Throw This In The Air Fryer For A Crispy, High-Protein Snack In Minutes

Edamame is one of those vegetables that started appearing in salad bars and the frozen food section of grocery stores a while back, but never held the limelight the way kale or Brussels sprouts did. Regardless, these bright green little beans are a tasty, nutritious addition to a colorful salmon avocado poke bowl as well as an easy way to give your bowl of ramen an instant upgrade. The name may sound fancy, but edamame are really just young soybeans rich in fresh, nutty flavor and chock-full of calcium, magnesium, folate, and an alphabet soup of other minerals and vitamins. The veggie even packs in 18 grams of protein per cup.

Though they're delicious stirred into rice dishes or tossed into summery salads, the air fryer is another place where edamame really shines. Coated in a touch of oil and seasonings, they crisp and burst slightly along the seams when kissed by the circulating hot air, becoming a crunchy, satisfying, high-protein snack in under 20 minutes. Similar to deliciously crunchy roasted chickpeas, air-frying edamame also enhances its nutty, savory undertones, eliminating the slight bitterness some might find off-putting. Not to mention, you can season your air-fried edamame with basically any seasoning blend you like.

Though Asian flavors like white miso and ginger are the perfect complement to these legumes that originated in China and were named in Japan, you should feel free to experiment with your favorite flavor profiles as well. A simple seasoning of salt, pepper, garlic powder, and smoky paprika is a good place to start, but you can also liven things up with lemony za'atar spice blends, chile-lime-infused Tajin, or everything bagel seasoning.

Possibly the only downside to this crispy, flavorful snack is that it's at its absolute best right out of the air fryer. Freshly air-fried edamame is crunchy on the outside with a slightly chewy texture in the center, making them a great movie snack alternative to popcorn or even homemade microwave potato chips. Though storing leftovers in an airtight container can preserve some of this crispness, they start losing their crunch pretty quickly. Cooling them before storage can help prevent moisture from forming in the container, which also helps maintain texture. It's also worth noting that air-fried edamame are not shelf stable and need to be refrigerated, where they'll stay fresh for about four days.

If you plan to make them to snack on throughout the week, either plan to toast them briefly in your air fryer before eating to restore their crispy texture, or add leftover air-fried edamame to your list of unique ingredients for homemade snack mix. Combining them with bagel chips, cheese crackers, and nuts will help mask their lost crispness while adding flavor to the overall blend. They might also be a fun addition to savory popcorn balls or roasted veggies. You can also always mix them into steamed rice for a more nutritious side dish, or use them to top soups and stews. Moisture in these dishes may reduce their crisp texture further, but they'll still taste roasted and nutty, which works well with lots of other flavors.