Edamame Soup

This delicious, healthy Edamame Soup is creamy and rich, with a flavor that's refreshing and bright. From stove to table, it takes just 30 minutes, and makes several cups for an appetizer or a few hearty bowls for a main course.

Puréed soups are easy and fun to make, and once you learn the technique, you can make them with almost any vegetable you like.

You can also blend puréed soups as much or as little as you'd like, making them anywhere from chunky to silky smooth. This Edamame Soup is smooth, with the added crunch from a few whole edamame for garnish.

Protein-packed and super delicious, it's great to make a lot at once because it freezes beautifully, so you can really make it last.

Ingredient Notes

• edamame - If you can, buy shelled edamame for this recipe, as it'll save you a lot time. Trader Joe's often carries them this way (in the produce section of the store), and you'll almost always find them in Asian markets. And you should be able to find them in their pods in most markets. (Most often in the freezer section.)
• shallots - Shallots are slightly more mild and delicate than red onions, and they're a good substitute if you don't have shallots.
• Jasmine rice - The rice is used as an added thickener for the soup. It makes it a bit heartier and creamier. Substitute: Basmati.
• fresh mint - Choose perky bunches of mine with bright green leaves.
• light vegetable stock - Always try to use stocks with no or low salt, so you can better control the final amount of salt in the recipe. You can substitute with chicken stock for a more robust flavor, or water for a lighter vibe
• mirin - Mirin is a sweet rice wine, and you should be able to find it in any Asian market and often in larger grocery stores. Substitutes: sake, apple juice and rice vinegar.
• soy sauce - Low- sodium is ideal, and if you want to the soup to be gluten-free, use gluten-free soy sauce of Tamari.
• heavy cream - The cream is optional. To keep the soup vegan, skip it. It adds a bit of richness at the end.
• chili oil - Swirling a drizzle of chili oil on each soup serving is pretty and adds a little heat.
• Togarashi - Togarashi is a Japanese spice blend that usually includes red chili pepper, black pepper, sesame seeds, dried mandarin orange peel, green nori seaweed flakes, ginger, and poppy seeds. A sprinkling of it on top of each soup serving is pretty and adds a little heat and texture.
• Kosher salt - If you use table salt, use half the amount listed.
• neutral oil - Avocado or vegetable.

* Did you know? * Edamame have the highest amount of protein of any vegetable?

How to Make it

- Place a large soup pot over medium-low heat, coat it with the oil, and add the shallots and rice. Cook just until the shallots are soft and slightly golden, and the rice is beginning to brown - about 5 minutes.

- Add the edamame and mint to the pot and stir to blend. Then add the vegetable stock, mirin and soy sauce. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to lowest setting, cover the pot, and simmer for 15 minutes.

- For this amount of soup, puréeing should be done in 3 bathes in a blender. Use a large ladle to add about about ⅓ of the soup to a powerful blender and purée until smooth.

- Pour each puréed portion into a large bowl as you go. Repeat twice more, and then pour all of the puréed soup back into the pot. Add the salt and a few turns of freshly ground black pepper. And for a slightly richer consistency, add the heavy cream (if desired).

- If you're serving individually, garnish each bowl with a few whole edamame beans, a drizzle of chili oil, and a sprinkle of Togarashi. You can also serve the beans, oil, and Togarashi on the side as options.

Variations

• Spicy version. Instead of just using the togarashi and chili oil as a garnish, you can also mix it into the soup to taste. Or you can add heat with Sambal Oelek chili paste to taste.
• Adding other herbs. In addition to mint, edamame is also delicious with basil and dill - you can use a combination of all three, or any one of them.
• Make it with green peas. Once puréed, edamame is reminiscent of green peas, which are also fantastic with fresh mint. You can follow the same recipe using peas (or a combination of both the peas and edamame).
• Other veggies. To add variety, if you'd like, you can swap out 2 cups or so of the edamame for 2 packed cups of spinach or kale.

Serving Suggestions

• I love Edamame Soup served with fish. If you serve it as a first course, it would be lovely followed by Miso Black Cod with Bok Choy, Chili Crunch Salmon, or Ahi Tuna Burgers. If you wan to keep the meal vegetarian, try this Mint Vegetable Stir Fry.
• When the soup is served as the main course, it's great with a Pickled Ginger Citrus Salad, Bok Choy Chips or Tofu "Sashimi" as a side or first course.

Making it Ahead and Storage

Refrigerator. This soup can be stored for four days in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Reheat it with medium-low heat on the stove.
Freezer. You can freeze the soup in an airtight container for about six weeks. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight and then reheat it with medium-low heat on the stove.

Pro Tip: If after you've stored the soup, or even right after it's made, if it's thicker than you'd like, just add more vegetable stock to the desired consistency.

More Must-Try Puréed Soups

I hope you love my Edamame Soup as much as my family and I do!