Goma-ae (ごまえ) is a classic Japanese side dish that features blanched spinach tossed in a creamy and aromatic, rich, nutty sesame dressing.
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What is goma-ae?
Goma-ae refers to goma (sesame) and ae (to mix or dress) in Japanese.
This vegetable side dish is a staple in Japanese cuisine, which pairs perfectly with a variety of proteins, noodles, and rice.
There are many variations using different vegetables, including spinach, bok choy, green beans, or kale.
Why you'll love this recipe
Quick & easy: similar to Korean-style spinach, this simple Japanese spinach dish comes together in under 10 minutes.
Nutty & creamy: the toasted sesame seeds add richness and depth of flavor to the spinach salad.
Delicious: it's a tasty way to enjoy leafy greens with an aromatic and nutty twist.
Minimal ingredients: with a few pantry ingredients, you can easily whip up the sesame sauce to toss into the blanched spinach.
Versatile: pairs with numerous dishes, including steamed rice, ramen noodles, chicken yakitori, or beef yaki udon.
Ingredients you'll need
- spinach: washed and trimmed; I like using baby spinach which is more tender
- white sesame seeds: toasted; you can also use black sesame or a mix of both
- soy sauce: regular soy sauce; use tamari if gluten-free
- mirin: Japanese rice wine; you can sub with sake or dry sherry
- granulated sugar: or sweetener of your choice such as honey, maple syrup
- sesame oil: toasted
Where to find?
You can find these ingredients at Asian grocery stores or large supermarkets.
How to make Japanese spinach (goma-ae)
Blanch the spinach:
Bring a large pot of water to a boil.
Add in spinach and blanch for 30 seconds.
Drain spinach and immediately rinse under cold running water, or place into an ice bath.
Squeeze the spinach out of excess moisture and cut into bite-sized pieces.
Place spinach into a bowl. Set aside.
Make the sesame dressing:
Toast the sesame seeds in a dry pan over medium heat until fragrant, about 3-5 minutes.
Transfer to a mortar & pestle, or small food processor and grind until the sesame seeds form a coarse paste.
Mix in soy sauce, mirin, sugar, and sesame oil.
Assemble:
Add the sesame dressing to the spinach and toss until well coated.
Garnish with additional toasted sesame seeds.
Serve at room temperature or chilled.
How to serve
Serve the Japanese spinach with creamy sesame sauce as a side dish paired with steamed rice, wafu pasta, baked salmon, chicken yakitori, miso soup, or beef udon.
Add it to a bento box with sushi rolls: try shrimp tempura sushi, unagi nigiri, or spicy tuna sushi rolls.
Pair with spicy salmon onigiri, or onigirazu.
How to store
Chill the Japanese sesame spinach in the fridge until ready to serve.
Store any leftover sesame spinach salad in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 day.
You can prepare the sesame sauce ahead of time and dress it over the blanched spinach when ready to serve.
Do not freeze.
Expert tips
Toast the seeds: use freshly toasted sesame seeds for maximum flavor.
Ensure the spinach is dry: squeeze excess water out of the blanched spinach to prevent the dressing from becoming watery.
Adjust the sweetness to taste: you can adjust the overall sweetness by adding more sugar, or a touch of honey or maple syrup.
Try different greens: while spinach is the most common, you can also use green beans, kale, gai lan, or broccolini.
Short on time? Use tahini sesame paste or Chinese zhi ma jiang as a shortcut. You won't get that super toasty nutty flavor, but it will do in a pinch.
If the sauce is too thick for your liking, add a tiny splash of hot water to loosen, or add a touch more sesame oil.
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Japanese Spinach with Creamy Sesame (Goma-ae)
For accuracy and precision in baking recipes, use weight (metric) measurements when available.
Ingredients
Main:
- 300 g spinach washed and trimmed
Sesame sauce:
- 3 tablespoon white sesame seeds toasted
- 2 teaspoon soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon mirin (Japanese rice wine)
- 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
- ½ teaspoon sesame oil
Instructions
Blanch the spinach:
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil.
- Add in spinach and blanch for 30 seconds.
- Drain spinach and immediately rinse under cold running water, or place into an ice bath.
- Squeeze the spinach out of excess moisture and cut into bite-sized pieces.
- Place spinach into a bowl. Set aside.
Make the sesame dressing:
- Toast the sesame seeds in a dry pan over medium heat until fragrant, about 3-5 minutes.
- Transfer to a mortar & pestle or small food processor and grind until the sesame seeds form a coarse paste.
- Mix in soy sauce, mirin, sugar, and sesame oil.
Assemble:
- Add the sesame dressing to the spinach and toss until well coated.
- Garnish with additional toasted sesame seeds.
- Serve at room temperature or chilled.
Nutrition
The nutritional information provided should be considered as approximate and is not guaranteed. Please use your best judgment to ensure food is safely prepared and/or a good fit for your diet.
Dawn
Spinach is something I always have on hand because I enjoy it so much! I can't wait to give this recipe a try, Michelle...it looks and sounds absolutely delicious!
Michelle
Thanks Dawn, we too always have spinach on hand -- usually get the Costco-sized tubs, so it's a great way to turn it into a delicious side dish!
Ben | Havocinthekitchen
Nice and easy! I love to use sesame seeds for salad dressings, so I'd definitely love this variation.
Michelle
Thanks Ben! It's so easy to whip up and adds so much flavor to the spinach 🙂
David @ Spiced
Oh that sesame dressing sounds absolutely fantastic! I have all the ingredients, so I think I need to whip this up like right now...
Michelle
Thanks David! Yes, it comes together so quickly and grinding the sesame seeds in a mortar and pestle is so much fun! You can see the seeds transition to a creamy paste! 😀
Raymund | angsarap.net
Another simple yet delicious way to enjoy spinach! The creamy, nutty sesame dressing adds so much richness to the dish, making it a perfect side to complement a variety of meals.
Michelle
Thanks Raymund, it's one of our favorite fast and easy ways to get veggies on the table! 🙂