Spinach Salad with Sesame is a very common dish in Japanese home cooking. It is served cold, in small portions, as a side dish alongside a complete meal.
Simple, light, and quick to prepare, this Japanese recipe highlights fresh spinach, homemade dashi broth, and a few basic ingredients.
In this article, I present my personal version, inspired by everyday Japanese home cooking, without claiming to be a traditional or official recipe.
Spirit of the recipe
A simple, calm, and accessible cuisine
This spinach salad is a deliberately simple preparation.
The flavors are gentle and balanced, without excessive seasoning. The goal is not to impress, but to offer an easy dish that fits naturally into a homemade Japanese meal.
Like many everyday dishes in Japan, this recipe is based on:
- Few ingredients
- Simple techniques
- Short cooking time
- Respect for the ingredients
Ingredients
Spinach salad for 2 to 4 servings
For the dashi broth
- 1 liter of cold water
- 1 large dried shiitake mushroom
- 10 g thick dried bonito flakes (katsuobushi). If possible, choose the type commonly found in Japan, 100% natural bonito, without additives or preservatives.
- 1 clove of garlic
For the salad
- 3 bunches of fresh spinach
- Unsweetened soy sauce, preferably
- Sesame seeds
- Finely shaved dried bonito flakes (kezuribushi)
Spinach Salad: Detailed Preparation
Prepare the dashi
- Place the dried shiitake mushroom in cold water.
- Add the garlic clove cut into small pieces.
- Gently heat until it reaches a boil.
- Off the heat, add the bonito flakes. Let steep for 5 to 8 minutes, then carefully strain the broth.
Cook the spinach
- Wash the spinach thoroughly without separating the stems from the bunch.
- Bring the carefully strained broth back to a boil.
- Submerge the fresh spinach into the broth starting with the stems, then let the leaves fall naturally. Cook for 3 to 5 minutes at most.
After cooking, remove the spinach using tongs and immediately place it in a bowl of cold water with ice cubes to stop the cooking and set the color.
Gently squeeze the spinach with your hands to remove excess water, without twisting it.
Cutting and seasoning the spinach salad
- Cut off the base of the spinach bunches and discard it.
- Then cut the spinach into sections about 6 cm long.
- Place one portion on each plate.
Add:
- a little cold dashi to the bottom of the plate
- a drizzle of soy sauce
- a few sesame seeds
- finely shaved dried bonito flakes (kezuribushi)
Plating and serving
This spinach salad is served in small portions, as is often the case in Japan.
It can accompany:
- A main dish
- A meal made up of several small dishes
It is enjoyed fresh, without reheating.
A simple and naturally balanced spinach salad
This preparation is light and based on simple ingredients:
- fresh spinach
- homemade dashi without additives
- sesame
- dried bonito
It fits easily into a balanced daily diet, without excessive processing or the use of industrial products.
Note: For this Japanese recipe, soy sauce is used only as a finishing touch. You may therefore use the one of your choice.
However, if you would like to better understand the different types of soy sauce and how to choose the right one for your needs, a dedicated blog article about soy sauce is available.
If you do not live in Japan
If some ingredients are difficult to find:
- Dried shiitake can be replaced with other dried mushrooms. If unavailable, a mix of dried herbs, such as a bouquet garni, can also be suitable.
- Bonito can be replaced with a fish fillet of your choice. In this case, the fish will be served separately from the spinach salad.
- Fresh spinach as well as garlic and soy sauce are easy to find in most countries.
The essential thing remains simplicity and balance.
Discover other Japanese and Okinawan recipes
If Japanese and Okinawan cuisine interests you, a category dedicated to recipes is available on this blog. You will find everyday dishes, family style preparations, and simple recipes inspired by local cuisine, explained in a clear and accessible way.
Spinach salad recipe video
A video accompanies this article and shows the gestures, textures, and preparation steps, for a more visual and concrete approach to this recipe.
Click to watch the recipe on YouTube
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