Whirring edamame in a food processor with lemon juice, oil, water and a little salt yields a creamy, nutritious, brilliantly green spread that can be enjoyed in countless ways.

I originally came up with it as a buttery alternative for my vegan guests to slather on their baguette slices at dinner one night. But everyone at the table, vegan and omnivore alike, enjoyed it so much it is now a regular bread spread in my home.

I’ve been making double-batches of it lately, using it for so much more: as a base layer on toast to change things up from avocado, as a dip for vegetables and, as in this recipe, as a protein-rich spread for sandwiches.

Here, it is smeared onto whole grain wraps, then topped with crisp, colorful vegetables – cucumber, radish, and lettuce – plus a nutty crunch of toasted sunflower seeds and a tangy burst of quick-pickled onion, then rolled up into a handheld lunch that’s bursting with exciting flavors and textures.

It’s a wrap that keeps well in a cooler for a picnic, or is a delicious way to upgrade your work lunch. Like the edamame spread itself, the sandwich is an out-of-the-ordinary combination that is so good, it just may become your new regular.

Quick-pickled onion.  Photo by Tom McCorkle for The Washington Post

Lemony Edamame Spread and Vegetable Wraps

25 minutes

4 servings

Here is a creamy, citrusy, brilliantly green spread made by simply whirring edamame and a few other ingredients in a food processor. It is then slathered onto a wrap, then rolled up with crisp, colorful vegetables, toasted sunflower seeds and a tangy burst of quick-pickled onion, for a plant protein-rich sandwich that bursts with exciting flavors and textures. This out-of-the-ordinary combination keeps well in a cooler for a picnic or a work lunch, and is so delicious that it just may become your new regular.

Make Ahead: The onions need to be pickled at least 20 minutes before you plan on making wraps.

Storage Notes: The pickled onions can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 1 week. The edamame spread can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 4 days.

INGREDIENTS

FOR THE PICKLED ONIONS

1/4 cup boiling water

1 tablespoon honey

1/2 cup white wine vinegar

1 small red onion (about 5 ounces), halved and thinly sliced

FOR THE EDAMAME SPREAD

1 cup (4 3/4 ounces) frozen, shelled edamame

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

2 tablespoons neutral oil, such as grapeseed or avocado

2 tablespoons water

1/4 teaspoon fine salt

FOR SERVING

4 whole wheat wrap breads or tortillas

1/4 cup toasted sunflower seeds, divided

1/2 cup thinly sliced Persian or English cucumber, divided

1/2 cup thinly sliced radish, divided

1 1/3 cups torn lettuce or baby lettuce leaves, any variety, divided

DIRECTIONS

Make the pickled onions: In a 2-cup wide-mouth jar, whisk together the boiling water and honey until dissolved. Stir in the vinegar, then add the onions and gently stir to ensure the onions are mostly if not completely submerged. Let sit at room temperature, stirring occasionally, until pickled, at least 20 minutes and up to 2 hours. You will have twice the amount needed for this recipe; you should get about 1 3/4 cups total.

Make the edamame spread: Cook the edamame on the stove or in the microwave as per the instructions on the package. Rinse under cold running water to chill, then drain well. Transfer the edamame to the small bowl of a food processor or a mini-chopper, and add the lemon juice, oil, water and salt. Process until smooth and creamy, stopping to scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed, about 1 minute; you should get about 1 cup.

To serve, warm the wrap breads or tortillas, if desired, by placing each directly on the grates of a gas burner for 10 to 20 seconds per side. (If you don’t have a gas stove, place the tortillas on a microwave safe plate, cover with a damp paper towel and microwave in 30-second bursts until warmed through.) Spread a quarter of the edamame spread onto each wrap (about 3 tablespoons), then top each with 1 tablespoon of sunflower seeds, several cucumber and radish slices, 1 heaping tablespoon of pickled onions and about 1/3 cup of lettuce leaves. Roll up into a wrap and serve.

Nutrition information per serving (1 wrap, excluding pickled onions) | Calories: 337; Total Fat: 18 g; Saturated Fat: 3 g; Cholesterol: 0 mg; Sodium: 498 mg; Carbohydrates: 36 g; Dietary Fiber: 8 g; Sugar: 3 g; Protein: 11 g

This analysis is an estimate based on available ingredients and this preparation. It should not substitute for a dietitian’s or nutritionist’s advice.

From cookbook author and registered nutritionist Ellie Krieger.