Healthy Edamame Bean Salad
- Diabetes-friendly recipes curated by our nutritionist -
INGREDIENTS:
- 2 cups frozen shelled edamame beans 340 g, defrosted
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt, divided
- 1 15 oz can of kidney beans rinsed and drained
- 1 15 oz can garbanzo beans (chickpeas) rinsed and drained
- ½ cup thinly sliced red onion
- ½ cup chopped fresh cilantro
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil. Ok to use ⅛ cup
- ¼ cup fresh lime juice, about 2-3 limes
- 1 teaspoon shredded lime peel
Directions
- In a medium bowl, combine the defrosted edamame beans, kidney beans, garbanzo beans, red onion, and cilantro.
- In a small bowl, mix the olive oil, fresh lime juice, lime peel, and salt.
- Pour the dressing over the bean salad and toss it to coat. Stir well before serving. Serve it with cottage cheese for a high-protein lunch!
Pro-Tips
- Most frozen edamame beans come pre-cooked. Instead of boiling the edamame beans, you can also defrost them in the fridge. Try to buy the already shelled edamame beans so you don’t have to shell each bean.
- Leftovers will keep in the fridge for up to 4 days.
- You can cut the oil in half to lower the fat and still retain the recipe’s flavor.
- Letting the salad sit for a bit helps to blend the flavors. Add more salt, cilantro, or lime if preferred.
- Great additions include mixing in quinoa, corn, black beans, and green beans, or using other types of fresh herbs such as fresh parsley, dill, or basil. Apple cider vinegar or rice wine vinegar can be used instead of lime juice.
- This is about 8 side dish servings. A great lunch portion is 150 g with 160 g of low-fat cottage cheese for a high-protein lunch with 28 g protein, 26 carbs, 7 g fiber, and 7 g of fat
Nutrition Information Values
Original Recipe: https://wholelottayum.com/healthy-bean-salad/#recipe
Deep Dive:
💡 Glycemic / T1D Considerations
Carb estimate for dosing:
👉 ~9–11g net carbs per serving
Expected glucose pattern:
Because this meal contains:
- fiber
- legumes
- moderate fat
- moderate protein
…it will usually cause:
- slower glucose absorption
- flatter post-meal curve
- possible delayed rise at 2–4 hours
Beans often produce a slower, extended glycemic response compared with bread, rice, or pasta.
🔍 Macro Breakdown Summary
🫘 Carbohydrates + Fiber
Primary sources:
- Chickpeas
- Kidney beans
- Edamame
👉 The fiber content helps slow glucose absorption compared with refined carbs.
💪 Protein
Main contributors:
- Edamame (highest protein bean in recipe)
- Chickpeas
- Kidney beans
👉 This is relatively high-protein for a bean salad because edamame contains more protein than most legumes.
🫒 Fat
Mostly from:
- Olive oil dressing
👉 Predominantly heart-healthy unsaturated fat.
🩺 Dosing Insight
For many people with T1D:
- Standard upfront bolus may work reasonably well
- Some do better with:
- slightly reduced upfront dose
- or extended bolus if eating a larger portion
Especially important if paired with:
- chips
- rice
- cottage cheese
- additional protein
The recipe author specifically notes pairing it with cottage cheese for a higher-protein meal.
⚖️ Portion Adjustments
Portion | Calories | Net Carbs |
1 serving (¼ recipe) | ~145 kcal | ~10g |
1.5 servings | ~215 kcal | ~15g |
2 servings | ~290 kcal | ~20g |
👍 Bottom Line
This recipe is:
- Moderate carb
- High fiber
- Plant-based protein rich
- Lower calorie than most dense bean salads
- Likely to produce a steadier CGM curve than refined-carb meals
