How to Make Seaweed Salad

Co-authored by wikiHow Staff

Last Updated: March 29, 2019 References

Many people are hesitant to try seaweed, but it's actually an excellent food. Seaweed is low in fat and calories, and an excellent source of minerals, including calcium and iron.^{[1]
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Research source}. It is typically served alongside raw seafood dishes, such as poke and sushi.

Ingredients

Simple Seaweed Salad^{[2]
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Serves 4

2 tablespoons (30 grams) dried wakame seaweed
1 tablespoon (15 milliliters) rice vinegar
2 teaspoons sesame oil
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon sugar
2 teaspoons toasted sesame seeds

Gourmet Seaweed Salad^{[3]
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Serves 4

¾ ounce (22.5 grams) dried wakame seaweed (whole or cut)
3 tablespoons (45 milliliters) rice vinegar
3 tablespoons (45 milliliters) soy sauce
1 tablespoon (15 milliliters) sesame oil
1 teaspoon sugar
Red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon finely grated ginger
1⁄2 teaspoon minced garlic
2 scallions, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon (9 grams) sesame seeds, toasted
¼ cup (40 grams) shredded carrot
2 tablespoons (5 grams) chopped fresh cilantro

Sunomono Salad^{[4]
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Serves 4

2 tablespoons (30 grams) dried wakame seaweed
2 Japanese or 3 Persian cucumbers
¼ teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons (45 milliliters) rice vinegar
1 tablespoon (15 grams) sugar
¼ soy sauce
½ sesame oil (optional)
1 teaspoon sesame seeds

Serves 4

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:
Making Simple Seaweed Salad

1
Re-hydrate the seaweed. Fill a large bowl with water, then add the seaweed. Gently press down on it to submerge it, then leave it along for 10 to 15 minutes. It is read when it is plump and supple.
2
Drain the excess water from the seaweed. Pour the seaweed through a strainer. Squeeze it by the handful to get rid of any excess moisture.

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3
Chop the seaweed into thinner slices, if needed. Place the seaweed onto a cutting board. Use a sharp knife to slice it into ½-inch (1.27-centimeter) wide strips.
4
Prepare the dressing. Pour the sesame oil into a small bowl. Add the rice vinegar, salt, and sugar. Mix everything together with a form or mini whisk.
5
Combine the dressing with the seaweed and sesame seeds. Transfer the seaweed to a serving bowl. Sprinkle some sesame seeds over it, then add the dressing. Toss everything together to evenly distribute the dressing.
6
Serve the salad. You can serve it cold or at room temperature. If you have any leftovers, cover them, and store them in the fridge for up to four days.

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Method 2

Method 2 of 3:
Making Gourmet Seaweed Salad

1
Soak seaweed in water. The amount of water should be enough to fully cover the seaweed. For a crunchier salad, soak the seaweed for 5 minutes. For tender salad, soak the seaweed for 10 to 15 minutes.
2
Drain the water from the seaweed. Transfer the seaweed into a strainer, then shake it to get rid of any excess water. Gently squeeze handfuls of seaweed until no more water comes out.
3
Cut seaweed into thinner strips, if needed. Sometimes, the seaweed already comes cut, but if it doesn't, you'll need to cut it yourself. Use a shape knife to slice it into ½-inch (1.27-centimeter) wide strips. Set the seaweed aside when you are done.
4
Make the dressing. Pour the rice vinegar, soy sauce, and sesame oil into a serving bowl. Add the sugar, red pepper flakes, and garlic. Mix everything together with a fork or mini whisk until the sugar dissolves.
- You can leave out the red pepper flakes if you'd prefer a less-spicy salad.^{[5]
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- If you don't have any sugar, you can use agave nectar instead.^{[6]
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5
Add the seaweed and the rest of the ingredients. Place the seaweed into the bowl. Add the scallions, carrots, cilantro, and sesame seeds. If you want to try something different, switch out the carrots for a small, tart apple cut into ¼-inch (0.64-centimeter) pieces.^{[7]
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Research source} You can also omit the apples/carrots entirely.^{[8]
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6
Toss the salad. Be sure to scoop the ingredients from the bottom of the bowl so that you distribute the dressing evenly.
7
Serve the salad. It tastes best while it's cold, but you can serve it at room temperature too. If you have any leftovers, cover them, and store them in the fridge for up to four days.

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Method 3

Method 3 of 3:
Making Sunomono Salad

1
Hydrate the wakame seaweed. Place the dried wakame seaweed in a bowl of water. Press down on the seaweed to submerge it, then leave it there for 10 minutes.
- You need enough water to submerge the seaweed. How much you use depends on the size of the bowl.
- Sunomono salad is a Japanese salad made from cucumbers and seaweed.
2
Drain the seaweed. Pour the seaweed through a strainer and discard the water. Gently squeeze the seaweed to get rid of any excess moisture.
3
Slice the seaweed, if needed. If the seaweed didn't come sliced, you will need to cut it into ½-inch (1.27-centimeter) slices. Set the seaweed aside when you are done.
4
Slice the cucumbers as thinly as you can. You can peel the cucumbers first if you want, or you can leave them unpeeled. Slice the cucumbers as thin as possible with a sharp knife. You want them to be thin enough so that they can flex without breaking.
5
Salt the cucumbers, then leave them for 5 minutes. Sprinkle the salt over the cucumbers. Gently toss them to distribute the salt, then set them aside for 5 minutes.
6
Drain the excess moisture from the cucumbers. Pour the cucumbers through a strainer. Spread them out on a paper towel, then cover them with another paper towel. Gently pat them dry.
7
Prepare the dressing. Pour the rice vinegar into a small bowl. Add the sugar, soy sauce, and sesame oil. Mix them together with a fork or mini whisk until the sugar dissolves.
8
Mix everything together in a bowl. Add the cucumbers and the wakame into a serving bowl. Top them off with some sesame seeds, if desired. Pour the dressing over them, then toss everything together to combine.
9
Serve the salad. Sunomono salad is a popular accompaniment to many Japanese dishes, including sushi, sashimi, and chirashi sushi.

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