I found a large bag of frozen broccoli on sale at Costco this week. I love cooking broccoli as it turns bright green and vibrant, and thought I would try pairing it with a cholesterol lowering gem like crispy edamame for a delicious salad.
This edamame and broccoli salad ended up being a perfectly crafted salad with simple ingredients that’s as good for your heart as it is for your taste buds. You need to try it!
I mean, you can’t really go wrong with tender broccoli, crunchy edamame, and sweet red peppers for a pop of color.
This salad is awesome because it’s packed with ingredients known for their heart health benefits and doesn’t require much effort.
When To Eat Edamame And Broccoli Salad?
You may be surprised to hear that this side dish is a crowd pleaser. I initially served it with low sodium salmon and cholesterol lowering barley for dinner (it was a great meal prep option too!), but it would also be perfect to bring to potlucks.Â
All you have to do is chop some veggies, boil the broccoli and frozen edamame, open a can of chickpeas and whip up a simple, flavorful peanut sauce.
EASY PEASY.
I totally recommend tossing this broccoli edamame salad with a homemade peanut dressing that complements the fresh, nutty flavors of the ingredients.
You could also combine the edamame beans with sesame oil and sesame seeds for another easy dressing that has an Asian broccoli salad feel. The choice is yours!
Packs A Heart Healthy Punch
This salad not only tastes amazing but also packs a nutritious punch.
Broccoli, chickpeas, and edamame are superstars when it comes to fiber and protein, both of which are essential for heart health.
Soluble fiber in the edamame helps to lower cholesterol levels, while also offering plant protein for repairing and maintaining body tissues and aiding in satiety which will help with weight loss. Edamame is often recommended in the Portfolio diet to lower cholesterol. Check out these other portfolio diet recipes.
Broccoli is one of 39 foods to lower blood pressure and it also contains many nutrients to unclog arteries too. Specifically, broccoli has a nutrient called quercetin, a flavonoid, and antioxidant. Quercetin may lower inflammation, improve LDL-cholesterol oxidation, and manage LDL (lousy) cholesterol levels in the blood (1). How cool is that?
Furthermore, the unsaturated fats in the peanuts and peanut butter can help to improve cholesterol levels, reducing the risk of heart disease.
And lastly chickpeas are heart healthy because they are rich in potassium, and add more cholesterol lowering soluble fiber!
Other Cholesterol Lowering Recipes
If You Try It, Let Me Know!
Enjoy this heart-healthy, vibrant edamame and broccoli salad any day of the week—whether you’re having a light lunch or looking for a nutritious side dish for dinner. This simple salad is fantastic!
Leave me a comment below or a star rating to let me know what you thought of this quick dish.
Recipes and photos created by Olivia Macor, Nutrition Student. Article written by Veronica Rouse, MAN, RD, CDE
Edamame and Broccoli Salad
Ingredients
For the salad
- 1/2 cup broccoli chopped
- 1/2 cup edamame shelled
- 1/2 cup canned chickpeas drained and rinsed
- 1/2 red pepper chopped
- 1 tbsp peanuts chopped
Peanut Sauce
- 1 tbsp peanut butter
- 1 tsp light soy sauce
- 1 tbsp green onion chopped
- 1/2 tsp garlic minced
Instructions
- Chop the vegetables (broccoli, red pepper and green onions) and peanuts, and set aside.
- Open the can of chickpeas, drain and rinse.
- Boil the broccoli and edamame until tender, about 5-7 minutes, then drain and allow to cool.
- In a small bowl, mix together the peanut butter, soy sauce, chopped green onion, and minced garlic to form the sauce.
- Once everything is ready, combine the vegetables and chickpeas in a large bowl, toss with the sauce, and sprinkle with chopped peanuts.
- Serve at room temperature.