Chinese Seaweed Salad

Name: Chinese Seaweed Salad
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 30 min
Ingredients: 6 oz fresh kelp ((seaweed)); 3 cloves garlic ((minced)); 1 inch ginger ((grated)); 4-5 stalks scallions ((chopped)); 4-5 Sichuan peppers; 3-4 stalks cilantro ((chopped)); 2 tbsp sesame oil; 1 tsp vinegar; 1 tsp soy sauce ((tamari for gluten-free)); 1 tsp salt; ½ tsp sugar; 1 tsp sesame seeds; 5 cups water

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This Chinese Seaweed Salad is umami, full of flavor and perfect as a side for any meal.

Enjoy with a main dish or simply dig into this for a flavorful snack or light meal.

Chinese Seaweed Salad in a white plate with chopsticks, and sauces and sesame seed on the side.

Salads are popular in every cuisine. Almost all of them have their signature salad. Indians have their kachumber and raita, Thai have mango and papaya salad, Mexican tortilla salad is popular and so is this Italian style salad.

And when it comes to Chinese cuisine, they are rich in salads too. Contrary to their meat rich dishes are some really light, flavorful and easy to make salads that are not necessarily mainstream. However, they are really yummy and I say that after trying them at multiple restaurants around.

This recipe of seaweed salad is something I have enjoyed at several Asian places and loved every version of it. Healthy, delicious and full of umami flavors.

Jump to:

What is Seaweed
Advantages of Seaweed
This Seaweed Salad
Why this recipe works
Ingredients and Substitutions
How to make this Seaweed Salad
Expert Tips and Notes
Recipe FAQs
Pairings
More Delicious Salad Recipes
Chinese Seaweed Salad

What is Seaweed

Seaweed is the common term used to describe lots of algae and marine plants. These are generally high in iodine and pretty healthy. MOST of them are okay to consume but in moderation. High in sodium, these can be converted to so many delicious recipes.

For culinary use, seaweed comes in various forms. It can be fresh kelp that is frozen and placed next to the seafood at the super market, dried kelp that needs to be rehydrated or wakame, which can be used as is.

Advantages of Seaweed

High in iodine, seaweed is great for people with hypothyroidism.
Seaweed is quite low in calories.
In recent years, there have been continuing studies on the use of seaweed in anti-cancer treatments.
Seaweed is high in protein, making it a great vegetarian form of protein.
It is also a moderate form of manganese and folate.

This Seaweed Salad

Have you chanced upon the neon green or dark green salad at sushi restaurants, hot pot places or other Asian restaurants? It may be something you gave a glance or something you tried.

I was intrigued by the appearance at a buffet for Hot Pot. I even asked the server if it was vegetarian. He said it was and I tried it. And since then, I have been a fan.

Also, I walk by the seafood aisles in the Asian store to simply find a box of seaweed to make this salad. I really wonder why it took so long for the recipe to come up here. But recently I saw Costco come up with a wakame salad and I had to share my version.

It starts with seaweed (obviously). And we combine that with aromatics sizzled in hot sesame oil for all the flavor and taste. Add in the sauces and you have one flavorful salad in minutes!

Why this recipe works

It is Vegan.
This seaweed salad is great at room temperature or fridge cold.
Much better than the store bought version as we can control what goes into it.
It is a healthy banchan or side for any meal.
Each serving has under 100 calories in all.
It is easy to pack this in the lunchbox.
A great make ahead recipe, it tastes great at room temperature or fridge cold.
This versatile recipe works with dried kelp, fresh kelp and wakame.
This recipe is also gluten-free with one simple substitution.
Store bought salads tend to have a lot of salt, sugar and sometimes even color. We can make a healthier version at home.
Moreover, it is a nut-free recipe.
It is super easy to pack in more vegetables in the salad.

Ingredients and Substitutions

Ingredients of Chinese seaweed salad arranged on a gray background.

Seaweed: We make this salad with fresh kelp (seaweed). It is available in the frozen aisles of Asian stores, generally placed where all the seafood is. This is fresh and needs no further processing to use. However, if using dried kelp; rehydrate before using.
Aromatics: I like to add ginger, garlic and scallions for flavor. These in hot oil are even more bold and give the perfect flavor.
Sesame Oil: Heated sesame oil is used to flash cook the aromatics. While any oil works, sesame oil is best for Asian recipes. It has a very nutty flavor and should be used if available.
Sichuan Peppers: I use the tongue tingling Sichuan peppers in the recipe. They add a lot of flavor to the recipe. Replace with chili flakes if these are unavailable.
Sauces: We use a little soy sauce and vinegar for flavoring the salad. Adding some chili sauce is a great idea too.
Seasonings: The only seasonings we need are salt and sugar. Everything else is covered in the sauces and aromatics. Some toasted sesame seeds do add a lot of crunch and work well for the salad.

See the recipe card for detailed ingredient information, measurements and nutrition.

How to make this Seaweed Salad

1- Remove 6 oz seaweed (kelp) from packaging and rinse in water to remove the excess salt on it. Cut with a pair of scissors if desired.

2- Drain and add with 5 cups of water in a large pan.

Collage steps to make Chinese Seaweed Salad; drain the seaweed and add to a pan of boiling water.

3- Then bring the water to a boil and cook for about 18-20 minutes (depending on the thickness, the time will vary).

4- Once they are tender yet chewable, transfer to a strainer and strain out the salty water.

Collage steps to make Chinese Seaweed Salad; boil the seaweed and drain them once cooked.

5- Transfer to a bowl.

6- Then add the following:

3-4 stalks cilantro
1 teaspoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon sesame seeds
1 teaspoon vinegar

Collage steps to make Chinese Seaweed Salad; add to a bowl and add condiments.

7- Next, in a pan heat 2 tablespoons sesame oil.

8- Add 4-5 Sichuan peppers to the oil and heat till it smokes.

Collage steps to make Chinese Seaweed Salad; heat oil and add sichuan peppers.

9- In a heat-proof bowl arrange the aromatics:

3 cloves garlic
4-5 stalks scallions
1 inch ginger

10- Then transfer the hot oil with the peppers into the bowl and mix well.

Collage steps to make Chinese Seaweed Salad; add aromatic in heat proof bowl and add hot oil.

11- Then pour this mix over the seaweed mix.

12- Mix everything well and serve at room temperature or fridge cold.

Collage steps to make Chinese Seaweed Salad; add tempering to seaweed and mix well before serving.

Expert Tips and Notes

Keep the seaweed frozen till ready to cook. As it is covered in salt, it will stick to each other if left out a long time as the salt begins to melt.
The seaweed is often super long and thick. In that case, chop it into pieces with a pair of scissors.
The hot oil helps flash cook the aromatics and make them super flavorful. Ensure the oil is hot enough.
Arrange everything for the hot oil in a single layer as that way everything gets cooked well and does not remain raw.
Adding more ingredients like celery, carrots and beans works. Adding peanuts or bean sprouts is an option too.
Refrigerate the salad; it does taste great straight from the refrigerator.
The salad can be kept in the refrigerator for 4-5 days. Just make sure the container and serve ware that touch the salad are clean.

A white bowl with seaweed salad, topped with garlic and chili and a pair of chopsticks on he side.

Recipe FAQs

Is it good for you to eat seaweed?

Seaweed is an increasingly popular ingredient in cuisines all over the world. It's the best dietary source of iodine, good in protein content and a moderate form of manganese and folate. Moreover, it has far less calories than other ingredients.

What does seaweed taste like?

Seaweed grows in seas and other water bodies. And thus, it has a salty taste. Though it is 100% vegetarian, it tends to have light notes of umami seafood flavor.

Can seaweed salad be made before hand?

Yes for sure. In fact, it is best to make this before hand. As the salad stands in the refrigerator, the flavors tend to become more pronounced.

Is seaweed salad high in salt?

Seaweed tends to come packed in foam packets coated with salt. We wash out the salt and boil the seaweed. Thus, it loses most of its salt content. Then, adding salt is optional. That is the real advantage of making the salad at home.

Can we add vegetables to Kelp Salad?

Certainly. Add carrots, beans, steamed broccoli or shredded carrots to kelp salad. Moreover, wood ear mushrooms make a great addition along with bean sprouts.