Japanese Chuka Wakame Seaweed Salad

If you ever dine in a Japanese restaurant, chances are you will be familiar with this dish! Wakame salad is an extremely popular Japanese appetizer, and it is with good reasons too! It is tangy, flavorsome and light with a nice chew to it.

💚Why you will love this recipe

• Easy and quick to make - You can make this dish in literally no time! Plus, all you need is a handful of simple ingredients to make this amazing seaweed salad.
• Tasty, bold and refreshing - Featuring chewy wakame tossed in a savory sesame soy dressing, it will definitely leave you wanting for more!
• Versatile and customizable - This salad pairs beautifully with almost every mains, and you can easily swap or add in ingredients to suit your taste buds.
• Healthy and wholesome - Unlike restaurant ones, this version is made without colorings or artificial flavorings. Wakame is also a good source of nutrients and fiber.

🤔What is wakame

Wakame is a popular edible seaweed that is widely used in Asian cooking, especially in Korean and Japanese cuisines.

Wakame is salty, umami with a hint of sweetness, and have a slight crunchy and chewy texture. Hence, it is commonly added to salads and soups to give flavor and texture.

Rehydrating wakame

Dried wakame needs to be rehydrated before using. You can easily do so by soaking them in cold water for 10 minutes. After rehydrating, drain well and gently squeeze out excess water using your hands.

Where to buy

You can find dried wakame in any well-stocked groceries, usually in the international aisle. It can also be found in Asian markets or groceries. I usually purchase my wakame online.

📃Notes/substitutions

• Soy sauce - Tamari or shoyu can be used in place.
• Rice vinegar - Can be substituted with mirin or sake.
• Sugar - Any granulated sugar will work here, like brown sugar, white sugar or even coconut sugar.
• Oil-free - Omit sesame oil and sprinkle on some sesame seeds before serving.

✔Helpful tips

• Remember to drain your seaweed well and squeeze out excess water before adding in the dressing. Or not, your salad might turn out watery and the flavors diluted.
• If you can't find precut wakame, you can easily cut large ones into smaller strips after rehydrating.
• If possible, let your seaweed salad chill in the fridge for 30 minutes to an hour before serving. This helps the flavors develop more. Plus, it is traditionally eaten cold!

✨Variations/add-ins

Seaweed - Although I am using only wakame here, you can definitely jazz things up by mixing in other kinds of seaweed! Or, you could just use a bag of assorted seaweed.

Spicy - If you love spice, toss in some sambal oelek, chili flakes, or simply drizzle on some hot sauce or sriracha before serving.

More veggies - You can definitely toss in other vegetables into your wakame salad! Thinly sliced cucumber, shredded cabbage and carrot are some great additions. You might have to double the ingredients for the sauce.

Dressing - Feel free to change up the dressing to whatever you fancy! I sometimes will season mine using teriyaki sauce. Or, you could also make and toss in some miso dressing.

🍙How to serve

Serve this wakame salad as an appetizer or side dish along with Japanese mains like vegan teriyaki chicken, teriyaki soba noodles, wakame miso soup or some sushi.

Or, you can serve it as a component of your poke bowl or salad bowls.

You can even use it as a filling for sushi or onigiri.

❔Commonly asked questions

🍽More vegan Asian side dishes

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