9 Amazing Healthy Wakame Seaweed Salad Recipes

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Last updated: February 11, 2023

Finding great healthy recipes for Wakame seaweed Salad can be tricky.

So I have put together healthy Wakame seaweed salad recipes that are not only tasty, but easy to achieve and can transform an ugly looking green into a comforting and nutritious meal.

Edible seaweeds (or sea vegetables) like Wakame and Nori are getting a lot of attention lately for both their health benefits, and low impact on the environment.

Our article below first breaks down why Wakame Seaweed is so healthy for you.

Then we follow up by giving you a bunch of great recipes with wakame seaweed salad to try out at home.


9 Delicious Wakame Seaweed Salads:

  1. Wakame Seaweed and Watermelon Salad
  2. Soba with Seaweed (Wakame), Cucumber and Asparagus
  3. Crusted Tofu with Wakame and Lime
  4. Sea Scallops with Wakame and Sesame
  5. Wakame Seaweed Salad with Mung Bean Noodles and Prawns
  6. Shrimp Burger with Wakame Salad
  7. Sunomono (Japanese Cucumber and Wakame Salad)
  8. Japanese Marinated Rice Bowl with Teriyaki Marinated Salmon, Wakame, and Edamame beans
  9. Simplified Wakame Seaweed Salad

Why is Wakame Seaweed Healthy for You?

It is a versatile ingredient commonly used in Japanese recipes, and has been used since ancient times to add “umami” to your food (a pleasant savory taste).

Wakame, like many sea vegetables, is a great source of vitamins including vitamins A, C, E, D, and K. As a result it is for fabulous skin health, creation of antioxidants and maintaining a stoic immune system.

It is a dark leafy green that provides good levels of iron to prevent anaemia, and allows for easier absorption of calcium for stronger bones.

Wakame seaweed also contains high levels of Iodine, which when eaten in moderation, can aid low thyroid levels (and help speed up a sluggish metabolism).

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Now you know why it’s good for you, here are some great recipes for Wakame seaweed salad.


9 Delicious Wakame Seaweed Salads

1. Wakame Seaweed and Watermelon Salad

Wakame Seaweed and Watermelon Salad

Wakame Seaweed and Watermelon Salad by Yotam Ottolenghi – Photo by Colin Campbell for the Guardian

This beautiful Wakame salad combines sweet and savoury flavours in a unique and stylish way.

The firm texture of the Watermelon will help offset the soft chewiness of the Wakame, tied together by the tangy sesame dressing.

The watermelon sweetness also really helps to take the edge off any salty or fishy notes that come from the seaweed.

Therefore this recipe is a good one for people who are just trying to get used to eating seaweed for the first time.


2. Soba with Seaweed (Wakame), Cucumber and Asparagus

Soba Wakame Seaweed salad wiith Cucumbers and Asparagus
Soba Wakame Seaweed salad wiith Cucumbers and Asparagus – Photo by Daniel Gritzer

This very simple recipe for seaweed salad pasta uses Wakame and Cucumber to give your Soba a salty, crispy twist.

The soba noodle is a Japanese staple, and is a serious comfort food whether eaten hot or cold.

It’s made from buckwheat, therefore it is a healthier alternative to other asian noodles made from rice or egg.

As a result this recipe is quite low in calories, but still filling enough to be eaten as a main.

The noodle and asparagus combination fills you up, while the cucumber and wakame seaweed are refreshing.

Finally, you can even make this recipe in bulk to eat for multiple meals. the starchy vegetables and seaweed won’t wilt quickly in your fridge overnight.


3. Crusted Tofu with Wakame and Lime

crusted tofu with wakame seaweed and lime
Yotam Ottolenghi – Crusted Tofu with Wakame Seaweed and Lime – Photo by Colin Campbell for the Guardian

The Wakame in this seaweed salad is secondary to the delicate crunch of the tofu, but helps create a filling nutritious meal instead of just an entree.

Once on the plate, this dish looks far more complex and sophisticated than it actually is to make.

So it’s a clever one to bring out as an starter for dinner parties, as it is pretty simple to put together without a lot of prep time.

The crispy tofu has a really decadent texture, a bit like popcorn chicken but lighter, you will hardly notice that it is tofu.

The dressing in this recipe has a bit of a kick to it, with srircha chili sauce as one of the main ingredients.

But if you don’t like your meals too spicy you can leave this out, as the lime juice and sesame oil will already add flavour.

Groundnut oil is another ingredient that you may find tricky to find. However, you can easily substitute this with sunflower oil or canola oil.


4. Sea Scallops with Wakame and Sesame

Sea Scallops with wakame and sesame
Sea scallops with wakame seaweed and sesame – Photo by Jason Hamilton

Scallops are one of  my absolute favourite seafoods.

Therefore I love this Wakame Seaweed salad recipe as it combines two beautiful ingredients from the ocean.

The salty seaweed and tangy pickled ginger really lift the delicate flavor of the scallop.

In addition to the flavours, you will get a beautiful presentation dish you can use to introduce Wakame to the most elegant company.

However it’s actually a very simple recipe to put together.

Scallops in their shell are one of the easiest seafoods to prep, as they are small and easy to separate from the shell for cleaning.

The important trick is not overcooking them in the pan, they only need 30-50 seconds on each side. Any longer and they become chewy and tasteless.

Last but not least, don’t forget to pair this with a nice wine or sake after all your hard work.


5. Wakame Seaweed Salad with Mung Bean Noodles and Prawns

Wakame Seaweed Salad with Mung Bean Noodles and Asian Slaw
Mung Bean Noodles with Wakame Asian Slaw – photo by Mere makes a mess

A great recipe for fussy young eaters, Mung Bean noodles are very low in calories but fun to eat.

In addition to this, the recipe is gluten free.

There is some punch to this dish, if mung bean noodles sound at first a bit tasteless.

The Wakame seaweed binds its naturally salty taste to the otherwise bland noodle, together with a spicy srircha dressing on the noodles and a sesame vinaigrette that is mixed in with the cabbage slaw.

It’s an easy dish to taste as you go, and avoid overseasoning by gradually adding herbs and spices to your liking, and tossng it through the salad.

Add some grilled prawns on top for protein, this works well with the seaweed and asian flavors of the sauces.

However, you could easily eat this without the prawns as a vegetarian meal.


6. Shrimp Burger with Wakame Salad

shrimp burger with wakame salad on plate
Shrimp Burger with Wakame Salad – Photo by The Itchy Kitchen

Who doesn’t love a good burger?

So this recipe isn’t exactly a salad. But it is so much more than that.

Combine fast food with good food by trying this burger with Wakame seaweed instead of the usual tomato and lettuce.

This recipe uses store bought wakame seaweed salad, but if you want to make it from scratch, scroll down to the Simple Wakame Seaweed Salad recipe at the bottom of this article.

This is a dish best made fresh, with toasty and crisp burger buns to balance the smooth seaweed and the dense shrimp pattie.

Most of the prep is for the shrimp patties which is super easy with a food processor at home.

After this is complete, it’s simply a matter of layering all the ingredients on the burger bun and you are ready to eat.


7. Sunomono (Japanese Cucumber and Wakame Salad)

Japanese Cucumber Salad Sunomono
Japanese Cucumber Salad (Sunomono) – Photo by Nariko Chen

Sunomono is a classic Japanese salad with light cucumber alongside the soft salty wakane seaweed.

The combination of soy sauce, ginger and vinegar makes a side dish that is tangy and refreshing.

The name of this meal actually refers to vinegar based dishes, which are popular to serve in Japan during the intensely hot summers.

Therefore the ingredients here are designed to be cooling, and the sour taste of vinegar excites your appetite for the main meal to come.

It’s a salad that pairs very well with grilled seafood and meat.

As there are only two ingredients other than the dressing, preparing this dish is very simple.

The the most important part is removing the excess moisture from the cucumbers and the seaweed so the salad is not too soggy.


8. Japanese Rice Bowl with Teriyaki Marinated Salmon, Wakame & Edamame Beans

Japanese Rice Bowl with Teriyaki Marinated Salmon, Wakame & Edamame Beans on table
Japanese Rice Bowl with Teriyaki Marinated Salmon, Wakame & Edamame Beans – Photo by Josephine Malene

This Teriyaki Salmon with avocado recipe is to die for.

But with the Wakame added to it you will want to live long enough to finish the whole bowl.

The sweet Wakame seaweed salad with the fatty goodness of the salmon and avocado tastes heavenly.

The salmon is the star of this dish. You can make your own teriyaki marinade as per the instructions, or substitute with a store bought version if you prefer to save some time.

In addition to the health benefits of the salmon and greens on the plate, you can also swap the white rice to brown rice without compromising on flavor.

As the seaweed and edamame balance the oily fish and rice, this is a hearty main that you can eat all year round without feeling weighed down.


9. Simple Wakame Seaweed Salad

Simple Wakame Seaweed Salad on table
SImple Wakame Seaweed Salad – Photo by Gourmet Traveller

This Wakane Seaweed salad is a simplified version of the classic found in many sushi shops, but with no less of an impact.

It uses dried wakame instead of fresh wakame, which is easier to find in grocery stores, and just as easy to prepare.

The blades of the dried seaweed look more like flat ribbons than noodles, and the colour is a darker khaki green.

However when prepared with vinegar and sesame seeds, the taste is similar to what you would find in your local restaurant.

If you prefer the flavors to be even closer to the original, consider adding Mirin to the dressing as this is closer to the traditional Japanese recipe.

Light and fresh, with a little bite from the sesame, it will clean your palate on a hot summer day.


Final Thoughts

I hope you enjoyed some of these great recipes, and appreciate now how simple and easy it can be to mix in some nutritious seaweed into your diet!

Wakame seaweed is surprisingly versatile ingredient to use for both a main and a side dish.

Summer is the best time to eat this salad, as it is cool and refreshing to eat.

As I have mentioned in some of the recipes above, you can make your own salad using dried seaweed that you can find in many supermarkets.

If you would prefer to skip this step, you can purchase the salad pre-made from a sushi shop or a frozen version in your local asian grocery store.

Cucumbers and salad greens feature a lot in these recipes, are you interested in growing your own?

With an indoor hydroponic garden, these vegetables and fruits are very easy to grow.

Learn more about the best hydroponic plants to grow indoors over here with our handy article on this topic.


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Bel Herron

Ecostalk is your destination for finding and sharing great green ideas to help you live healthier, happier and in a more sustainable way.

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