Japanese · Lunch
Sesame Spinach Salad
Baby spinach blanched briefly then squeezed dry and dressed in a nutty sesame-soy sauce, finished with toasted white sesame seeds. A cold Japanese side dish built on umami depth from soy sauce and mirin, balanced with a touch of sugar. Served chilled as a light, quick vegetable-forward starter or salad course.
$2
8 minsPrep
3 minsCook
11 minsTotal
EasyLevel
Nutrition per serving
128Calories
6.2gProtein
7.6gFat
11.4gCarbs
5.9gSugar
4.1gFiber
765mgSodium
0mgChol
1.1gSat Fat
720mgPotassium
215mgCalcium
3.8mgIron
0mcgVitamin B12
22mgVitamin C
Goes well with
Japanese Lager or Pilsner
local
Yuzu Citrus Tea
international
vegetarian
gluten-free-adaptable
low-carb
low-calorie
high-fiber
rich-umami
all-time-classics
quick-lunch
vegetarian
low-calorie
Instructions
1
Prep
Rinse baby spinach under cold water, trim thick stem ends, shake off excess water, then bring a small pot of salted water to boil over high heat.
2
Toast the sesame seeds in a small dry skillet over medium heat for 1–2 minutes, shaking often, until golden and fragrant with a few seeds popping, then grind in a mortar until mostly crushed but still textured.
3
Blanch the spinach in boiling salted water for 30–45 seconds until just wilted and bright green, then drain and plunge into ice water for 1 minute to stop cooking.
4
Squeeze the cooled spinach firmly in your hands over the sink to remove excess water, then chop into 1-inch lengths.
5
Whisk the ground sesame seeds, soy sauce, mirin, sugar, sesame oil, and rice vinegar together in a small bowl until the sugar dissolves into a glossy dressing.
6
Toss the chopped spinach with the dressing using chopsticks or a fork until every strand is coated evenly, then refrigerate for 5 minutes.
7
Plate
Mound the spinach in a small bowl, twisting it into a compact pile, and serve chilled.
Serves
2 portions ·
2 adults, 0 over 10, 0 under 10
Ingredients
- 8.4 oz240g baby spinach
- 4 tbsp4 tbsp sesame seeds (white)
- 2 tbsp2 tbsp soy sauce
- 3 tsp3 tsp mirin
- 2 tsp2 tsp sugar
- 1 tsp1 tsp sesame oil
- 1 tsp1 tsp rice vinegar
