With the warmer weather upon us, my family has been eating this Shabu Shabu Salad (豚しゃぶサラダ) on rotation, if not every day. I love that it requires minimal effort and is so satisfying without feeling too full. This is a delicious salad you can enjoy as a side or as a light lunch or dinner.
What is Shabu Shabu Salad?
The salad emulates the concept from the Japanese hot pot—Shabu Shabu. There are plenty of veggies and sliced meat, but the simmering broth has been switched out for a refreshing dressing. From a winter meal, it’s now transformed into a fresh salad! You can use thinly sliced pork or beef for this recipe. My family prefers pork for this dish, and that’s what we used today.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
So easy to put together; even my kids can make it! Light, refreshing, flavorful, and fulfilling. Versatile – you can change up the salad component to different lettuce, shredded cabbage, or bean sprouts. Easy to volumize and serve a crowd. Simple ingredients… read next!
Ingredients You’ll Need
pork loin sake and salt to cook the pork green salad — mizuna, iceberg lettuce, cucumber, red onion, and tomatoes homemade dressing — more about this below
How to Make Tender Shabu Shabu Meat
The main component of the salad is the pork slices. To achieve tender-moist perfection (no tough meat), here’s what you can do:
Shabu Shabu Salad Dressing
You should already have all the pantry-friendly ingredients to make the dressing, especially if you often make Japanese or Asian food.
Soy sauce – I used Kikkoman Gluten-Free Tamari Soy Sauce to make the salad gluten-free Sesame oil – I also used Kikkoman Sesame Oil. Rice vinegar – It’s milder than other types of vinegar. Sugar – You can use other sweeteners of your choice. Don’t skip it as you need to balance out the salty and vinegary taste. Ginger Sesame seeds Freshly ground black pepper
How to Serve: Toss Together or Pile Up
Today, I prepared a simple salad with shredded crispy iceberg lettuce and mizuna, thinly sliced red onion and cucumbers, and tomato wedges. I like to toss all the ingredients together and serve. However, when you hear Shabu Shabu Salad, it’s typically constructed with piles of greens at the bottom, followed by the meat, and dressing on top. I recommend tossing the salad together if you’re serving a big party; otherwise, there will be no meat left! You can serve it in a traditional “pile up” style for small gatherings. This Shabu Shabu Salad is perfect to make in bulk and eat throughout the week. Pack the dressing in a separate container, and you’re good to go. Enjoy the salad days Wish to learn more about Japanese cooking? Sign up for our free newsletter to receive cooking tips & recipe updates! And stay in touch with me on Facebook, Pinterest, YouTube, and Instagram. Editor’s Note: This post was originally published on May 29, 2020. It was republished with more helpful information on June 4, 2024.
