Seaweed Salad Sesame Ginger (Print Version)

Vibrant seaweed salad with crisp vegetables and tangy sesame-ginger dressing

# What You'll Need:

→ Seaweed

01 - 1 ounce dried wakame seaweed

→ Vegetables & Aromatics

02 - 1 small cucumber, thinly sliced
03 - 1 small carrot, julienned
04 - 2 scallions, thinly sliced

→ Dressing

05 - 2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
06 - 1 ½ tablespoons rice vinegar
07 - 1 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce or tamari
08 - 1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger
09 - 1 tablespoon maple syrup or honey
10 - 1 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds
11 - ½ teaspoon chili flakes

→ Garnish

12 - 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds
13 - 1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro or parsley

# How to Make It:

01 - Place the dried seaweed in a bowl and cover with cold water. Soak for 7–10 minutes until fully rehydrated and tender. Drain well and squeeze out excess water thoroughly.
02 - In a large bowl, combine the rehydrated seaweed, cucumber, carrot, and scallions.
03 - In a small bowl, whisk together the sesame oil, rice vinegar, soy sauce or tamari, grated ginger, maple syrup or honey, sesame seeds, and chili flakes.
04 - Pour the dressing over the salad and toss gently to combine until evenly coated.
05 - Transfer to a serving bowl. Sprinkle with additional sesame seeds and chopped cilantro or parsley, if desired. Serve immediately or chill for 15–30 minutes for enhanced flavor.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The dressing hits every perfect note at once, tangy and sweet with this incredible sesame warmth that lingers
  • It comes together in fifteen minutes flat but tastes like something from a specialty restaurant
  • You can keep dried seaweed in your pantry for months and whip this up whenever you need something impossibly fresh
02 -
  • The seaweed continues to release liquid as it sits, so if you are making this ahead, wait to dress it until right before serving or it will become watery.
  • Soaking time varies by brand, some wakame hydrates faster than others, so check at 7 minutes and keep going until it feels tender throughout.
  • This salad actually tastes better after about 15 minutes in the fridge, giving all those flavors a chance to really get to know each other.
03 -
  • Grate the ginger directly into the dressing bowl to capture all those aromatic juices, do not bother peeling it first.
  • If the dressing tastes too sharp right after whisking, let it sit for 5 minutes, the flavors mellow and meld beautifully.
  • Toasting your own sesame seeds in a dry pan for 2 minutes until fragrant makes such a difference compared to store bought ones.
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