This restaurant-style Japanese Seaweed Salad (a.k.a. "wakame") is perfect when paired with a tray of sushi, or your favorite Asian soup! You can make this at home in just 10 minutes!
This delicious, Japanese-style Seaweed Salad is usually served as a starter at most Japanese restaurants and sushi bars, known as "wakame." I bet you didn't know how easy it is to make at home? It's vibrant and healthy -- the perfect tangy side dish to accompany any meal!
This tangy salad is exploding with flavors from the soy sauce and ginger to the sesame oil and red pepper flakes. You're going to want to make a big batch of this Japanese Seaweed Salad!
Where do I get dried seaweed (wakame)?
- Asian markets usually carry bags of assorted dried seaweed, specifically for making a salad. If you don’t have an Asian market nearby, you can buy it here on Amazon or at specialty grocery stores like Whole Foods.
- Wakame is a species of edible seaweed, a type of marine algae, and a sea vegetable. It has a subtly sweet, but distinctive and strong flavor and texture. It is most often served in soups and salads.
- Sea farmers in Japan have grown wakame since the Nara period (AD 710 to 794). It's considered the "superfood of the sea!"
Want another really great Japanese salad? You gotta try this super easy Japanese Bean Sprouts Salad! This is another traditional starter served at most sushi bars.
Recipe notes
- Most seaweed salads include more than one kind of seaweed so choose the one that seems best for your meal.
- Make sure to drain the seaweed very well after rehydrating.
- If you like more heat, try adding extra chili flakes, or a chili paste like sambal oelek, to the dressing.
- If you can’t find precut seaweed, you can easily cut the seaweed into strips yourself after rehydrating it.
- When fully rehydrated, the seaweed should be soft, delicate, and slightly lighter in color.
Want more recipes like this?
If you liked this Japanese Seaweed Salad recipe, you’re going to want these recipes too:
- Japanese Bean Sprouts Salad
- Bean Thread Noodles with Chicken
- Asian Slaw with Nuoc Cham Dressing
- Spicy Kale and Fennel Salad
Japanese Seaweed Salad (Wakame)
This restaurant-style Japanese Seaweed Salad (a.k.a. "wakame") is perfect when paired with a tray of sushi, or your favorite Asian soup. You can make this at home in just 10 minutes!
- Total Time: 10
- Yield: 4 1x
Ingredients
- 50 grams (1.7 ounces) dried wakame seaweed
- 3 tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 1 tablespoon mirin
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1 teaspoon grated ginger
- ½ teaspoon grated garlic
- 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1 baby cucumber (skin on), very thinly sliced
- ½ teaspoon toasted white sesame seeds
- ½ teaspoon black sesame seeds
Instructions
- Place the seaweed in a medium-sized bowl and cover with water. Let sit for 10 minutes until rehydrated.
- While seaweed is soaking, prepare the dressing: In another medium-sized bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, rice vinegar, mirin, sugar, ginger, garlic, sesame oil, and red pepper flakes. Set aside.
- When the seaweed is rehydrated, strain the seaweed in a colander and rinse thoroughly. Make sure to remove as much moisture as possible, squeezing the seaweed if necessary.
- Add the seaweed, sliced cucumber, and sesame seeds to the bowl of dressing and toss well to coat.
- Cover and chill in the refrigerator for 30 minutes to 1 hour.
- When ready to serve, garnish with extra sesame seeds.
Notes
- Most seaweed salads include more than one kind of seaweed so choose the one that seems best for your meal.
- Make sure to drain the seaweed very well after rehydrating.
- If you like more heat, try adding extra chili flakes, or a chili paste like sambal oelek, to the dressing.
- If you can’t find precut seaweed, you can easily cut the seaweed into strips yourself after rehydrating it.
- When fully rehydrated, the seaweed should be soft, delicate, and slightly lighter in color.
- Prep Time: 10
- Category: Salads
- Method: No cook
- Cuisine: Japanese
Nutrition
- Serving Size:
- Calories: 62
- Sugar: 3.3 g
- Sodium: 515.4 mg
- Fat: 3.7 g
- Carbohydrates: 5.8 g
- Protein: 1.6 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
Keywords: wakame salad, dried wakame seaweed, Japanese seaweed salad recipe, seaweed salad meal, seaweed salad nutrition, wakame seaweed
AV
Really easy and good flavor recipe but I'm still searching high and low for the same kind of seaweed (long stringy vs leafy) as they typically have in restaurants. I feel like someone is holding out on us so we have to keep going back to the restaurants. Lol. Same thing every time I try Indian cuisine.....they must be leaving out an ingredient or secret because I cant replicate how good it is in many restaurants. Huff
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Asian Caucasian
Have you tried your local Asian store? That's where I found mine. Or, you can order online. Here's one a good one to try: https://amzn.to/3DxFGQE
Gail
Nishiki Pacific has some of the seaweeds as well, but it isn't cheap.
Gina
What is the weight of the 50 grams of seaweed once rehydrated? I purchased some already rehydrated seaweed at an Asian market.
Asian Caucasian
Hmmm. Good question! I'll have to buy some and weigh it once rehydrated. Will have to get back to you on that! 🙂
Christine
Can you please recommend some other/additional types of seaweed or kelp to add to this recipe?
Thank you!
Asian Caucasian
Sure thing, Christine! This recipe is good with several dried seaweeds, like kombu, nori, dulse, and hijiki. You can purchase these on Amazon or at your local Asian market. Some specialty grocery stores may carry them in the Asian section as well.
Michael Davis
I made this and love it, but I bought the exact seaweed from the Amazon link (that you posted here) and it's not the same seaweed I'm used to from salads at sushi restaurants. This is more leafy as opposed to crunchy and stringy. This pictures above also have the seaweed I'm used to. Almost like they are stems from seaweed (more like spaghetti noodles, than lettuce. Do you know what that is called and where I find it?
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Asian Caucasian
Hi Michael! Great question. Although most dried seaweeds will work with this recipe, if you want something very similar I would look for dried 'shredded' or dried 'stalks' of wakame seaweed. You can most likely find this at the Asian market, or online at Amazon, etc. Hope this helps!
Suzan
Dried seaweed sold packaged, like wakame looks very brown. "Fresh" wakame salad probably reconstituted is always really bright/dark green. Is this true for all the seaweed or kelps we can buy ?
I see frozen packs of seaweed and/or seaweed salad - are these any good ?
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Asian Caucasian
Honestly, I haven't tried the frozen packs of seaweed. Dried seaweed is naturally brown or dark green. It will be good, I promise!
Fra
How long will the salad keep in the fridge after you make it? How long will rehydrate wake keep for, please?
Asian Caucasian
Hi there! The wakame salad should last 2-3 days in the fridge!
Sam
Thank you so much for the recipe. I'm just wondering how long it would keep for?
Asian Caucasian
Hi Sam! The seaweed salad should last 3-4 days in the fridge. So glad you liked the recipe!
Jess
This is really good! Tastes very similar to the seaweed salad you can get at an Asian restaurant or grocery store. I'm so happy I can now make this at home! I ended up using raw seaweed that my local Asian mart had and I added fresh thinly sliced carrots and scallions. Thanks for the great recipe!!
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Asian Caucasian
So, so glad you can now make this seaweed salad at home! Who knew it could be so easy? Enjoy!!
Chef Dennis
Those are certainly healthy and delicious salads. I can't wait to try them at home, I know my family will love them!
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Asian Caucasian
Happy that you'll give this wakame seaweed salad a try!
Wanda
I always buy this salad in the store as I never knew how to make it. Now I do and I can't wait to make it for my family!
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Asian Caucasian
Yes! People don't realize how easy this is to make at home in your own kitchen!
Addison
Such a light and fresh salad! I love that this is equally healthy and delicious!
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Asian Caucasian
And, it's so easy to make! This wakame seaweed salad is such a delight when we sit at the sushi bar.
Katharina
I just got a massive 1kg bag of Irish Atlantic wakame delivered this morning and I thought I would try it out straight away. I looked up wakame salad recipes and this one was the first I clicked on. It looked interesting, I had all the ingredients, it was quick to make so off to the kitchen I went. I had never made anything that tasted liked this before. As I was mixing all the ingredients I thought it would all end up in the sink, I just didn't think the ingredients would go well together. Then I tasted it. Heaven! So new and so delicious! Can't believe how silly I was 😀 Thank you for sharing this recipe, I'll keep coming back to it over and over again, I'm absolutely sure of that 🙂
Asian Caucasian
I just love your comment, Katharina! Seaweed may sound adventurous to most people, but I'm all in for trying new things. I always eat the wakame when I go to a Japanese restaurant, which is what inspired me to make this recipe at home. I'm so glad you tried it too! Thank you for your awesome feedback!
Genevieve | Fitty Foodlicious
This salad looks straight out of a sushi resteraunt!
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Asian Caucasian
That was definitely my inspiration! I just love this wakame salad when I sit at the sushi bar!
Anke
I’m so excited, I have leftover rehydrated seaweed and wondered what to do with it. Now I know 👍
Asian Caucasian
This recipe is super easy so I'm glad you can use up your seaweed!
Jacqueline Debono
Love the sound of this Japanese seaweed salad. I'm not sure I can buy the dried seaweed where I live, but am going to check it out on Amazon!
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Asian Caucasian
Yes, they do sell dried seaweed on Amazon. Not everyone has an Asian market they can go to, so thank goodness for ordering online!
Julie
I've been wanting to make seafood salad at home and this recipe came out perfect. Even better than takeout. Will make it agian.
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Asian Caucasian
It's a healthy, easy and tasty recipe for the home cook. So glad you like this wakame seaweed salad!
Paulette
Did you slice or shred the cucumber?
Asian Caucasian
Hi Paulette. The cucumber is very thinly sliced. You can shred it as well, but it will make the wakame more watery. Personally, I prefer the texture of sliced cucumber. 😚
Robin
I'm a huge seaweed salad fan so I was really excited to come across this recipe. Thank you!
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Asian Caucasian
You're so welcome! You won't believe how easy this wakame seaweed salad is to make!
Robert
This recipie is easily followed and tastes amazing. But also noted that this dressing also tastes amazing on cucumber salad as well. Thank you for sharing.
Asian Caucasian
So glad you like this seaweed salad! It really is easy and great for preparing at home. It's one of my faves when I eat at my local sushi bar!
Jere Cassidy
I love the vibrant colors in this salad and it really looks delicious, and so easy to make.
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Asian Caucasian
Wakame seaweed salad is something I always look forward to at my local sushi bar. Now we can make this at home so easily!
Ali Hanson
I have always seen this but never tried it, thank you for all the information. I will make it a point to try this, it looks delicious and so healthy!
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Asian Caucasian
Give this wakame seaweed salad a try! I believe you will like it!
Amy Liu Dong
Wow! This recipe looks so delicious and enticing to see. Greenish looks make it's so tempting to eat. I would definitely make this at home.
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Asian Caucasian
Eat your greens, am I right? This wakame seaweed salad is super easy to make at home!
Donna
I love this dish at Asian restaurants but never knew what kind of seaweed it was. I love the tender but crunchy texture and the sweet,tangy but also savory{umam] dressing, now I can make it at home.
Asian Caucasian
No one knows they can make this at home in just 10 minutes! Hope you enjoy this wakame salad!
Leslie
I have heard a lot about edible seaweed but still haven't tried it. I might just use your link to give it a try along with your amazing recipe!
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Asian Caucasian
You only live once, am I right? Give wakame a try! I think you'll really like it!
Stine Mari
This dish is really making me want to travel again, and especially to Japan! I love the flavors here and that it only takes 10 minutes to make!
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Asian Caucasian
I too miss traveling so much! Good thing we can live vicariously through our food, right?
Laurel Mason Smith
Wakame is one of my favorite little side dishes at the sushi bar! I’m so happy to learn how to make this at home!
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Asian Caucasian
I was so happy to learn how to make this seaweed salad too! It's so darn easy, you won't believe it!