Description
Refreshing seaweed salad brings Japanese coastal flavors to your table with crisp, umami-rich ingredients. Tangy sesame and soy dressing complements the oceanic greens, inviting you to explore authentic Asian cuisine.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 oz (28 g) dried wakame seaweed
- ½ cup shredded carrots
- ½ cup thinly sliced cucumber
- 1 green onion, thinly sliced
- 2 tbsps soy sauce (or tamari for gluten-free)
- 1 tbsp rice vinegar
- 1 tbsp sesame oil
- 1 tsp honey (or maple syrup for vegan)
- 1 tsp grated ginger
- 1 tsp minced garlic
- 1 tsp sesame seeds (black or white)
- ½ tsp red pepper flakes (optional, for spice)
- 1 tbsp chopped cilantro (optional)
Instructions
- Rehydration: Immerse dried wakame in warm water, letting it plump and expand for 5-10 minutes. Drain thoroughly, gently squeezing out excess moisture, and trim into bite-sized pieces if needed.
- Dressing Preparation: Whisk together soy sauce, rice vinegar, sesame oil, honey, grated ginger, minced garlic, and red pepper flakes in a small bowl until well combined, creating a complex, layered flavor profile.
- Salad Assembly: In a large mixing bowl, combine rehydrated wakame, julienned carrots, cucumber slices, and green onion slivers. Pour the prepared dressing over the ingredients, tossing gently to ensure even coating and harmonious flavor distribution.
- Finishing Touch: Sprinkle toasted sesame seeds and chopped cilantro across the salad. Let the mixture rest for 10 minutes to allow flavors to meld and intensify, creating a vibrant and refreshing seaweed salad ready to be served.
Notes
- Rehydrate Wisely: Soak dried wakame in warm water precisely 5-10 minutes to prevent over-softening or maintaining tough texture; water temperature impacts seaweed’s final consistency.
- Dress Strategically: Whisk dressing ingredients thoroughly to ensure balanced flavor distribution, preventing any ingredient from overpowering the delicate seaweed base.
- Control Marination Time: Let salad rest exactly 10 minutes to allow flavor absorption without compromising vegetable crispness; longer marination might make vegetables soggy.
- Customize Heat Level: Adjust red pepper flakes quantity based on personal spice tolerance, ensuring the salad’s flavor profile matches individual preferences without overwhelming the subtle seaweed essence.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Appetizer, Lunch, Snacks
- Method: Mixing
- Cuisine: Japanese
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 5
- Calories: 80
- Sugar: 2 g
- Sodium: 400 mg
- Fat: 4 g
- Saturated Fat: 0.5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3.5 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 10 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 3 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg