This Japanese Seaweed Salad (Wakame) is a super flavorful vegetarian salad that goes well with lots of other Asian sides, such as Sushi. It is Incredibly easy to make and ready in just 15 minutes!
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Japanese Seaweed Salad
The first time I made this seaweed salad, I didn't like it at all, but I had to make it a second time because my family really loved it.
The second time I tasted it, I fell in love with it; I don't know what happened or what has changed, but I noticed how tasty and flavorful it is.
Since this salad is made with Wakame, 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.
This Wakame salad is a super healthy, vegetarian salad. It is actually my go-to low-calorie salad bowl, and it goes well with lots of other sides.
Ingredients
“See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.”
Dried Wakame. Wakame is a type of edible seaweed that you can buy fresh or in a dried form. If you aren't in Asia, I think it is hard to buy it fresh. However, you can buy the dried Wakame from Japanese grocery stores, Asian markets or Amazon.
Water. Dried wakame needs to be submerged in the water for a few minutes to rehydrate. 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 add more crunch and taste to this dish.
Soy Sauce. Soy sauce make this salad palatable with its heightened flavor.
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)?
Important: 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.
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.
Pro Tip: Don't worry if your Wakame does not appear as green, It will turn a brighter shade of green once soaked!
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 shallots, ginger, and green onions, soy sauce, sesame oil and lemon juice until combined.
Garnish with sesame seeds and serve or keep in the fridge.
Pro Tip: 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.
Variations & Substitutions
- Instead of using lemon juice, why not use yuzu extract instead?
- 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!
How To Serve
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.
How To Store
This Wakame salad will last up to three days in the fridge if stored in an airtight container. I don't recommend freezing this salad as it will just ruin the quality of the wakame.
Recipe FAQs
This dish is vegan-friendly! However, make sure to use vegan soy sauce.
If we are speaking about edible seaweed, yes, it is indeed a vegetable of the sea that both ocean life and humans may enjoy.
Easy Asian Recipes
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Recipe Card
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 seaweed (Wakame) 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. It 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 so that they can give their most flavorful tastes to the recipe. It will also be more convenient for the appearance of the salad.
Olivia says
Can't wait to try this recipe. Thanks!
Caroline says
Looks delicious as a side dish with Sushi rolls.