Wakame Recipe
seaweed salad. pickled onion. ponzu. roasted garlic. negi. sesame.
Was this page helpful?
Help improve this recipe for others.
Send this recipe to your inbox.
We'll email it straight to you - plus weekly cooking inspiration.
Ingredients
Some product links may be affiliates. If you buy through them, you're supporting the site and Pekin may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.
Wakame Salad
Pickled Onion
Ponzu-Roasted Garlic Dressing
Roasted Garlic
Finishes & Seasoning
Method
Roasted Garlic
- 1
Prepare and roast garlic
Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Slice the top off the garlic head to expose the cloves, place on a small piece of foil, drizzle with 1 tsp olive oil and sprinkle 1/8 tsp salt. Wrap in foil and roast 30–35 minutes until soft and golden. Remove from oven, cool until safe to handle, then squeeze out and mash the roasted garlic into a smooth paste. Yield: about 1 clove-equivalent of soft roasted garlic paste.
Pickled Onion
- 2
Quick-pickle onions
Place 1/2 cup thinly sliced red onion in a small bowl or jar. Whisk together 2 tbs rice vinegar, 2 tbs water, 1 tsp sugar and 1/4 tsp kosher salt until sugar dissolves. Pour over the onions, press down so they’re submerged, cover and let sit at room temperature for at least 15 minutes (or refrigerate up to 2 hours). For best flavor, allow 30 minutes.
Wakame Salad
- 3
Rehydrate wakame
Place 1 cup dried wakame in a bowl and pour 2 cups cold water over it. Let soak 8–10 minutes until rehydrated and tender. Drain in a fine-mesh sieve and press gently to remove excess water. Chop larger pieces into bite-sized lengths if needed, roughly 1–2 inches.
- 4
Prepare vegetables
Thinly slice cucumber and negi. If cucumber is watery, lightly salt (a pinch) and let sit 5 minutes then pat dry. Combine the drained wakame, 1/2 cup sliced cucumber and 1/4 cup sliced negi in a mixing bowl.
Ponzu-Roasted Garlic Dressing
- 5
Make dressing
In a small bowl whisk together 3 tbs ponzu, 1/2 tbs light soy sauce, 1/2 tbs rice vinegar, 1/2 tsp toasted sesame oil, 1/2 tsp grated fresh ginger, 1 tsp neutral oil and 1/2 tsp mirin (optional). Add the roasted garlic paste (about 1 clove equivalent) and whisk until combined and slightly emulsified. Taste and adjust: add a little lemon/yuzu (1/2 tsp) or more ponzu if brighter acidity is desired.
Assembly & Finishes
- 6
- 7
Season and finish
Taste and season with the remaining 1/8 tsp salt if needed, a light drizzle (1/4 tsp) toasted sesame oil for aroma, and a pinch (1/8 tsp) shichimi or chili flakes if using. Sprinkle 1 tbs toasted sesame seeds on top. Serve immediately or chill 10–15 minutes to meld flavors.