This edamame crunch salad is loaded with fresh crunchy veggies, edamame and the most delicious sesame cashew lime dressing. They’re vegan and gluten-free, and perfect for a healthy lunch or dinner!
Why this salad will make you feel good
- This salad is super satisfying thanks to the different textures in it from the edamame to the crunch of the cabbage and almonds as well as the flavor coming from the sesame cashew lime dressing.
- It’s way better than a salad you would order out and that’s because we have seasoned this salad throughout.
- Vegan, gluten free and if not a fan of cashews, I have a few modifications that can also help make this nut free.
Key Ingredients
- Edamame: For protein
- Sliced Almonds: Give a nice crunch
- Crunchy Veggies: Red cabbage, shredded romaine, and cucumbers
- Herbs: Basil and cilantro
- Cashew Butter: To make our dressing creamy
- Sesame Oil: Has a lovely earthy and nuttier flavor to it
- Lime Juice & Zest: Give the dressing a lovely level of zing to it
How to make this edamame crunch salad
Start by preparing your dressing. Add your dressing ingredients to a small bowl or jar and whisk together to make a creamy dressing then set aside.
To a bowl, add in all your vegetables, edamame and generously season with some herbs and salt. When ready to eat, pour half your dressing overtop and give the vegetables toss to coat. Feel free to add more dressing to the bowl or reserve remaining sauce to pour over after serving.
Tips for making edamame crunch salad
- Don’t forget to season your salad. As you are layering in your vegetables, toss them together with a pinch of salt, dry herbs/spices or other fresh herbs of your choice. This is the secret to why salads ordered out taste so much better than ones we make ourselves.
- Want to keep your salad fresh? Avoid adding dressing until it’s time to enjoy your salad. This will help keep your veggies crisp. Alternatively, feel free to layer your ingredients. To a container or large mason jar, add your dressing, then layer in your hearty vegetables with your lighter delicate greens and fresh herbs reserved for the top to avoid the greens from wilting. Mix when ready to enjoy.
- Make the dressing the perfect consistency by adding your water in last. Mix all other dressing ingredients first then stir in water 1 tablespoon at a time until desired consistency is achieved. Remember, you can slowly add water in, but you can’t take the water away once it is added in, so be careful!
- You can make your salad prettier if making for a crowd by using a vegetable peeler. Take your carrot and peel the outer layer first and discard. With the peeler, peel the carrot length wise to make some small ribbons. I like to peel one area a few times and then rotate the carrot a few times to get thinner ribbons, but feel free to continue peeling one area for thicker ribbons.
What does sesame oil taste like?
Sesame oil is very flavorful, so you often do not need a lot to flavor something appropriately. Sesame oil can taste a little different depending on the kind you use. Overall, sesame oil has an earthy and nutty flavor to it. Cold-pressed sesame oil can be a little milder and sweeter in taste, while toasted sesame oil has a smoky flavor that kind of reminds me of roasted nuts.
Substitutions and Add-Ins
Many of the items in this salad and dressing are very interchangeable. Not a fan of edamame? You can opt for baked tofu, seitan or some chickpeas. No cashew butter? Use a peanut sauce ore replace the cashew butter in this recipe with almond butter or make it nut free by opting for sunflower seed butter or tahini. Make it easy by opting for some pre-chopped veggies or greens. You can also add starches like quinoa, rice noodles or sweet potato as well.
More Salad Recipes
Edamame Crunch Salad with Sesame Cashew Lime Dressing
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 15 minutes
- Yield: 3–4 servings 1x
- Diet: Vegan
Description
This edamame crunch salad is loaded with fresh crunchy veggies, edamame and the most delicious sesame cashew lime dressing. They’re vegan and gluten-free, and perfect for a healthy lunch or dinner!
Ingredients
Edamame Crunch Salad
- 1 red bell pepper, diced
- 1 cucumber, deseeded and sliced into half moons
- 1 head of romaine, shredded
- 2 cups of frozen edamame, thawed
- 1–2 carrots, sliced or peeled into ribbons
- 1 cup shredded red cabbage
- 3 scallions, sliced
- 5–7 fresh basil leaves, sliced
- 1/4 cup cilantro, finely chopped
- 1/4 cup sliced almonds
- Salt & pepper to taste
- 1 Jalapeño, sliced for garnish
- Sesame Cashew Lime Dressing
Sesame Cashew Lime Dressing
- 1/4 cup cashew butter
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tbsp sesame oil
- 2 tsp sriracha
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp ginger powder or fresh grated ginger
- Juice of one lime
- 1/4 tsp lime zest (optional)
- 2 tbsp maple syrup
- 3–4 tbsp or more of water
Instructions
- In a small bowl, combine all dressing ingredients minus water and whisk to combine. The dressing will get thick as you mix to combine, at this stage add 1 tablespoon at a time of water while whisking until you reach your desired dressing consistency.
- In a large salad bowl, combine bell pepper, cucumber, romaine, carrots, red cabbage, scallions, basil, cilantro, edamame, almonds, and season with a pinch of salt and pepper.
- Pour in half your dressing and give everything a toss to coat. Pour in more dressing if desired or reserve for pouring more when serving.
Notes
Season your salad well with a pinch of salt and pepper before adding your dressing. You can also opt for more dry herbs and spices to really bring up the flavor of your salad.
Dress your salad with the dressing when you are ready to eat. If you add it in and let it sit for too long then your salad will eventually go limp. If meal prepping, layer in your dressing at the bottom of your container then add in your hearty veggies next and your delicate light ingredients like the greens at the top. Mix when ready to eat.
Slowly adding in your water to your dressing will help you better control the consistency of your dressing. Like it thicker and creamier? Just use less water. Want it thinner? Add more water.
Keywords: salad, spring recipes, summer recipes, quick and easy, dressings and sauces
Did You Try This Recipe?
Then let me know what you thought in the comments below! Share your creations by tagging me on Instagram with the hashtag #plantbasedrdeats
★ Catherine
Made this for lunches last week, really delicious. Thanks for sharing!
★★★★★
So glad to hear Melody! Thank you so much for taking time to leave a comment. 🙂
This made more than I was expecting, but I’m so glad it did!! Really delicious and fresh 😊
★★★★★
I’m so glad to hear that Kendall! It’s always a good thing in my mind when there’s some more to use throughout the week. Thank you for the kindness! 🙂
What can you substitute for the cashew butter?
You can use another nut butter or seed butter as a substitution. I like using almond butter, peanut butter or tahini as a substitute. 🙂