Wakame and cucumber sesame salad
Vegetarian
わかめサラダ · Wakame sarada
Silky rehydrated wakame seaweed and thin cucumber slices in a sesame, rice vinegar, soy and ginger dressing, scattered with toasted sesame seeds.
Wakame and cucumber sesame salad is a Japanese salad, ready in about 25 minutes and made with wakame and toasted sesame oil. It serves 4 and is rated beginner to cook.

- Prep
- 15 min
- Cook
- 0 min
- Rest
- 10 min
- Total
- 25 min
- Serves
- 4
- Level
- Beginner
- Calories
- 83
Method
Step 1
Soak the dried wakame (opens in a new tab) in plenty of cold water for 5–10 minutes until it expands. Drain, squeeze gently and cut any long pieces into bite-size strips.
- 2 min
Step 2
Toss the cucumber (opens in a new tab) with the salt, leave 5 minutes, then squeeze out the liquid.
- 2 min
Step 3
Whisk (opens in a new tab) the rice vinegar (opens in a new tab), soy sauce (opens in a new tab), sugar (opens in a new tab) and ginger until the sugar dissolves, then whisk in the sesame oil (opens in a new tab).

How it looks · Photo: Kampus Production on Pexels Step 4
Toss the wakame (opens in a new tab) and cucumber (opens in a new tab) with the dressing and top with sesame seeds (opens in a new tab) and chilli flakes (opens in a new tab).
- 2 min
About this dish
- Origin
- Japan · Commonly attributedAlso popular in United StatesMore food from Japan
- Dish
- Lunch · Dinner · Salads · Side dishes · Appetizers & starters
- Cooking method
- Raw, No-cook
- Taste
- umami, nutty, tangy, refreshing
- Diet
- Vegan · Dairy-free · No nut ingredients · Low-carbWorked out from the ingredients. How labels work
All labels
Vegan · Plant-based · Vegetarian (lacto-ovo) · Eggetarian · Lacto-vegetarian · Ovo-vegetarian · Pescatarian · Flexitarian-friendly · Dairy-free · Egg-free · No nut ingredients · Alcohol-free · Pork-free · Beef-free · Low-carb - Good for
- Everyday
- Cook more with
- Wakame · Toasted sesame oil · Cucumber · Rice vinegar · Soy sauce · Sugar
Allergens
- Contains, can be adapted: Wheatfrom soy sauce
- Contains, can be adapted: Glutenfrom soy sauce
- Contains: Soyfrom soy sauce
- Contains: Sesamefrom toasted sesame oil, sesame seeds
Based on typical versions of these ingredients and not verified allergen-free. Brands differ and cross-contact happens, so always check labels. For severe allergies, follow your clinician’s advice.
Nutrition
83 kcal per serving
Estimated1 serving ≈ 133 g · recipe makes 4
Where the energy comes from
- Protein 11%
- Carbohydrate 40%
- Fat 49%
| Nutrient | Per serving | Per 100 g* |
|---|---|---|
| Energy | 83 kcal | 63 kcal |
| Protein | 2.4 g | 1.8 g |
| Carbohydrate | 9.1 g | 6.8 g |
| Net carbohydrate | 8.2 g | 6.2 g |
| Sugars | 3.6 g | 2.7 g |
| Added sugars | 2.1 g | 1.6 g |
| Fibre | 0.9 g | 0.7 g |
| Fat | 4.9 g | 3.7 g |
| Saturated fat | 0.7 g | 0.5 g |
| Trans fat | — | — |
| Cholesterol | 0 mg | 0 mg |
| Sodium | 708 mg | 533 mg |
| Salt equivalent | 1.8 g | 1.3 g |
Vitamins & minerals per serving
- Potassium
- 160 mg
- Calcium
- 92 mg
- Iron
- 1.4 mg
- Magnesium
- 61 mg
- Vitamin A (RAE)
- 11 µg
- Vitamin C
- 3 mg
- Vitamin D
- 0 µg
- Vitamin B12
- 0 µg
- Folate (DFE)
- 82 µg
How these numbers were made
- Calculated from USDA FoodData Central (SR Legacy) per-100 g values and the listed quantities.
- *Per 100 g of combined raw ingredients; the cooked dish may weigh more or less.
- Optional ingredients are not included: red chilli flakes.
- Rice vinegar: Distilled vinegar (FDC 172237) used as a stand-in for unseasoned rice vinegar.
- “—” means the value isn’t known for enough of the ingredients; it is never zero by default.
- Values are estimates for guidance, not for medical dosing. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. fdc.nal.usda.gov.
Good to know
Tips
- Don't soak dried wakame too long — it turns slimy and loses its bite.
Common mistakes
- Using 15 g of dried wakame as if it were a small amount: it expands about tenfold.
Serve with
- With rice, miso soup and grilled fish, or alongside sushi.
Storage
- Keeps 1 day in the fridge.
Variations
- With tofu: Add cubes of silken or firm tofu for a more substantial dish.
Original editorial recipe · FriendsPantry editorial · Not yet independently reviewed · Added · Updated
Recipe DNA
How this dish is built
Built from the recipe’s own sections. Each band’s width is its share of the dish by weight. Choose a component to see what it does.
Reviews & corrections
Reviews come from signed-in cooks and appear after a moderator checks them. We never show made-up ratings.
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