Celebrate April as Soy Foods Month

April 2, 2026

Written by Linda Funk, executive director of The Soyfoods Council.

Soy Foods Month is the time to celebrate the culinary and health benefits of this sustainably grown, high-quality plant protein. Versatile soy ingredients like miso, black soybeans, edamame and soynut butter provide delicious plant protein and health benefits.

The Soyfoods Council helps you enjoy more soy, with the latest addition of its free, downloadable digital cookbook, Just Add Soy.

The top health benefits of adding soy protein to healthy meals include lowering blood cholesterol, improving skin health (wrinkle reduction, hydration, photoaging), preventing the risk of breast and prostate cancer, improving bone health, and improving cognition, just to name a few.  And it is a high-quality protein.

April is the perfect month to start adding just one or two servings of soy protein a day to reap soy health benefits.

Download our new Soy Foods Guide to explore the benefits of soy foods, get practical cooking tips, and read real stories from U.S. soybean farmers.

“Soy” good recipes

Easy recipes are important for busy families, especially if you are new to adding soy to everyday meals. Three recipes to start exploring adding soy protein include Sweet Potato with Miso Butter, Edamame Bean Salad and Chocolate Soynut Butter Pie.

Sweet Potatoes with Miso Butter

The sweet potato recipe is simply cooking the sweet potato, combining the butter and miso and drizzling it over the sweet potato. Miso is a fermented food that adds umami (savory) flavor. 

1 sweet potato, pierce several times with a sharp knife (so potato will not explode in the microwave)

2 teaspoons red or white miso

2-3 tablespoons butter

Yield: 1 serving

Edamame Bean Salad

By: Chef Joni, Great Caterers of Iowa

The Edamame Bean Salad recipe couldn’t be easier. Use canned green beans, yellow wax beans, black soybeans then add shelled edamame, onion and celery. The dressing uses soybean oil, vinegar and sugar for a sweet-sour finish. Black soybeans and edamame are packed with soy protein.

1 can green beans, drained

 1 can black soybeans, rinsed and drained

 1 can yellow wax beans, drained

 2 (16-ounce) packages shelled edamame, cooked according to package directions

 1 small onion, diced

 1 cup celery, chopped

 1/2 cup soybean oil

 3/4 cup vinegar

 1 cup sugar

Instructions:

1. In a large mixing bowl, add the first six ingredients and set aside.
2. In a small saucepan, add the remaining ingredients, bring to a boil, and reduce the heat. Simmer until sugar is dissolved. Cool.
3. Pour over vegetables, cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.

 Yield: 10 servings

Chocolate Soynut Butter Pie

 For the showstopper, Chocolate Soynut Butter Pie. It tastes like hours have been spent on making it. But in truth, combine all the ingredients in a blender; blend and then pour into a prepared graham cracker crust, chill and Voila`. Soynut butter is perfect for people with nut allergies.

 1 (12.3 ounce) package of firm silken tofu, drained

 1/2 cup soy milk – original or chocolate

 1/2  Wowbutter® (soybean nut butter)

 12-ounce semi-sweet chocolate chips

 ¼ cup dark chocolate chips

 1/2 tablespoon butter

 For the Crust:

 1 pre-made 10-inch graham cracker pie crust

 Instructions:

1.  Pie filling: In a medium mixing bowl, blend tofu, soymilk and Wowbutter®; blend until smooth. In a microwave-safe bowl, add chocolate chips and butter. Microwave for 30 seconds, stir.  Repeat until melted.
2. In a blender, add melted chocolate and pie filling mixture; blend until smooth. The mixture can get thick, so stop the blender and stir the ingredients. Then blend again.
3. After filling is completely mixed and smooth, pour into the pre-made crust. Chill for 12-24 hours. Cut and serve.

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