Edamame has long been one of my favorite salty snacks. Especially to order at Asian or sushi restaurants. At home though, I use the frozen kind that’s already out of the shell. So fast, so easy. I make a spicy edamame dip for snacking. And this edamame, carrot and cucumber salad is a snazzy little side dish. Oh and I love having this smashed edamame salad on some toast for a light lunch. Today though, we’re making a brown rice edamame salad that’s also got carrots and a super easy, super delicious soy ginger dressing to bring it all together. There’s just SO much flavor happening here. We’ve got chewy, perfectly cooked brown rice, crunchy matchstick carrots, pops of flavor from the edamame and that umami burst from the dressing. Also, you can serve this salad warm, at room temperature or chilled. It makes a great side to take to a neighborhood party or to a friend, or just to prep ahead and let it hang out until you’re ready to eat. So good. You’ll be going back for forkful after forkful. And bonus points because it’s gluten-free, dairy free and vegan as well. So let’s get cooking. Now, I’ve got some notes and tips coming up below on how to make brown rice salad with edamame. Just tryin’ to be helpful. If you want to jump on down to the recipe, simply scroll right on through the rest of the text. The recipe card is near the bottom of the page, above the comments section.
Ingredient Notes:
Rice: I use and love brown rice, but you could also swap in white rice for this recipe if you prefer. Edamame: As mentioned, I prefer the frozen, shelled edamame. It’s just easy and ready to go. Follow the package instructions to cook your edamame so it’s ready to use in this recipe. Carrots: You can buy a bag of shredded matchstick carrots at the store. Or you could use a box grater and make your own carrot sticks. Dressing: The dressing takes just 5 minutes to shake together in a jar and is so very flavorful. But of course, you could also substitute your favorite store-bought Asian-style dressing if you prefer.
This brown rice edamame salad goes wonderfully with grilled or broiled fish or chicken, and the leftovers make a perfect lunch. You can even add some chopped peanuts to this and call it a light vegetarian dinner. Or add some leftover rotisserie chicken to the mix and make it a full-on carnivore dinner salad. So many options but delicious every way. Enjoy! XO, Kathryn Rice: I use and love brown rice, but you could also swap in white rice for this recipe if you prefer. Edamame: As mentioned, I prefer the frozen, shelled edamame. It’s just easy and ready to go. Follow the package instructions to cook your edamame so it’s ready to use in this recipe. Carrots: You can buy a bag of shredded matchstick carrots at the store. Or you could use a box grater and make your own carrot sticks. Dressing: The dressing takes just 5 minutes to shake together in a jar and is so very flavorful. But of course, you could also substitute your favorite store-bought Asian-style dressing if you prefer. Chili garlic sauce: You can sub about 1 teaspoon hot sauce and 1 teaspoon minced garlic for the chili garlic sauce in the dressing if you prefer. This comes out with a bit of a kick, medium heat I’d say, so adjust to your spice level liking. Additions: You can add chopped peanuts to make this a vegetarian main dish. Or fold in some leftover or rotisserie chicken and make it a dinner. Storage: This salad can be stored, covered, in the refrigerator for up to 2-3 days.
