Edamame is a versatile, bite-sized provision that can be enjoyed as a quick, on-the-go snack or integrated into larger, more substantial recipes. With its earthy, vegetal flavor punctuated by undercurrents of natural sweetness and packed with surprisingly high levels of protein, these little podded green beans are an essential superfood. Though they are often steamed for enjoyment, preparing them in the air fryer is total kitchen magic.
Air fryers trigger the Maillard reaction, a chemical heat reaction in food between amino acids and sugars that leads to crispy browning and a toasty, complex flavor. Unlike steamed edamame which is tender and moist, air-fried edamame takes on a decadent, flavor-forward char while keeping that quintessential plumpness intact. Although stove-top cooking and oven-baking can give edamame the same crunchy finish, air fryers work twice as fast, making them ideal for edamame on the fly.
Not to mention that you only need a modest amount of cooking oil when working with air fryers, which means not only a time-saving cooking method but an ingredient-saving one to boot. Tips for air-frying edamame Thanks to their easy-to-use functions, air-frying edamame is no high-maintenance kitchen endeavor. But to ensure that you get the most out of the recipe, it's handy to keep a few simple tips in mind.
You can air-fry edamame either in the pod or shelled, the choice is ultimately yours. Bear in mind that if you keep them tucked away in that fuzzy little cocoon, i.