Here’s a scrumptious selection of Japanese salad recipes you can make and enjoy year-round.
Regardless of the season, most Japanese meals are served with a salad to keep things in balance. A well-composed salad refreshes your palate, provides a pop of color, and its crisp flavors enhance everything else on the table.
Here are some popular Japanese salad recipes to complement your main dishes. I have also included a few Western-style salads that are well-loved in Japan. Best of all, most of these recipes can be prepared in a short time.
With these 15 tasty, vibrant, healthy, and easy-to-follow salad recipes, I hope you enjoy your vegetables all year round!
15 Easy Japanese Salad Recipes
1. Japanese Spinach Salad with Sesame Dressing
This spinach salad is dressed in a nutty, aromatic sauce made from freshly ground sesame seeds combined with soy sauce, sugar, sake, and mirin for a mighty flavor. This easy salad not only complements all Japanese foods but also makes a healthy addition to your bento lunches!
2. Salad with Wafu Dressing
Wafu dressing simply refers to “Japanese-style salad dressing,” which consists of soy sauce, rice vinegar, and vegetable oil. There are plenty of variations of wafu dressing, but my recipe includes grated onion for extra zing and flavor. This popular Japanese dressing is so versatile that you can enjoy it with any combination of salad.
3. Japanese Salad with Carrot Ginger Dressing
If you dine out regularly at Japanese restaurants in the US, you’re probably familiar with salads that are served with Carrot Ginger Dressing. Made with fresh carrot purée, ginger, and miso, the sweet-tangy dressing is bright, refreshing, and healthy. Taking only 10 minutes to prepare, this salad dressing recipe is a sure keeper!
4. Japanese Cucumber Salad (Sunomono)
This sweet and sour cucumber salad with wakame seaweed is a versatile side dish that can be served with any Japanese meal.
5. Japanese Kani Salad
Tossed with crunchy lettuce, refreshing cucumber, sweet corn, and crab meat, this Japanese Kani Salad is delightful regardless of how you serve it.
6. Spicy Bean Sprout Salad
Love a crunchy ramen topping with a kick? You have to give this Spicy Bean Sprout Salad a try. The peppery, spicy sesame taste from the sauce will wake up your palate. You can also serve this salad as an appetizer when you need a light touch of spice to complement your main meal.
7. Japanese Salad with Sesame Dressing
Sesame dressing is a classic Japanese dressing used in many salad recipes. Sesame seeds are gently toasted in a frying pan until fragrant, then whisked well with creamy mayo, rice vinegar, soy sauce, mirin, and sesame oil. The dressing can be kept in the refrigerator for up to a week, so go ahead and make a bigger batch and enjoy it with a simple salad anytime!
8. Spring Mix Salad with Sweet Miso Dressing
Miso adds a wonderful depth to the salad dressing. Here, I added avocado slices and fresh mint to the spring salad mix and draped it with Sweet Miso Dressing for a delicious pairing.
9. Japanese Potato Salad
Japanese potato salad is a home-cooking staple in Japan. Slightly different from the US versions, the potatoes are roughly mashed and combined with all sorts of colorful ingredients, then seasoned with Japanese mayonnaise and sometimes rice vinegar. If you have an Instant Pot, you can also follow this recipe to save time when preparing the potato salad.
10. Avocado, Shrimp & Broccoli Salad
You can find this popular salad at most delis in department stores in Japan. It’s also very easy to make at home! Crisp cucumber, soft-boiled eggs, avocado, broccoli, and succulent pieces of shrimp are all tossed together in a creamy dressing. This Japanese Avocado & Shrimp Salad is all about texture and bite.
11. Broccolini Gomaae
Another variation of gomaae, this time with broccolini. A cross between broccoli and Chinese broccoli, broccolini not only has a great texture but is also highly nutritious. When dressed in the sesame sauce, Broccolini Gomaae literally goes well with everything. No broccolini? Try it with regular broccoli.
12. Harusame (Japanese Glass Noodle Salad)
Light noodles, crisp vegetables, and salty ham, all tossed in a tangy sesame soy vinaigrette. It also makes a great stand-alone meal!
14. Japanese Okra Salad
Blanched okras in a soy sauce-based marinade, this simple salad can be prepped ahead for your weeknight dinner.
14. Japanese Macaroni Salad
Tossed in a creamy, tangy, and sweet dressing, this Japanese Macaroni Salad is the perfect side dish for your next BBQ or cookout.
15. Apple Walnut Salad
This tart and tasty Apple Walnut Salad with creamy Greek yogurt dressing will be a hit with kids! If you have Kewpie brand Japanese mayonnaise at home, you can also try my Japanese-style Apple Salad recipe.