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Hello! I’m Amelia, welcome to Ritzy Recipes. Today, I am showing you how to throw down in the kitchen with my incredibly easy asian edamame salad. My love for cooking started from a very personal journey when my first child went through a difficult period of illness at eight years old. His doctor always advised me to pay close attention to his nutrition, so I found myself searching for healthy and nourishing recipes. Spending more time in the kitchen, experimenting with different ingredients, and learning how food can truly make a difference became a passion. From that moment on, cooking was no longer just a necessity, it became something I truly love. So here we are!
Now, I share soulful, cottage recipes that are simple, delicious, and full of heart. My kitchen isn’t about perfection—it’s about real food, real life, and real flavor. My readers should feel like they’re sitting at the table with me. If you just clicked over from Pinterest looking for a quick meal, you landed in the right spot. This vibrant dish delivers all the comforting, rich flavors of a classic fresh salad but keeps your evening completely stress-free.
Next, let me tell you that your whole family will absolutely love these colorful, crunchy ingredients. This meal brings a beautiful rustic charm straight to your dinner table without forcing you to stand over a hot stove all evening. You get to skip the endless baking and let a few simple chopping steps do all the heavy lifting. Grab a glass of sweet tea, clear off your chopping board, and let us get ready to make a wholesome dinner that satisfies everyone.
What You Need for a High Protein Vegan Salad
First, you need to gather your fresh, colorful summer produce to make this high protein vegan salad a total success. Traditional pasta bowls often rely on heavy cream bases, but our fresh method keeps things incredibly light and crisp. You want to pick out firm, vibrant vegetables at the grocery store or farmers market to ensure the best crunch.
Here is exactly what you need to load up on your kitchen counter:
- Two cups of shelled edamame
- Three cups of shredded purple cabbage
- One cup of julienned carrots
- One large red bell pepper, diced
- Three green onions, finely sliced
- Half a cup of fresh cilantro, chopped
- Quarter cup of toasted sliced almonds
- Two tablespoons of sesame seeds
Also, make sure you mix up a batch of healthy ginger soy dressing to tie everything together beautifully. You will need a small jar to whisk up some low-sodium soy sauce, toasted sesame oil, fresh grated ginger, minced garlic, rice vinegar, and a touch of honey or maple syrup. If your dressing ingredients are well-combined, your beautiful side dish will taste perfectly balanced. For a complete and hearty dinner spread, you can plan ahead to serve this alongside a comforting honey garlic chicken recipe or stack it high next to a crispy baked crunchy hot honey chicken.
How to Make a Cold Sesame Vegetable Salad Step by Step
Next, let us break down this cold sesame vegetable salad into simple, foolproof steps so you can get your meal prep ready in a flash.
Step 1: Cook and Cool Your Green Soybeans

First, bring a small pot of salted water to a rolling boil on your stove to start your asian edamame salad. Dump your shelled frozen edamame directly into the boiling water and let them cook briefly for three to five minutes. Boiling them quickly ensures that the beans lose their raw texture while keeping their bright green color intact.
Then, prepare a large bowl filled with cold water and ice cubes on your counter. Use a slotted spoon to scoop the hot cooked beans out of the boiling pot and plunge them immediately into the ice bath. This quick temperature drop stops the cooking process instantly so your beans stay perfectly firm and crisp.
Step 2: Chop Your Crunchy Veggies
Next, grab your sharpest chef knife and a sturdy cutting board to prepare the rest of your fresh produce. Shred your purple cabbage into fine, thin ribbons that are easy to scoop up with a fork. Chop your vibrant red bell pepper and yellow carrots into uniform, bite-sized pieces.
Then, slice your green onions finely and chop your fresh cilantro leaves to add a wonderful pop of aromatic flavor. Place all your beautifully prepared, colorful vegetables into an extra-large mixing bowl. Having all your chopping completed ahead of time makes assembling this crunchy edamame cabbage salad an absolute breeze.
Step 3: Whisk the Ginger Soy Vinaigrette
Next, grab a small mason jar or a medium glass bowl to prepare your flavor-packed dressing layer. Grate your fresh ginger root finely and mince your garlic cloves until they form a smooth paste. Measure out your soy sauce, sesame oil, rice vinegar, and maple syrup, then pour them directly into your jar.

Then, screw the lid on tightly and shake the jar with all your might for thirty seconds until the oil and vinegar emulsify. Taste a little drop of the mixture on a piece of cabbage to see if you prefer an extra splash of rice vinegar or salt. This savory dressing coats the vegetables beautifully and keeps them tasting completely fresh.
Step 4: Toss and Garnish Before Serving
Finally, pour your well-shaken dressing over the large bowl of chopped vegetables and cooked edamame. Use two large salad spoons to toss everything together thoroughly until the vinaigrette coats every single crisp piece. Next, sprinkle your toasted sliced almonds and sesame seeds generously across the entire top of the colorful bowl.
Then, decide how you want to present this magnificent, colorful feast to your hungry family. This versatile dish makes an incredible healthy lunch option or stands alone as a magnificent base for your weekly easy meal prep edamame routine. If you want to keep the meal light and vibrant, serve these crisp greens alongside a refreshing vietnamese chicken salad nuoc cham dressing or a sweet charcuterie board flatbread.
FAQs
Yes, shelled edamame needs to be cooked briefly before serving. Shelled frozen edamame is typically par-boiled, so you only need to steam or boil it in salted water for 3 to 5 minutes. Once cooked, plunge the edamame into a bowl of ice water immediately to halt the cooking process and preserve its bright green color and crisp texture.
To maintain maximum crunch, keep the dressing separate if you are preparing the salad ahead of time. Hardier vegetables like cabbage, carrots, and edamame hold up well, but softer ingredients like cilantro, green onions, or sliced almonds should be tossed in right before serving to keep them from wilting or softening in the residual moisture.
Shredded purple cabbage, julienned carrots, and crisp red bell peppers form an excellent crunchy base. For a satisfying finishes, top the salad with toasted sliced almonds, chopped cashews, sesame seeds, or crispy wonton strips right before serving.
When stored in an airtight container without dressing, the chopped vegetable base will stay fresh and crunchy in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. If the salad is already tossed in a vinaigrette dressing, it is best enjoyed within 1 to 2 days, as the vegetables will gradually soften. If you need more family-friendly inspiration for your weekly fresh menu, check out my vibrant rainbow orzo salad
or my crisp thai cucumber salad recipe.

Wrap-Up & Call to Action
Then, you are officially ready to bring this rustic, heartwarming fresh bowl straight to your dinner table tonight. This simple recipe proves that healthy eating can taste completely delicious without requiring hours of complicated kitchen prep work. My family loves devouring this comforting, crunchy side during the warm summer months, and I know your loved ones will cherish it too.
Please make sure to save this recipe to your favorite healthy lunch boards on Pinterest so you always have it handy when life gets busy. Leave a comment below to tell me how your fresh veggies turned out, and sign up for my newsletter to get more soulful cottage recipes delivered straight to your inbox!
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Asian Edamame Salad Recipe (Crunchy Ginger Soy Vinaigrette)
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
Description
A vibrant and crunchy Asian edamame salad tossed with shredded cabbage, fresh carrots, and a savory ginger soy dressing.
Ingredients
2 cups shelled edamame, cooked and cooled
3 cups purple cabbage, shredded
1 cup carrots, julienned
1 red bell pepper, diced
3 green onions, sliced
1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
1/4 cup sliced almonds, toasted
2 tbsp sesame seeds
3 tbsp soy sauce
2 tbsp sesame oil
2 tbsp rice vinegar
1 tbsp fresh ginger, grated
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tbsp maple syrup
Instructions
1. Boil the shelled edamame for 3-5 minutes, then plunge into ice water to cool and drain thoroughly.
2. In a large bowl, combine the cooled edamame, shredded cabbage, carrots, bell pepper, green onions, and cilantro.
3. In a separate jar, whisk together the soy sauce, sesame oil, rice vinegar, grated ginger, minced garlic, and maple syrup.
4. Pour the dressing over the chopped vegetables and toss thoroughly to coat evenly.
5. Garnish the top with toasted sliced almonds and sesame seeds right before serving.
Notes
Keep the ginger soy dressing separate if you are meal prepping this salad ahead of time to keep the vegetables completely crispy.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 5 minutes
- Category: Lunch
- Method: No Cook Assembly
- Cuisine: Asian-Inspired
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1.5 cups
- Calories: 180
- Sugar: 5g
- Sodium: 490mg
- Fat: 9g
- Saturated Fat: 1g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 16g
- Fiber: 5g
- Protein: 9g
- Cholesterol: 0mg




