Japanese-style mizuna salad with silken tofu, cucumbers, and tomatoes tossed in a creamy, nutty sesame dressing.
This sesame mizuna salad is a delicious quick and easy side dish you can throw together in 15 minutes! It’s perfect for getting in a little extra veg, protein, and healthy fats. The Japanese sesame dressing really ties it all together and makes eating veggies super easy and tasty!
Key Ingredients
- Mizuna ⟶ Also known as Japanese mustard greens, they add a light, crisp texture. They’re a nice alternative when you’re bored of lettuce-based salads.
- Cucumbers ⟶ Use Japanese or Persian cucumbers if you can since they are less watery and have little-to-no seeds, as opposed to American or English cucumbers which are thicker, more watery, and have bigger seeds.
- Tomatoes ⟶ They add a nice pop of color but can be omitted or swapped for another veggie (see “Tips for Success”).
- Silken Tofu ⟶ For protein and a creamy component to balance out the crunchy veggies.
- Japanese Sesame Dressing ⟶ Most store-bought dressings are not vegan as they include egg/mayonnaise, so I recommend making your own. See my recipe for homemade Japanese sesame dressing.
Tips for Success
Add tofu just before serving ⟶ The tofu will release water as it sits, so if you assemble the salad beforehand, wait to add the tofu. If you have time, you can also place the cubed tofu on a plate and let it sit for 10 minutes, then drain off the water.
Dress salad just before serving ⟶ The dressing will pull water out of the cucumbers and tomatoes, making the salad soggy and watery. So add the dressing when you’re ready to serve the salad.
Prep dressing in advance ⟶ While I don’t recommend assembling the salad in advance, you can prepare the dressing ahead of time as it will last up to a week in the fridge.
Customize it ⟶ Feel free to switch up the cucumbers and tomatoes for other veggies like corn, radishes, avocado, bell pepper, carrots, etc.
Sesame Mizuna Salad FAQ
Is this salad gluten-free?
This mizuna salad is gluten-free as long as you use a gluten-free sesame dressing, or make your own sesame dressing with tamari instead of soy sauce.
What is mizuna?
Mizuna is a Japanese mustard green. It has a light, crunchy texture and can be just slightly bitter. Use both the stems and leaves in cooking. Mizuna is used raw in salads and also cooked in hot pot/nabemono 鍋物.
Where do I buy mizuna?
While less common in Western supermarkets, you can find mizuna in Japanese supermarkets (like Nijiya, Tokyo Central, Marukai, Mitsuwa, and Seiwa in the US).
Can I replace the mizuna for another veggie?
If you can’t find mizuna, you can use lettuce, spinach, kale, or cabbage. For kale and cabbage, I recommend massaging them first with some of the dressing to soften the leaves.
More Easy Salads and Sides
- Spinach Goma-ae
- Broccoli Goma-ae
- Simple Marinated Celery Salad
- Easy Cucumber Ponzu Salad
- Natto with Kimchi and Enoki Mushrooms
- Tataki Kyuri (Japanese Smashed Cucumbers)
- Tofu and Green Onion Salad
If you make this sesame mizuna salad, don’t forget to leave a comment/rating down below and tag me in your photos on instagram @ellielikes.cooking. I love seeing all of your tasty recreations!
Sesame Mizuna Salad
Ingredients
- 100 grams mizuna
- 1 Japanese cucumber, julienned
- ½ cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- 150 grams silken tofu, cubed
- ½ batch
Japanese sesame dressing
Instructions
- Rinse and dry the mizuna (dirt tends to hide near the stems). Cut off and discard the bottom stems of the mizuna. Chop the mizuna into 2-inch pieces.
- Add mizuna to a salad bowl and place cucumbers, tomatoes, and tofu on top. Drizzle sesame dressing over (you may not need all of it).Tip: Silken tofu is very delicate and will break when you toss the salad. For nice presentation, you can serve the salad untossed with dressing on the side or dressing drizzled on top but not tossed. Or, you can toss together all the ingredients except tofu, then add the tofu on top.
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