss in a large bowl with lemon juice and flake sea salt. If you don’t have flake sea salt, it’s worth investing in. It’s light and a little crunchy and has a totally different texture than your average table salt.

Grilled Edamame

Brooke Eliason
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Servings: 4 servings
Total Time: 20 minutes

Ingredients 

  • 20 oz. frozen edamame
  • 1 large lemon
  • 2-3 Tablespoons flake sea salt

Instructions

  • Preheat your grill to medium high heat for a minimum of ten minutes. While the grill is heating, place frozen edamame in grill basket. If you don’t have a grill basket, uncoated metal cooling racks make a great alternative.
  • Cook edamame in grill basket or atop cooling racks on the grill for approximately 10 minutes, turning once or twice throughout with tongs, until edamame is cooked through and there is some charring throughout the surfaces of the soybeans. Remove from heat and toss in a large bowl with juice of lemon and 2 Tablespoons of flake sea salt. Serve with an additional tablespoon of flake sea salt on top of edamame and eat immediately.

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