Blanched spinach dressed in a savory nutty sesame sauce, this Japanese Spinach Salad with Sesame Dressing (Gomaae) is a healthy veggie side dish that goes well with everything.
Spinach or green beans are often dressed in sesame sauce in Japanese cuisine. We call this dish “Goma-ae (胡麻和え)”. Sweet and savory sesame sauce made with freshly ground sesame seeds adds rich and nutty flavors to refreshing blanched green vegetables.
What Does Gomaae Mean?
Goma (胡麻) in Japanese means sesame seed and goma-ae (胡麻和え) is a dish that’s dressed with the sesame sauce. The word ae (pronounced as [ah EH]. 和え) comes from the verb aeru ([ah EH ru]. 和える) which is to dress (the food with sauce).
Spinach Gomaae as Easy Side Dish
Spinach gomaae is one of the most popular side dishes, or as we call Osozai (お惣菜), in Japan.
It’s extremely easy and quick to make, and it compliments well with any Japanese food. Not to mention, it is often added to a bento lunch giving a nice appetizing green color to the meal.
Freshly Toasted & Ground Sesame Seeds
Sesame seeds add a nutty taste and a delicate crunch to the dish. If you have time, I highly recommend toasting the sesame seeds (even for roasted sesame seeds) in a frying pan just for a few minutes (no oil needed). This simple step brings out the wonderful aroma of sesame seeds and toasty flavors.
Once the sesame seeds are nicely toasted, grind them in a Japanese mortar and pestle. You will be immediately surrounded by the fragrant roasted sesame smell!
Japanese grocery stores sell convenient crushed/ground sesame seeds in a package, but the fragrance and flavors won’t be the same.
Japanese Mortar & Pestle for Gomaae
For Japanese cooking, we make gomaae frequently enough that each household usually owns a Japanese mortar and pestle to crush sesame seeds as well as for various pastes.
- The Mortar (Suribachi): It’s an earthenware bowl and the inside has a ridged pattern to facilitate grinding.
- The Pestle (Surikogi): It’s usually made of wood so that it prevents wearing down the ridges in the mortar.
I’ve been using a small Suribachi since my college days, but I think it’s time to upgrade to a bigger one so that I can add the blanched spinach directly into the Suribachi, instead of transferring the sesame sauce to a bigger bowl. If you cook for the family, I recommend getting at least a medium-size Suribachi. You can purchase Japanese mortar and pestle on Amazon.
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Japanese Spinach Salad with Sesame Dressing (Gomaae)
Video
Ingredients
- 1 bunch spinach (1 bunch is about 8-10 oz, 227-283 g)
- 1 tsp Diamond Crystal kosher salt (for blanching the spinach)
For the Sesame Sauce
- 3 Tbsp toasted white sesame seeds
- 1½ Tbsp soy sauce
- 1 Tbsp sugar
- ½ tsp sake
- ½ tsp mirin
For the Sesame Sauce (optional; without alcohol)
- 3 Tbsp toasted white sesame seeds
- 1 Tbsp soy sauce
- 1 Tbsp sugar
Instructions
- Gather all the ingredients. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Prepare a large bowl of cold water with a few ice cubes.
- To toast the sesame seeds (optional): For the sesame sauce, put the sesame seeds in a frying pan and toast them on low heat, shaking the pan constantly. When 2-3 sesame seeds start to pop, remove them from the heat.
- Grind the sesame seeds with a mortar and pestle. Leave some seeds whole for texture.
- Add the sesame sauce seasonings to the ground sesame seeds and mix all together.
- Once the water is boiling, add the salt. First, add the spinach stems first and hold for 15-20 seconds since they take longer to cook. Then, push the leaves down to submerge them in water. Blanch until the stems are no longer rigid, about 30-45 seconds. Tip: American spinach is very soft and we can eat it raw, unlike Japanese spinach.
- Remove the spinach from the pot and plunge it into the iced water to stop the cooking. Alternatively, drain and run the spinach under cold running water until cool. Once the spinach is cool enough to handle, collect the spinach and squeeze the water out. Do not leave the spinach in water for too long or else they lose nutrients.
- Cut the spinach into 1-inch (2.5 cm) lengths and put in a medium bowl.
- Add the sesame sauce to the spinach and toss it all together. Serve at room temperature or chilled.
To Store
- You can keep the leftovers in an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for 2-3 days or freezer for 2-4 weeks.
Nutrition
Editor’s Note: The post was originally published on March 30, 2011. The video and new pictures were added in June 2016.
