Edamame in the Air Fryer
Steamed edamame is soft and plain, while air fryer edamame comes out salty, lightly blistered and a little crisp, straight from the freezer. It takes about 10 minutes at 375 °F with a tablespoon of oil, and you do not have to thaw anything. Here is how to cook edamame in the air fryer in the pod or shelled, plus how to make it crunchy.
- Temperature
- 375°F190 °C
- Total time
- 13min
- Prep time
- 3min
- Servings
- 4
- Per serving
- 115kcal
Why the air fryer works for edamame
Edamame are young soybeans, and most of the bags in the freezer section are already blanched. That means they only need to be heated through, and the question is what kind of texture you want. Boiling or steaming leaves the pods wet and the salt washes off. In the air fryer, the dry heat evaporates the water on the pod surface, the oil helps the salt and spices cling, and the thin skin blisters in a way that adds a toasted, slightly smoky flavor.
Because the beans are protected by the pod, they stay tender inside while the outside browns, which is why you can cook air fryer edamame at a fairly high temperature without drying out the beans. Shelled edamame, on the other hand, have no protection and behave more like chickpeas, drying out and turning crisp the longer they cook.
How to make edamame in the air fryer
Tap a time to start a timer.
- Skip the thawing Pour the frozen edamame into a colander and rinse for about 20 seconds under cold water to remove ice crystals, then shake and pat the pods fairly dry with a towel. Too much surface water slows down the browning.
- Season Toss the pods in a bowl with the olive oil, kosher salt, garlic powder and red pepper flakes until every pod has a light coating.
- Preheat Preheat the air fryer to 375 °F for . A hot basket blisters the pods quickly.
- Cook Spread the pods in the basket in a thin layer, with a little overlap, and air fry for . Shake the basket after . The pods are done when they are hot, with a few darker spots and wrinkled skins.
- Finish Tip the edamame into a bowl, sprinkle with the flaky salt and serve with lemon wedges. Squeeze the beans out of the pods with your teeth and discard the pods.
Times and temperatures
| Edamame | Temperature | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Frozen podsShake after 5 min | 375 °F (190 °C) | 10 min |
| Frozen pods, extra blisteredShake twice | 400 °F (200 °C) | 8 min |
| Frozen shelled, crispyShake every 4 min | 390 °F (200 °C) | 12–14 min |
| Thawed shelledDry well first | 380 °F (190 °C) | 8–10 min |
Times are a guide and depend on the size and wattage of your air fryer. See also air fryer cooking times for all foods.
Tips
- Season in two stages. Use kosher salt and spices before cooking, and flaky sea salt after. The finishing salt gives the pods their sharp, salty crunch.
- Shake, do not stir. The basket needs one good shake halfway through. More than that cools the pods and slows the blistering.
- Cook in a thin layer. One pound of pods fits in a 5 qt basket, but a layer one or two pods deep cooks much more evenly than a heap.
Pods or shelled
Edamame in the pod is the classic bar-snack version. It takes the least effort and is the best option for a crowd. Shelled edamame (also sold as edamame beans) is the better choice for adding to rice bowls, salads and fried rice, or for making a crunchy snack. For the crunchy version, pat 12 oz of frozen shelled edamame dry, toss them with 1 tbsp olive oil, ½ tsp salt and ½ tsp garlic powder, and air fry at 390 °F for 12–14 minutes. They firm up as they cool, and they pair well with roasted chickpeas in a snack mix.
What to serve with edamame
Edamame is a good starter or snack on its own, with a cold beer or iced tea. As a side, it goes well next to salmon and rice, or shrimp with a soy-ginger glaze. You can also browse more snacks for a game day spread.
Storing and reheating
Leftover edamame keeps for up to 4 days in a sealed container in the refrigerator. Reheat pods in the air fryer at 350 °F for 2–3 minutes. Crunchy shelled edamame can go in a jar at room temperature for a day, but they soften quickly in humid weather, so reheat them at 350 °F for 3 minutes to bring back the crispness.
Variations
- Garlic-chili: Toss the cooked pods with 1 tsp chili crisp or sesame oil and extra garlic powder.
- Soy-ginger: Toss the hot pods with 1 tsp soy sauce and ½ tsp grated ginger in the last minute (not gluten-free).
- Everything-bagel: Replace the garlic powder and pepper flakes with 2 tsp everything bagel seasoning.
If it does not turn out right
- The pods are soggy
- The pods went in wet. Pat them dry after rinsing, do not pile them more than two layers deep and shake the basket halfway through cooking.
- The seasoning falls to the bottom
- Salt and spices stick best to a thin film of oil on dry pods. Finish with flaky salt right after cooking, while the pods are still warm.
- The beans are tough and dry
- The pods cooked too long. Stop at 10 minutes at 375 °F. For a deliberately crunchy snack, use the shelled version below instead.
Questions and answers
How long do you cook frozen edamame in the air fryer?
Frozen edamame in the pod takes 8–10 minutes at 375 °F, shaking halfway. Frozen shelled edamame needs 12–14 minutes at 390 °F to turn lightly crisp.
Can you put edamame in the air fryer without thawing it?
Yes, and it works better from frozen. Thawed pods are wet and cook unevenly. Just rinse off the ice and pat the pods dry.
How do I make crispy air fryer edamame?
Use shelled edamame, pat them very dry, toss with oil and salt and cook at 390 °F for 12–14 minutes, shaking every 4 minutes. Let them cool on a plate, since they crisp as they cool.
Do you eat the pods?
No. Edamame pods are tough and fibrous. Squeeze the beans into your mouth and discard the pods.
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