Japanese Seaweed Salad (Wakame) is yet another Asian-inspired recipe that will transport you to a rich and flavorful experience for a cultured meal.
Every serving of this dish boasts a mixture of crunch and mildly sweet, tangy, and somewhat salty tastes that will make you want for more. Since it is made with wakame, also known as edible dried seaweed, it comes as no surprise that the whole dish would have a strong flavor and texture.
With shallots and ginger in the mix, this salad would indeed be considered one of the most flavorful salad varieties as the sharp, sweet hint of shallots and the pungent and spicy taste of ginger clashes perfectly.
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What is Seaweed Salad (Wakame)?
This Japanese wakame salad may look like just another green salad to be served at your table; however, that is not the case for this one! It may look green for sure, but it has so much to offer.
In Japanese cuisine, seaweed salad is called Goma Wakame. It is primarily made with edible seaweeds and can be seen being served in Japanese restaurants as appetizers before the main dishes are served mainly sushi, yakitori, and/or tempura. However, despite its popularity all over the world, it is not much known in Japan itself since it originated from Europe. In fact, some young Japanese would not even know the dish by its name, but would just recognize the way it looks.
Why Does This Recipe Work?
Japanese Seaweed Salad is not just another “aesthetic” dish to add to your instagrammable meal posts, this recipe will also give you quite a lot of benefits and reasons to try making it at home! Here are some of the proof that this recipe is really a must-try:
- This might be the easiest yet flavorful salad you can ever make. The recipe comes together in no longer than 20 minutes without requiring you to put a lot of effort to perfect its taste and texture. It is a very natural good-tasting dish indeed.
- A versatile salad that you can enjoy with an array of different side dishes, or you can also take the liberty of just munching on it as it is!
- You can find a lot of already-made seaweed salad in the grocer, but this particular homemade salad is quite different when it comes to taste and the fact that there are no additives or preservatives found in the recipe!
- This seaweed salad has many health benefits since it is a good source of Vitamin B12, also this salad is a good option for vegetarians out there!
- Some of the seaweed salad benefits: Eating seaweed salad has also proved to lower blood pressure because it is not fatty nor filled with sugar.
- This recipe is your best choice if you want a low calorie salad bowl.
Seaweed Salad Ingredients
Dried Wakame. The primary ingredient of the recipe! Dried wakame will give this dish the subtle crunch, and flavorful taste that makes this recipe appetizing and wonderful. Wakame is a type of edible seaweed that you can buy fresh or in a dried form. It is usually added to Asian soups, such as miso soup.
Water. Dried wakame needs to be submerged in the water for a few minutes so as not to give us a dry and unappealing texture when used. It has to be a room temperature water.
Shallots. Shallots will serve as a seasoning for the recipe, brightening the flavor of the dish and giving off that subtle sweetness that easily blends with the seaweed.
Ginger. So as not to make this recipe boring with its constant flavors, ginger adds a pungent aroma and taste to the salad.
Green Onions. Green onions are milder than the other types of onion, which makes them an ideal addition to any salad recipe, especially this one. The green onion will not taste bitter, and would even add more crunch and taste to every bite of this dish.
Soy Sauce. Soy sauce does not only make this salad palatable with its heightened flavor, but it also improves the appearance by adding color to the dish.
Toasted Sesame Oil. As a seaweed salad dressing, toasted sesame oil adds nutty and toasty flavor along with a good aroma to the salad.
Lemon Juice. Lemon juice adds a bright and tangy flavor to this salad, so don't forget to add some!
Toasted Sesame Seeds (optional): Small amount for topping.
How To Make Japanese Seaweed Salad (Wakame)?
Rehydrate Wakame: Pour the water into a bowl, add the dried wakame (seaweed) and cover the bowl with plastic wrap for 11-15 minutes or until the seaweed absorbs the water.
Drain the Wakame very well: Now, Transfer it to a colander to drain off the excess water completely.
Mix with all the other ingredients: Put the rehydrated wakame in a large bowl and mix in all the other ingredients until combined; garnish with sesame seeds and serve or keep in the fridge.
Top Tips!
- Cut the wakame in a shorter length before adding it to the bowl of water. Wakame expands longer once soaked, so cutting it up shorter will be more convenient when you serve the salad.
- Don't worry if your wakame does not appear as green as you can see on the internet. It will turn a brighter shade of green once soaked!
- Make sure that the shallots, ginger, and green onions are minced or cut into small pieces so that they can give their most flavorful tastes to the recipe. It will also be more convenient for the appearance of the salad.
Recipe Variations
- Instead of using lemon juice, why not level up this recipe and use yuzu extract instead? Yuzu extract will add a slightly sweet, tangy, and grape-fruit-like flavor to the salad since it is like a mixture between orange and grapefruit.
- Adding chili paste or chili flakes gives heat to this salad recipe. If you are fond of hot and spicy dishes, you can freely do so!
- To add a more sweet, acidic, and tangy flavor to the salad, you may add Rice Vinegar to the mix or a bit of sugar.
- Add a pinch of salt just to balance all the flavor within the salad.
- You may add in this salad cucumber slices, radishes, carrots or chopped silken tofu.
- You can also use fresh wakame instead of dried if you like.
Serving Suggestions
The flavorful taste of this Japanese Seaweed Salad would definitely be a good pair with the savory taste of Black Pepper Beef Stir Fry made with thinly sliced marinated beef. Another Asian-inspired meal will be made when you serve this salad with delicious Stir-fried Noodles with Veggies.
Storage
This Wakame salad will last up to three days in the fridge if stored in an airtight container. Freezing the salad is not advisable as it will just ruin the quality of the wakame.
Recipe FAQs
Seaweed salad is generally vegan. It has no animal products or by-products in it, which makes this dish a safe vegan-friendly dish!
If we are speaking about edible seaweed, yes, it is indeed a vegetable of the sea that both ocean life and humans may enjoy.
Because of the high fiber that wakame contains, this salad is easy to digest and can even enhance gut health!
You can find wakame seaweed in Japanese grocery stores, Asian markets or Amazon.
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Recipe
Japanese Seaweed Salad (Wakame)
Ingredients
- 35 g dried wakame , chopped
- 600 ml water , at room temperature
- 1 shallot , minced
- 1 knob ginger , grated
- 2 stalks green onions , sliced
- 2 tablespoon soy sauce
- 2 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon sesame seeds , optional
Instructions
- Pour the water into a bowl, add the dried wakame (seaweed) and cover the bowl with plastic wrap for 10-15 minutes or until the seaweed absorbs the water.35 g dried wakame, 600 ml water
- Now, drain off the excess water completely.
- Mix in all the other ingredients until combined; garnish with sesame seeds and serve or keep in the fridge.1 shallot, 1 knob ginger, 2 stalks green onions, 2 tablespoon soy sauce, 2 tablespoon toasted sesame oil, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, 1 teaspoon sesame seeds
Notes
- Cut the wakame in a shorter length before adding it to the bowl of water. Wakame expands longer once soaked, so cutting it up shorter will be more convenient when you serve the salad.
- Don't worry if your wakame does not appear as green as you can see on the internet. Wakame will turn a brighter shade of green once soaked!
- Make sure that the shallots, ginger, and green onions are minced so that they can give their most flavorful tastes to the recipe. It will also be more convenient for the appearance of the salad.
Variations
- Instead of using lemon juice, why not level up this recipe and use yuzu extract instead? Yuzu extract will add a slightly sweet, tangy, and grape-fruit-like flavor to the salad since it is like a mixture between orange and grapefruit.
- Adding chili paste or chili flakes gives heat to this salad recipe. If you are fond of hot and spicy dishes, you can freely do so!
- To add a more sweet, acidic, and tangy flavor to the salad, you may add Rice Vinegar to the mix!
- Add a pinch of salt just to balance all the flavor within the salad.
Olivia
Can't wait to try this recipe. Thanks!
Caroline
Looks delicious as a side dish with Sushi rolls.