Shiraae is a creamy and savory Japanese mashed tofu salad with veggies and nutty ground sesame seeds. It’s loaded with plant based protein. You can make this traditional Japanese salad in just 15 minutes from start to finish! Plus I’ll teach you a trick on how to easily drain a block of tofu.
Why This Recipe Works
- Medium firm tofu provides a silky base for this traditional Japanese tofu salad.
- Mild yet poignant flavors that don’t get lost when served as part of a larger meal.
- Shiraae is proper Japanese shojin ryori. It’s 100% vegan on purpose.
Table of Contents
What is Shiraae
Shira-ae (白和え) is a traditional Japanese mashed tofu salad. Its silky, creamy texture comes from fork mashing tofu and mixing it with a simple medley of blanched carrots and spinach. Miso paste delivers mild (but not timid!) umami, and there’s a toasty nuttiness from ground sesame seeds. In terms of flavor, it’s similar to a Japanese spinach and sesame based goma-ae recipe. In Japan, this tofu salad is commonly served as shojin ryori.
What is Shojin Ryori
Think of shojin ryori as traditional Japanese Buddhist cuisine. There are no meat or animal products used as ingredients. Instead seasonal plant based ingredients like vegetables, soybeans and mushrooms are used to craft delicate salads, soups and pickles that are served together in small portions alongside steamed rice.
Shiraae Ingredients
Scroll to the bottom of this page for the full recipe steps and measurements!
- Tofu: I prefer using medium-firm or firm tofu. That’s what my Japanese mom uses – and I find it has the perfect crumbly-yet-silky texture for this recipe. Personally, I find soft tofu too watery for shiraae.
- Carrot: Carrots deliver a great earthy sweetness to this dish. Slice into thin sticks (about 1 1/2-inch long and 1/8-inch thick) for quick cooking and easy eating.
- Spinach: Baby spinach is best. English spinach would work too.
- Ground Sesame Seeds: Nutty perfection.
- Miso Paste: I use white miso paste for shira-ae. It has a mild savory umami flavor with an almost nutty, sweet fruitiness at play. You’ll mix the miso paste with a tablespoon of warm water. Read all about miso paste here.
- Sugar and Salt: Just 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 tablespoon sugar.
Pro Tip If you only have whole sesame seeds in your pantry, grind them with a mortar and pestle – or place them into a freezer bag on a flat surface and roll a rolling pin over top.
How to Prepare the Tofu
Tofu has a high water content. And you’ll want to get rid of some of that water for the best texture – and so this recipe’s subtle flavors aren’t dulled by too much moisture. Luckily, this is super easy.
- Remove the block of tofu from its container and wrap in a few paper paper towels.
- Set the wrapped block on a plate for 10-15 minutes. The paper towels will absorb most of the excess moisture. (For most tofu recipes, we’d stop at this point. For this mashed tofu salad, we’ll take it one step further.)
- Place the plate with the wrapped tofu in the microwave and cook on high for 2 minutes. Remove and allow it to cool a bit before unwrapping the tofu block and discarding the paper towels.
How to Make Mashed Japanese Tofu Salad
- Prepare the tofu. Follow the steps in the section above to remove excess moisture from your medium-firm or firm block of tofu (wrap, wait 10 minutes, microwave).
- Boil the veggies. Bring a pot of water to boil. Once boiling, add the carrots and cook for 2 minutes. Then add the spinach and cook for 1 additional minute.
- Drain the veggies. Rinse them under cold running water to stop the cooking process. Then drain again. Take the carrots and spinach into your hands and gently squeeze out as much water as you can.
- Mash the tofu into a mixing bowl. Unwrap the drained tofu block and break it up into small pieces with your fingers. Then use a fork to lightly mash it.
- Mix and serve. Finally add the veggies, ground sesame seeds, miso paste, sugar and salt and mix everything together with a spoon. Serve immediately.
Storage
Store leftovers in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
While the texture of this tofu salad is best fresh, it’ll do fine in the fridge provided it’s covered. And there’s no need to reheat leftovers. Just eat them cold!
Do not freeze leftover shiraae.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yep! Like most shojin ryori, this Japanese tofu salad is vegan. Strict vegans will want to use raw cane sugar instead of granulated sugar.
Good news. Shira-ae is also gluten free. However, I’d advise those with a wheat intolerance to have a closer look at the label on their miso paste. Some mass produced miso paste contains wheat, some doesn’t. Also, celiacs should avoid miso paste that contains barley. Sound confusing? This miso paste is gluten free.
Two of the most common additions to this mashed tofu salad are hijiki (a type of seaweed) – and sliced konnyaku (Japanese yam cake).
What to Serve With Shiraae
One of my favorite things about shiraae is that, even though it’s mild in terms of flavor, it doesn’t get lost when you serve it with more assertive dishes on the side. If you’re looking to create a vegan Japanese feast at home, here are some full-flavor pairing suggestions.
- Nasu Dengaku – Miso Glazed Eggplant
- Yaki Onigiri – Grilled Rice Balls
- Japanese Salted Pickled Cabbage
- Air Fryer Tofu With Teriyaki Sauce
- Vegetable Maki Sushi – 巻き寿司
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Did you like this Japanese shiraae recipe? Are there changes you made that you would like to share? Share your tips and recommendations in the comments section below!
PrintShiraae (Japanese Mashed Tofu Salad)
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 5 minutes
- Total Time: 15 minutes
- Yield: 2 servings 1x
- Category: Salad
- Method: Boiling
- Cuisine: Japanese
- Diet: Vegan
Description
This Japanese mashed tofu salad is creamy and umami. And you can whip up this traditional Japanese shojin ryori quickly. Shiraae is ready in 15 minutes from start to finish!
Ingredients
- 10 ounces medium firm or firm tofu
- 1/2 medium carrot (about 2 ounces), sliced into 1 1/2-inch long and 1/8-inch thick sticks
- 3 ounces baby spinach
- 2 tablespoons ground sesame seeds
- 1/2 teaspoon white miso paste mixed with 1 tablespoon warm water
- 1/2 tablespoon sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Wrap the tofu in paper towels and let sit on a plate for 10 minutes.
- Meanwhile, bring a pot of water to a boil.
- Place the tofu in the microwave and microwave on high for 2 minutes .
- Add the carrots and boil for 2 minutes. Add the spinach and boil for 1 minute.
- Drain the vegetables and rinse under cold water. Drain again.
- Take the vegetables in the palm of your hands and gently squeeze out as much water as you can.
- Unwrap the tofu and place it over a mixing bowl. Using your hands, break it up into small pieces. Use a fork or rice paddle to lightly mash it.
- Add the vegetables and the remaining ingredients.
Mix well with a spoon. Serve.
Notes
Store leftovers in the refrigerator (covered) for up to 3 days. Serve leftovers cold. Do not freeze.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 198
- Sugar: 4.5g
- Sodium: 631mg
- Fat: 10.9g
- Saturated Fat: 1.5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 5.7g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 11.7g
- Fiber: 4g
- Protein: 15g
- Cholesterol: 0mg