Featured Comment:
“I found your blog on Google while searching for sashimi salad recipes. I tried this and mixed it with some sashimi I got from 99 Ranch here in Los Angeles. So delish! I was surprised how rich and tempting the dressing tasted!”
– Esther
What is Sashimi Salad?
As the name suggests, sashimi salad is a simple dish made with salad vegetables such as lettuce, cucumber, and avocado topped with fresh slices of sashimi-grade fish. One of the best things about this recipe is that it’s ready in a flash, and you can add all your favorite kinds of sashimi and vegetables to suit your tastes. There are no rules here!
I also include how to make a delicious Japanese-style “wafu” dressing made with soy sauce, sugar, lemon juice, and grated garlic. This dressing requires just 30 seconds of cooking, so it’s perfect for a quick lunch or side with dinner!
What is Sashimi / Sushi Grade Fish?
To make a “Sashimi Salad,” sashimi is a crucial ingredient. But, what exactly is sashimi, and what kind of fish is used to make it?
Sashimi is raw fish that is sliced into pieces. Sushi or sashimi-grade fish means that the fish is caught and then safely stored and transported to ensure that it is parasite-free and safe to eat raw. You can purchase it either pre-sliced and ready to eat or in a block that can be sliced into your desired shapes and sizes.
Sashimi-grade fish is available at Japanese supermarkets or online. Please be cautious and do not eat raw fish unless you’re certain that it’s sushi/sashimi grade.
Common types of fish and seafood to use in sashimi salad are:
- Salmon (サーモン)
- Bluefin tuna (マグロ)
- Red snapper (タイ)
- Yellowtail (ブリ)
- Scallops (ホタテ)
- Squid (イカ)
- Sweet shrimp (甘エビ)
It’s up to you whether you want to stick to one kind or mix it up! I like to use a mixture myself!
Visual Walkthrough & Tips
Here are my step-by-step instructions for how to make Sashimi Salad with homemade Japanese wafu dressing. For ingredient quantities and simplified instructions, scroll down for the Printable Recipe Card below.
Pour the soy sauce, mirin, and sugar into a small saucepan and boil for 30 seconds. (Alternatively, microwave for 1 minute.) This step is to burn off the alcohol in the mirin. (If you’re not using mirin, you can skip this step.)
Allow the sauce to cool for a few minutes, and then transfer it to a measuring jug.
Add sesame seeds, sesame oil, olive oil, garlic paste, lemon juice, and white pepper to the jug. Whisk thoroughly until well combined and store in the refrigerator until serving time.
Wash and cut your vegetables into bitesize pieces according to your preference, then place them in a bowl.
Arrange the slices of sashimi on top.
Drizzle with the homemade dressing and mix well before eating.
Enjoy!
Jump to Full Recipe Measurements
How to Store
Storage depends on the freshness of your ingredients. Salad vegetables should be refrigerated and used within 1-2 days. Fresh sashimi should be stored separately in a sealed container in the fridge and consumed within 1 day of purchase. Once the whole salad is assembled, it should be eaten immediately. I don’t recommend preparing this salad in advance.
The dressing can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 week.
I hope you enjoy this Sashimi Salad recipe! If you try it out, I’d really appreciate it if you could spare a moment to let me know what you thought by giving a review and star rating in the comments below. It’s also helpful to share any adjustments you made to the recipe with our other readers. Thank you!
More Japanese Salad Recipes
- Japanese Potato Salad (Izakaya Style)
- Japanese Chicken Salad (with Homemade Dressing)
- Wakame Salad (Japanese Seaweed Salad)
- Japanese Style Avocado Egg Salad with Wasabi Mayo
Want more inspiration? Explore my Japanese Salad Roundup Post for a carefully selected collection of tasty recipe ideas to spark your next meal!
Sashimi Salad (with Homemade Japanese Wafu Dressing)
Equipment
- Yukihira saucepan
Ingredients
Homemade Wafu Dressing
- 1 tbsp Japanese soy sauce (koikuchi shoyu)
- 1 tbsp mirin
- 1 tsp sugar
- ½ tbsp toasted sesame oil
- ½ tbsp olive oil
- ½ tbsp toasted white sesame seeds
- ½ tsp garlic paste
- ½ tsp lemon juice
- 1 pinch ground white pepper
Salad Ingredients
- 30 g baby leaf spinach
- 150 g mixed leaf lettuce
- 1 avocado
- 100 g mini tomatoes
- 200 g sashimi-grade fish salmon, tuna, yellowtail etc thinly sliced
My recommended brands of ingredients and seasonings can be found in my Japanese pantry guide.
Can’t find certain Japanese ingredients? See my substitution guide here.
Instructions
- First, heat 1 tbsp Japanese soy sauce (koikuchi shoyu), 1 tbsp mirin and 1 tsp sugar together in a small saucepan. Allow to boil for 30 seconds and then remove from the heat.
- Transfer the mixture to heatproof jug or bowl.
- Slowly pour in the ½ tbsp toasted sesame oil and ½ tbsp olive oil while whisking vigorously. Once emulsified, add ½ tbsp toasted white sesame seeds, ½ tsp garlic paste, ½ tsp lemon juice and 1 pinch ground white pepper. Mix and store in the fridge until use.
- Place 30 g baby leaf spinach and 150 g mixed leaf lettuce in a bowl. Cube 1 avocado and half 100 g mini tomatoes, then scatter them around the bowl.
- Arrange 200 g sashimi-grade fish on the top. Whisk or shake the dressing before pouring. Pour the dressing over the salad right before serving, mix well and enjoy!
I found your blog on Google while searching for sashimi salad recipes. I tried this and mixed it with some sashimi I got from 99 Ranch here in Los Angeles. So delish! I was surprised how rich and tempting the dressing tasted! Unfortunately, I’ve never had mirin before and had to sub rice vinegar for it. The only thing I would suggest adding is cucumber; I did and it helped fill me up even more. お疲れ様！
Thanks for sharing!
HI Esther,
Thank you very much for trying this recipe and sharing your experience! I’m glad you enjoyed it!
I will make sure to add cucumber for additional ingredient idea when I update this post!
Yuto