17 Easy Japanese Side Dishes

These easy Japanese side dishes are so simple and flavorful. They will not fail you with their unique Asian flair. Japan is famous for its diverse and healthy yet flavor-packed entrees, accompanied by rich side dishes.

Regarding Japanese side dishes, there are endless possibilities to suit your appetite. From fermented vegetables to rice-based sides, you’ll never cease to be amazed by the creativity of Japanese cuisine!

Explore the most delectable Japanese side dishes to add to your rotation. These dishes will shift your perspective about how sides should be made!

Japanese Side Dishes That Are Worth A Spot On Your Dinner Table

In Japan, side dishes are a compulsory part of any meal at family dinners. These awesome side dishes can make all the difference if you want to elevate your next Japanese-themed dinner. So, let’s check them out!

1. Nasu Dengaku (Miso Glazed Eggplant)

Total time: 15 minutes

Nasu degake is an exciting way to transform your eggplant into a savory side dish that you should take note of! The presence of sweet and salty miso sauce and sesame seeds takes the vegetable to the next level.

The brown hue of a perfectly grilled eggplant and a miso sauce and mirin will catch your attention, and the flavor is out of words. The eggplant is pan-fried and then briefly broiled to achieve perfect tenderness.

The secret to preparing eggplant is to make criss cross cuts in the interior flesh without going through the outer skin. This allows the miso sauce to penetrate better into the flesh, and the final result is savory, sweet, and smoky eggplant to savor.

Miso glazed eggplant is a Japanese delicacy that highlights the deep savoriness of miso.

2. Green Bean Gomaae (Japanese Green Bean Salad With Sesame Sauce)

Total time: 20 minutes

Green bean gomaae is a traditional Japanese side dish that you will love to use with many different protein-packed mains or enjoy with piping-hot white rice. It’s fresh, a little sweet, and very easy to make.

Crushed sesame seeds are mixed with soy sauce and sugar to create a simple yet flavorful sauce that can transform the green beans into something wow-inspiring. The sauce is so versatile that you can use it with any type of vegetable too.

3. Japanese Cabbage Pancakes

Total time: 20 minutes

Okonomiyaki, or Japanese cabbage pancake, is a must-try Japanese side dish or appetizer. Their golden-brown color might give you some good hints about their crispy and crunchy texture.

These pancakes are surprisingly tasty and healthy, considering they are prepared with cabbage rather than a sweet batter. The naturally sweet taste of cabbage and nutty sesame oil is purely blissful.

Reward yourself with an easy-to-make green apple smoothie after a long day at work.

4. Japanese Cucumber Salad

Total time: 15 minutes

Japanese cucumber salad brings you a sweet and tangy flavor thanks to a simple mixture of vinegar, Chile oil, and sesame oil. Most importantly, the sliced cucumber must be well-chopped to be extra thin.

The green color of cucumbers and bright ground peanuts, with a decent amount of sesame on top, bring a touch of freshness to every bite.

The mixing vinegar used in the salad is sour and subtly sweet. It also offers a pungent taste to your salad which makes this salad a must-have for any summer BBQ. It’s ideal for serving this salad within a few hours of making it for a perfect flavor.

5. Teriyaki Atsuage (Japanese Deep-Fried Tofu With Teriyaki Sauce)

Total time: 10 minutes

Here is a tofu recipe that will leave you in awe: teriyaki tofu. It is deep-fried tofu with teriyaki sauce made of soy sauce and mirin. Perfect for an appetizer, side dish, and vegan-friendly, Teriyaki Atsuage is a must-try.

The mellow taste of soy sauce combined with the flavor of mirin, and the slightly pungent smell of scallions, are so on point. Besides, the crisp yellow skin on the outside and the extra soft inside are impossible to resist with the first bite.

If atsuage (deep-fried tofu) is greasy, you can give it a grease pat with a paper towel to remove extra fat. Whenever atsusage is unavailable, Momen tofu (firm tofu) is an acceptable alternative. Yet, giving the tofu a firm press is essential so all the moisture can be squeezed out.

6. Hijiki Salad (Japanese Seaweed Salad)

Total time: 20 minutes

You’ve probably heard of seaweed salad, but have you heard of Hijiki salad? Hijiki is a nutrient-packed brown seaweed found along East Asia’s rugged coastlines, including Japan, China, and Korea. It has a distinctly savory, mushroom-like flavor.

This dish is a combination of carrots, soybean, and a mixture of various sauces. It would be flavorful with a sweet and salty taste from the hijiki. With umami flavors from mirin (Japanese cooking wine), this salad will surely stimulate your appetite.

With a distinctive look with much black seaweed and a touch of yellow edamame beans and orange carrots, this salad makes a stunning addition to any table. Hijiki salad is always served with tempura and miso soup in small serving sizes.

You shouldn’t miss out on this refreshing, easy-to-make Hijiki Salad.

7. Korokke (Japanese Potato Croquettes)

Total time: 40 minutes

Korokke is an interesting Japanese take on classic potato croquettes. Its perfect golden brown color gives a hint of crunchiness. Take a bite to indulge in the comforting filling of mashed potatoes and ground beef.

The texture of the hoku hoku, the name of the filling, is hard to describe with words. Anyone who has tried it says it is the blissful blend of warmth and softness. You can make those beautiful croquettes within an hour. Mixing flour and egg together helps save you one step in the making!

Korokke is a Japanese dish that will delight any potato lover!

8. Wakame (Japanese Seaweed Salad)

Total time: 10 minutes

This refreshing Japanese seaweed salad is one of the most popular side dishes at dinner tables in Japan. The recipe calls for the easiest ingredients you might already have: green seaweed and black sesame seeds.

Baby cucumbers are cut into slices and combined with soy sauce, sugar, garlic, and red chili flakes to build the flavors for this side dish. This tangy salad is also blessed with umami soy sauce and spicy red pepper flakes that ensure an explosive flavor.

This side dish is ideal for a midsummer dinner since it is flavorful, light, and refreshing. Allow it to marinate in the fridge for at least 30 minutes, or longer if time permits, so all the flavors can seep deep into vegetables.

9. Japanese Grilled Rice Balls (Yaki Onigiri)

Total time: 30 minutes

Yaki Onigiri, also known as Japanese grilled rice balls, is one of the most irresistible rice dishes to make at home. Enjoy these balls with popular fillings like salted salmon, tuna with mayo, umeboshi (pickled plums), or simply plain, as in this recipe.

The rice balls are white rice formed into triangular or oval shapes. Grilling them results in a crispy texture outside and soft and fluffy inside. Soy sauce, miso paste, and mirin add wonderful flavors to your yaki onigiri.

10. Japanese Zucchini

Total time: 13 minutes

Zucchini, rich in antioxidants, is a perfect ingredient for vegetarians and can be easily made gluten-free. It is popularly served at Japanese restaurants or in Japanese households as a side dish.

Japanese zucchini is a simple stir fry of zucchini, sweet onion, and soy sauce or teriyaki sauce. The mild and sweet zucchini will take on the pungent soy sauce and savory teriyaki sauce. Top it with black pepper or red pepper flakes for extra heat.

This recipe can be served over rice for a delightful vegetarian meal or as a side dish for meaty entrees such as grilled seafood, chicken, or steak.

11. Shio Kombu “Takikomi Gohan” (Japanese-Seasoned Rice)

Total time: 55 minutes (including 30 minutes of soaking time)

Indulge in this Takikomi Gohan, a wonderful and comforting mixed rice with seasonal vegetables.

In this recipe, rice is cooked with other common seasonal ingredients like mushrooms, chestnuts, and sweet potatoes. In addition, some variations include chicken thigh or breast, adding more meaty flavors and protein to the dish.

One tip to make the best Takikomi Gohan is to mix rice and other ingredients before cooking. When layering ingredients on top of the rice, start with harder ones, such as root vegetables, and add softer ones later.

12. Japanese Bean Sprouts Salad

Total time: 15 minutes

Bean sprout salad is a wonderful, inexpensive, healthy side dish for Japanese dinner meals. Bean sprouts are fat-free and high in fiber, so they are a filling, healthy option.

With a medley of milk-white bean sprouts and the vibrant green of onion, it is so colorful when paired with rice. Bean sprouts carry a nutty flavor and crispy texture, which is seriously addictive tossed in with sesame oil, soy sauce, and rice vinegar!

With this super quick guide, you can easily whip up a Japanese bean sprouts salad for your family.

13. Stir Fry Miso Eggplant

Total time: 20 minutes

Stir fry miso eggplant is a perfect dish for any eggplant lover because of its sweet and tender taste. In this recipe, eggplant is stir-fried and coated with a sweet miso glaze, offering an irresistibly silky, sumptuous texture.

Cut eggplants into cubes to help the eggplants cook more quickly and absorb more flavor. When eggplants are cooked through, they absorb all the delicious flavors of fruity sake and savory soy sauce in the miso glaze.

The entire dish of this recipe is so tempting, with the edges of the eggplant pieces wonderfully browned, but the interior is still quite tender. The dish will be more mouth-watering when sprinkled with scallion on top.

14. Tamagoyaki (Japanese Omelette)

Total time: 10 minutes

Tamagoyaki is a favorite among children and adults in Japan due to its slightly sweet flavor and custardy texture. This recipe is usually seen in any Japanese breakfast or side dish for bento lunches.

This popular recipe is created by stacking thin omelets in a frying pan, folding them into a log shape, and then slicing the log into pillows. It has a mildly sweet flavor as the egg mixture is seasoned with umami mirin and savory dashi (Japanese soup stock).

The sunny yellow of rolled omelets makes this recipe extremely mouth-watering. Adding other ingredients such as parsley, seaweed, cheese, salmon flakes, or minced meat into tamagoyaki is always a good idea. They add more flavors and visual appeal to the dish.

Get your Tamagoyaki ready in under 10 minutes with this instruction.

15. Tako Su (Octopus Salad)

Total time: 1 hour (including 45 minutes of soaking and chilling time)

Japanese cucumber salad with octopus sashimi is a perfect tangy side dish or appetizer for any summertime meal. The chewy octopus with a mild and sweet taste is the star of this dish.

Cucumber has a crunchy texture with a naturally sweet taste. The mixture is tangy, slightly sweet, and salty, with a crunch and chewiness. Thanks to the soy sauce, ginger, sesame oil, and red pepper flakes, the flavors in this zesty salad explode in your mouth.

With a medley of colors ranging from the vibrant green of cucumber to the golden toasted sesame seeds, the salad is a delightful side dish to serve with rice.

16. Izakaya Style Salted Cabbage

Total time: 5 minutes

These crunchy pieces of fresh cabbage are a fresh and delicious side dish that will make any meal extra special. The right choice of Japanese seasoning turns cabbage into an umami bomb.

Crunchy and sweet,  the sliced cabbage is perfectly seasoned with salt, pepper, and sesame oil to create a simple yet super-rich side dish. The salty chicken bouillon powder also provides this dish with a savory punch.

17. Kinpira Gobo (Japanese Burdock & Carrot Stir-Fry)

Total time: 30 minutes

Kinpira Gobo with stir-frying burdock root (gobo) and carrots is a sweet side dish guaranteed to refresh your taste buds. The texture is a cross between a stir-fry and a salad, giving you a unique mouthfeel on the first try.

This dish packs a nice, vibrant color of a carrot, burdock root, and toasted sesame. With simple seasonings, it boasts the earthy flavor of the burdock root and the savoriness from the soy sauce, brown sugar, and sake.

Kinpira gobo stays amazing even after a night in the fridge. This dish is a perfect make-ahead bento item or an appetizer for action-packed dinners. 

Easy Japanese Side Dish To Complement Your Meals

Side dishes are a perfect way to add nutrition to your meal and give it a unique kick of flavor. These authentic Japanese side dishes are nutrient-packed to promote healthy eating habits and also packed in flavors to satisfy your palate.

If you’re always in a rush, look no further than these simple and quick side dish recipes. If you have tried any of these recipes, let me know in the comment. Your likes and shares will be much appreciated, so please hit the buttons!