Japanese-Style Spaghetti Salad
和風スパゲティサラダ · Wafu Spaghetti Salad
By Aoi, licensed nutritionist · From a Japanese preschool lunch menu
Spaghetti salad is a favorite side dish in Japanese school lunches: short pieces of pasta tossed with shredded vegetables and ham in a tangy dressing. In this wafu (Japanese-style) version, miso and sesame oil take the place of mayonnaise, giving it a gentle savory flavor that goes well with rice-based meals. The noodles are broken into thirds and the vegetables cut into short strips so everything is easy for little hands to scoop up with a spoon or fork. Blanching the vegetables briefly keeps them soft enough for young children while still giving the salad a pleasant bite.
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Ingredients
Amounts for 1 child (1 serving). An adult counts as 2 servings.
One serving here is 1.5× the portion served to a child in a Japanese preschool, sized for Western appetites. An adult counts as two servings. Tap an ingredient to check it off.
Ingredients
- 10.5 gspaghetti
- 22.5 gcabbage
- 9 gcarrot
- 13.5 gcucumber
- 9 gham
Seasonings
- 0.9 gvinegar
- 0.9 gsugar
- 2.7 gmisoFermented soybean paste. Salty and savory, it is Japan's everyday seasoning for miso soup and many simmered dishes. Substitute: Any light (white or awase) miso. Misos differ in saltiness, so start with a little less and taste. Some misos are made with barley or wheat, so check the label if you avoid them.
- 0.8 gsesame oil
About the Japanese ingredients in this recipe
- miso (みそ)
- Fermented soybean paste. Salty and savory, it is Japan's everyday seasoning for miso soup and many simmered dishes. Substitute: Any light (white or awase) miso. Misos differ in saltiness, so start with a little less and taste. Some misos are made with barley or wheat, so check the label if you avoid them.
Directions
- 1
Break the spaghetti into thirds, boil it, then rinse under cold running water and drain well.
- 2
Cut the cabbage, carrot, cucumber and ham into short, thin strips and boil each separately. Rinse under cold running water to cool.
- 3
Squeeze the vegetables and ham from step 2 to remove excess water, then toss with the spaghetti from step 1 and the dressing ingredients.
Nutrition
| Per | 1 serving | 1 adult serving | Your total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Energy | 78 kcal | 156 kcal | 78 kcal |
| Protein | 3.8 g | 7.5 g | 3.8 g |
| Fat | 2.4 g | 4.8 g | 2.4 g |
| Carbohydrates | 11.9 g | 23.7 g | 11.9 g |
| Fiber | 1.7 g | 3.3 g | 1.7 g |
| Salt equivalent | 0.5 g | 0.9 g | 0.5 g |
| Calcium | 19.5 mg | 39 mg | 19.5 mg |
| Iron | 0.3 mg | 0.6 mg | 0.3 mg |
| Potassium | 154.5 mg | 309 mg | 154.5 mg |
| Energy | Protein | Fat | Carbs | Fiber | Salt equiv. | Calcium | Iron | Potassium | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 serving | 78 kcal | 3.8 g | 2.4 g | 11.9 g | 1.7 g | 0.5 g | 19.5 mg | 0.3 mg | 154.5 mg |
| 1 adult serving | 156 kcal | 7.5 g | 4.8 g | 23.7 g | 3.3 g | 0.9 g | 39 mg | 0.6 mg | 309 mg |
Values are per serving (1.5× the Japanese preschool portion); an adult serving is double. They were calculated by a licensed Japanese nutritionist using the Standard Tables of Food Composition in Japan. "Salt equivalent" is sodium × 2.54, the standard Japanese measure. Allergen flags cover egg, milk and wheat only and come from the nutritionist's records. Soy sauce and miso are made with wheat but are usually allowed on Japanese wheat-free school menus, so check with your doctor.
