How to Make Asian Seaweed Salad

Healthy Seaweed Salad – This healthy seaweed salad is much healthier than what you will find at a sushi restaurant and much cheaper too. Six simple ingredients make up this seaweed salad with optional garnishes from sesame seeds, ginger or avocado.

What to expect in this post about Seaweed Salad:

So many readers have continued to ask questions and I thought updating this recipe post for Seaweed Salad with more details on what to buy, where to buy and how to use Wakame, would be helpful.

• Where to buy Seaweed
• How to Make the Healthiest Seaweed Salad
• 5 Surprising Health Benefits of Eating Seaweed
• Our Healthy Seaweed Salad Recipe

Enjoy!

Try to Make Homemade Seaweed Salad – it’s Tastier, Healthier and you Choose Your Harvester!

Every time I go to a sushi restaurant I order the seaweed salad, which is the perfect example of “clean eating” food! The seaweed is always very pricey though and then they give me these teeny tiny portions, so I never have enough to eat, which I find very frustrating.

I was determined to make an inexpensive seaweed salad that tastes delicious and I can eat a bigger serving without spending the money. Of course, it’s not exactly the same seaweed you get in the Japanese restaurants, but I actually liked it even better.

Where Can You Buy the Best Seaweed?

If you’re lucky enough to live where they harvest and sell local seaweed, then by all means… get it local. However, dried seaweed is rather easy to find and works great in this seaweed salad recipe.

For the past few months I have been scouring the internet for the best sources to find seaweed for this delicious seaweed salad. Here’s what I have found to help you find the healthiest and most nutrient dense seaweed right here in the United States.

#1: Maine Coast Sea Vegetables – Alaria Wakame

I am so impressed with this delicious brand of seaweed to use in the seaweed salad. There is a little bit more prep work needed, but I think it’s worth it. This Maine Sea Coast brand is harvested on the Maine coastline by a small business. Not only are you getting local ingredients, but you can guarantee it is harvested healthily.

I’ve ordered from Maine Sea Coast twice now and excited to try out the kombu when soaking beans next.

Dried seaweed takes a little more prep work, but I have found that this Alaria Wakame from Maine Sea Coast is the best solution. For quick and easy purchasing, I find it easiest to just add it to my amazon cart here.

To learn how to best hygrade the dried Alaria, keep reading. I share some quick tips to prepping the Alaria to make it easy to enjoy.

#2: Sea Tangle Mixed Sea Vegetables

This Sea Tangle brand of Mixed Sea Vegetables comes in a pouch ready to eat. There’s no hydrating necessary. You just need to wash the seaweed before using. I have found the best price for this at Thrive Market – only $3.49 for 6 oz and it’s harvested right here in the United States!

Each bag of Mixed Sea Vegetables could have up to 12 different kinds of seaweed — which might be a little bit more than you bargained for when making this seaweed salad. However, it is very tasty and worth every cent.

How to Make the Healthiest Seaweed Salad?

Not all Seaweed Salads are healthy, believe it or not. Yes, you may still be getting the main seaweed ingredient, but how it’s selected, harvested and seasoned does make a difference. Learn a little bit more about making the perfect seaweed salad below:

#1: Use Wakame or Alaria Seaweed

Wakame seaweed is a dark green, leafy green that is the most commonly used for this seaweed salad. You can also use mild-tasting arame and hijiki.

Just like there are different varieties of lettuce(romaine, arugula, etc.) there are also different varieties of seaweed.

Wakame is pleasantly tasty with a subtly sweet flavor. It can be used for salad or in soup (I’m pretty sure this is the seaweed they use in miso soup). Wakame, classified as a “brown algae”, is also incredibly nutritious.

#2: Soak the Seaweed for 10-15 Minutes

Seaweed salad is beyond easy to make. All you need to do is soak the seaweed in warm water for a few minutes and it will begin to rehydrate.

Something we learned from following the instructions at Maine Sea Coast was to steam after rinsing. Pleasantly enough, it softened up the seaweed even more making it easier to prepare.

So, if you have the time, go for a nice steaming over boiling water first.

Notice white spots on your seaweed? Have no fear, it’s not mold. The white spots you’re seeing is dried on sea salt that just needs to be rinsed off!

#3: Make an Asian-inspired Vinaigrette Dressing

Then you dress your salad with a light Asian-inspired vinaigrette such as the one in the recipe below.

We mixed together some classic seaweed salad ingredients like sesame oil, rice wine vinegar and coconut aminos. Then added a little bit of honey, minced ginger and garlic.

Just a few simple ingredients make this the most satisfying bowl of seaweed salad we’ve ever had. Just ask my husband — he finished an entire bag of hydrated Alaria Seaweed Salad in one afternoon!

5 BIG Surprising Benefits of Eating Seaweed Salad

Seaweed salad is good for you because seaweed is a Sea Vegetable which is a SUPER Foods! Actually all sea vegetables (seaweed) are extremely nutrient rich, especially in minerals. Asian cultures prize seaweed for its ability to promote good health, beauty and a long life.

#1: Seaweed Supports Thyroid Function

For those of us with a thyroid disorder, eating seaweed salad would be an excellent part of a daily diet change. Iodine is found in this superfood that provides support to our thyroid function. Even if you don’t have a thyroid disorder or disease, getting a regular dose of this iodine-providing nutrient is healthy for your body overall.

#2: Wakame Seaweed for this Seaweed Salad has 4 x the Iron over Beef

When people tell us that you can’t get enough nutrients and minerals when eating plant-focused (no, we are not vegan), this is one of the many truths I share with them.

#3: Wakame has 10 times the Calcium than in Milk

We are dairy free here at Clean Cuisine and you can learn more about that HERE. We also do not believe that milk does a body good because of the negative impacts of drinking milk. After hijiki, wakame is the seaweed highest in calcium and it’s what we recommend in this seaweed salad recipe.

#4: Incredible Detoxifying Benefits

As a group, seaweed is known to have detoxifying benefits. Learn more from Dr. Axe as about how super seaweed really is. Eating seaweed has also been studied for possible anti-cancer effects. And, it must be a potent anti-inflammatory too as ancient Chinese texts report, “there is no swelling that is not relieved by seaweed.”

#5: Contains Protective Antioxidants

We talk a lot about antioxidants and their incredible benefit to our bodies. Antioxidants help to protect our bodies from unstable substances called free radicals. They make it less likely for those free radicals to damage cells.

If you have an excess of free radicals or production, it is likely the cause of underlying diseases and heart conditions.

Now that I think about it, maybe that’s why so many spas offer seaweed wraps? I’m claustrophobic so the last thing I’m gonna do is let someone bind me up in seaweed in the hopes of shrinking the size of my butt. However, I’ll certainly have a big bowlful for lunch if that helps matters!

Seaweed Salad Recipe

This recipe uses just a few simple ingredients. In the recipe card below I give you some quick options for for the vinegar flavor and the sweetness. Then, top your seaweed salad with some delicious sesame seeds, avocado and/or ginger.

Enjoy.

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Love Asian Inspired Foods?

We have a few more recipes here at Clean Cuisine that I know you will really enjoy.

Easy Pad Thai with Cashew Cream

Shrimp Scampi with Zucchini Noodles

Simple Orange Chicken Recipe