Edamame (枝豆, /ˌɛdəˈmɑːmeɪ/[citation needed]) is an East Asian dish prepared with immature soybeans in their pods, which are boiled or steamed, and may be served with salt or other condiments.

[4] Edamame are a common side dish in Japanese cuisine and as an appetizer to alcoholic beverages such as beer or shōchū.

[5] In 1406, during the Ming dynasty in China, the leaves of the soybeans were eaten and during outbreaks of famine; it was recommended that citizens eat the beans whole or use them ground up and added to flour.

[9] In 2008, the first soybeans grown in Europe were sold in grocery stores as edamame and eaten as an alternative source of protein.

[11] Green soybean pods are picked before they fully ripen, typically 35 to 40 days after the crop first flowers.

The most common preparations use salt for taste, either dissolved in the boiling water before introducing the soybean pods or added after cooking.

Edamame is a popular side dish at Japanese izakaya restaurants with local varieties being in demand, depending on the season.

In Japan, a coarse salt wet with brine is preferred on beans eaten directly from the pod.

[14][15] Edamame purchased fresh is preferably eaten the same day, with flavor degradation being noticeable in as few as 10 hours after harvest.