Edamame is popular in Asia and usually eaten as snacks. Due to their health benefits, these young soybeans are gaining popularity around the world. In most places, edamame is sold only frozen. Like most other vegetables, they don’t tend to last very long once they are harvested. Proper storage is the key to edamame to retain their quality, texture, and nutrition.
Edamame Shelf Life
| Room Temperature | Refrigerator | Freezer | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fresh Raw Edamame last | 1 Day | 2 Days | N/A |
| Cooked Edamame last | 1 Hour | 7 Days | 12 Months |
How Long Does Edamame Last?
At room temperature, edamame beans have a fairly short shelf life. For fresh and raw edamame, whether it’s hulled or in pods, they will last no longer a day. If the room temperature is hot, they will stay fresh for a shorter period of time.
If the edamame has been cooked, you should always try to consume them right away. Leaving them out at room temperature could cause bacteria to start growing on them.
In the refrigerator, fresh edamame will last for about 2 days. If you need to keep them longer, cooking them will extend their shelf life.
For cooked edamame, they will last up to 7 days in the fridge. However, you should always try to consume them before them for freshness. Cooked edamame will start to lose its quality due to the humidity in the fridge.
Cooked edamame stored in the freezer yields the longest shelf life. If it’s stored properly, cooked edamame will last up to 1 year in the freezer.
Can Edamame Go Bad?
Due to their high water content, edamame doesn’t last very long once they are harvested. These young soybeans can go bad whether they are fresh, frozen, or cooked.
Fresh Edamame
Fresh edamame is hard to come by during the colder seasons. They are plentiful in the summer though. You can find them at farmer’s markets and grocery stores.
Once you’ve bought them fresh, make sure to eat or cook them as soon as possible.
If you need to store them, at room temperature, place them into a breathable bag and use them within a day. If the room temperature is really hot, you may want to eat edamame within a couple of hours. Leaving them out too long, the hot temperature will make them go bad.
In the fridge, edamame can go bad if it’s left too long in there. They should be consumed within 2 days. To store them in the fridge, place them in an airtight container or freezer bag.
If it’s exposed to air, it will cause oxidation and make the edamame go bad.
Frozen Edamame
Frozen edamame tend to last very long in the freezer. They can be kept for up to a year. While they will remain safe to eat indefinitely if kept frozen, the quality will slowly diminish after a year.
While edamame is frozen, avoid opening the bag often as exposure to air will cause freezer burn and drying out.
Cooked Edamame
If you have leftover cooked edamame, place them in the refrigerator and consume them within 4 days. After this time, the quality of it will decrease and it will become unsafe to eat.
Cooked edamame should never be left out at room temperature for longer than an hour. Due to the edamame high content of water, bacteria will start growing on them and it could make you sick
How To Tell When Edamame Is Bad?
When edamame beans go bad, it will usually show signs. Below are some of the signs to look for:
Color – Fresh edamame will have a bright green color. When they go bad, the pods or beans will be discolored. The typical color will be blackened or dark beans. For frozen edamame, freezer burn will also cause them to darken. If you see any discoloration, it’s best to throw them out.
Texture – Edamame that is slimy and squishy is another sign of them going bad. Unfortunately, they have passed their prime and should be thrown away.
Appearance – If there are mold growing on the outside or inside, you should simply toss them away. Mold is a sign that bacteria has started to grow on them.
Smell – If edamame starts smelling foul, it’s past it’s prime. Before tossing the entire vegetable away, open it to see if all are rotten. If there are just one or two beans that are bad, discard them to prevent the rotting from spreading.
How To Store Edamame
At room temperature, storing cooked edamame is not recommended. Once they are cooked, they should be consumed as soon as possible. If you’re not planning to eat them right away, store them in the refrigerator to prevent bacteria growth.
For fresh, raw edamame, if you need to store them at room temperature, store them in a cool and dry place. A good place to store them is in the pantry or the cupboard. To store them, place the pods spaced out in a breathable bag. A paper brown bag will work great. Place the bags of edamame into the pantry and use them within a day.
In the refrigerator, if you’re planning to store fresh edamame, always make they are dry first. It’s recommended to leave them unwashed since moisture could cause them to rot. Place the fresh edamame in an airtight container and use them within 2 days for best quality.
For cooked edamame being stored in the refrigerator, place them in an airtight container or a freezer bag. Make sure to squeeze out all the air in the bag before sealing it.
Can You Freeze Edamame?
Edamame can be frozen and it’s a good way to preserve for a long period of time. With proper storage, frozen edamame can be kept for up to 12 months and will retain much of its flavor.
Before freezing them, you’ll need to boil them first. Never try to freeze fresh edamame without boiling them first. Raw edamame contains an enzyme that will cause them to ripen, lose their nutrients, and spoil. This process will still occur even when frozen.
The process of prepping them for storage in the freezer is quite simple. The best method used to prep edamame will be to blanch them first. Blanching helps lock in the flavor, texture, and nutrients in the young soybeans while it’s stored in the freezer.
Also, blanching helps keep the edamame fresh for a longer period of time. Without blanching, the soybeans will last no longer than 3 months due to freezer burn.
How To Keep Edamame Fresh Longer
Buying Edamame
To keep edamame fresh longer, you’ll need to buy them right fresh. They are at their freshest when they are just harvested. At most grocery stores, it can be hard to tell. The only way to tell if they are fresh is by looking at the quality of it.
If you’re buying edamame at the farmer’s market, they are usually fresh. Most sellers pick the young soybeans the day before it’s sold.
Whether you’re buying from the grocery stores or the farmer’s market, always check the quality of it. Good quality edamame will be bright green and has no black spots or bruising on the shell. Also, they should not be slimy and water coming out of them when it’s gently pressed.
Handling Edamame
Edamame is very delicate and needs to be handled gently. When you’re bringing them home from the store, make sure to not put any food or produce on them. The shells of the young soybeans will crack under pressure, which will lead to them going bad.
At home, when storing them, make sure it’s not packed together tightly. If you bought a lot of edamame, it’s best to store about 20-30 of them in a container. Too much will cause the soybeans that are at the bottom to break open.
Related Questions
Is eating spoiled edamame safe?
Never eat edamame that’s spoiled. Once they go bad, bacteria growth will start to occur. Eating spoiled edamame could get you sick from food poisoning.
What happens if edamame isn’t harvested?
If the young soybeans are left to mature, the pods will become hard and cannot be digested. Mature soybeans are mostly used to make soybean milk, soy sauce, tofu, and other soy products.