Cucumber Edamame Noodle Salad

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Crunchy cucumber and protein-packed edamame are combined with noodles and a sesame-soy sauce in this vegetarian salad.

Prep Time10

Cook Time10

Optional Chill time1

Total Time20

Course: Salad

Cuisine: Vegetarian

Diet: Vegetarian

Servings: servings

Calories: 416kcal

Cook lo mein according to package instructions. Drain and rinse under cool running water to cool the noodles down.
While the water for the lo mein comes to a boil and the lo mein cooks, prepare the other recipe components. Dice half of a cucumber into ½-inch pieces. Thaw edamame in the microwave for 1-2 minutes so that it's no longer frozen for not hot (see notes if you don't have a microwave). Thinly slice the green onion, including both white and green parts.
Heat a small skillet on the stove over medium heat. Add a small drizzle of olive, about 1 teaspoon. Once hot, add the cashews and a pinch of salt. Toast, stirring frequently, until golden, about 5 minutes.
In a medium bowl, whisk together 1 tablespoon chili garlic sauce, 1 ½ teaspoons soy sauce, and ½ teaspoon honey. Add the diced cucumber and thawed edamame, tossing to combine. Set aside.
In another bowl, whisk together 2 tablespoons soy sauce, 1 tablespoon rice vinegar, 1 teaspoon honey, and ½ teaspoon toasted sesame oil. Use a Microplane or the smallest holes on a box grater to grate the garlic and ginger into a paste, then add to the other ingredients. Whisk to combine.
Transfer the cooked noodles to the above sauce, tossing with tongs to coat well. Stir in the cucumber, edamame, toasted cashews, and sliced green onion. Toss to combine.
Cover and transfer to the fridge to chill for an hour, or enjoy as-is.

Lo mein: 6-8 ounces is typically 2 bundles of dry lo mein, also labeled Chinese lo mein. Udon or rice noodles are good alternatives (cook according to package instructions) if lo mein isn't available, though they have different textures.
Cashews: If the cashews you're using are roasted, skip step #3.
Soy sauce: Regular soy sauce also works, I just like to use reduced sodium soy sauce in recipes that use more than a splash so that they aren't overly high in salt. An equal amount of tamari also works here.
If you don't have a microwave, the edamame can be thawed by placing it at room temperature for an hour. To quickly thaw the edamame, Add ½-inch of water to a small pot along with the frozen edamame. Place over medium heat and cook until the edamame is no longer frozen, then drain the excess water and set aside.
For extra protein, add baked tofu or tempeh. This salad is also great with a few wedges of avocado served on top.