We first tried edamame pasta a while back and absolutely loved the texture – it has great chew (or, I might argue, excellent tooth sinkability for any of you who are fans of The Sporkful). Generally, we eat wheat pasta, but edamame pasta is a fun way to switch up your pasta routine and enjoy some legumes while you’re at it. The peanut sauce makes this dish extra creamy and satisfying, with a nice hint of acidity from the squeeze of fresh lime.
Edamame Pasta with Spicy Peanut Sauce
Course: Meals, PastaDifficulty: Easy4
servings5
minutes20
minutesEdamame pasta with creamy, spicy peanut sauce is a match made in food heaven. Top with cilantro (optional for cilantro haters, of course) and a squeeze of fresh lime for a flavor boost.
Ingredients
1 onion, thinly sliced
1-2 large carrots, sliced thinly or cut into matchsticks
8-oz. edamame pasta – I used edamame spaghetti
Fresh ginger, minced, to taste – I used a ~1-in knob
Garlic, minced or sliced, to taste
1-2 Tbs neutral oil (like vegetable oil)
Salt, for pasta water and to lightly salt vegetables
1-1.5 cups pasta water*
*Make sure to reserve your pasta water when the pasta is done cooking.- Spicy Peanut Sauce (**See note)
128 g (1/2-cup) peanut butter – I used smooth natural peanut butter
75-90 g (1/4 – 1/3-cup) soy sauce
Note: I used low-sodium soy sauce because we ran out of regular soy sauce. If you are using regular soy sauce, I recommend starting with 1/4 cup and adjusting for taste later if it isn’t salty enough.Juice from 1-2 limes, to taste
Sriracha, to taste (optional) – I used ~1.5 Tbs
You could use sambal oelek or leave out the spicy element, your call!2 Tbs mirin (rice wine for cooking) (optional)
Cilantro, chopped, to taste (optional)
Directions
- Thinly slice the onion and carrot(s). Sauté in a large pan with the oil and a pinch of salt over medium heat. Depending on how strong of a ginger and garlic flavor you want, add them early or later on in the sauté process. For example, the longer garlic cooks, the more mellow the flavor.
- Set a pot of water to boil. Salt the pasta water and cook the edamame pasta according to package instructions. It’s okay (and I would argue preferable) for it to be a bit on the al dente side, especially since you will be adding it to the sauce later, when it will continue cooking a bit. When the pasta is cooked, strain over a container to keep the pasta water.
- In a separate bowl, prepare the sauce. Mix well. If desired, you can save some cilantro to top/decorate your finished pasta dish
- Once the vegetables are sautéed to your liking and the pasta is ready, add in the peanut sauce and stir to coat. Then, add in 1 cup of the reserved pasta water and stir to form a thin sauce in the pan.
- Add the pasta and continue stirring to evenly coat. The pasta should not look overly dry, so add in more pasta water if necessary. Reduce the heat to simmer/low and allow the pasta to sit for a couple minutes to soak up some of the sauce. Taste for seasoning and adjust if necessary.
- Serve warm, topping with more fresh cilantro if desired.
Notes
- **If you like very saucy pasta, make a 1.5 or 2 times batch of the sauce.
- Limes definitely add a delightful nuanced flavor, but you can try substituting a vinegar like rice wine or apple cider if you do not have any limes.
- This recipe will work with regular pasta, too. And peanuts will still add the legumes!
Peanut sauce and pasta are two of my favorites, and I hope you enjoy as well! Experiment with different pastas, mix up the veggies you add… have fun and make this your own!
In the mood for other pastas made from legume flours? Try this Creamy Chickpea Pasta or Eggy Lentil Pasta.
Made this tonight with a couple substitutions/omissions because I didn’t have all the ingredients. It was great.
Thank you for commenting! I’m so glad you enjoyed it. The recipes are meant to help generate inspiration to enjoy legumes, and I love when people put their own spins on them. 🙂