Do you know what type of recipes Just One Cookbook readers request most? They are side dishes and vegan recipes! I’ve been sharing popular Japanese recipes and main dishes for many years, however, it’s time to add more sides! Today’s recipe, Spinach Ohitashi (ほうれん草のお浸し) is a Japanese Spinach Salad with Savory Broth, and I included a vegan-friendly version!
What is Ohitashi?
Ohitashi (お浸し) refers to a dish in which vegetables are steeped in a dashi-based sauce. It’s a common Japanese cooking technique we use for preparing vegetable dishes. This method infuses the ingredients with dashi’s umami and subtle flavor but still retains its natural taste. To make ohitashi, you first blanch the vegetable, then halt the cooking in the ice bath. Afterward, allow the vegetable to absorb the dashi-based sauce. We typically serve Ohitashi with a sprinkle of Katsuobushi (dried bonito flakes) on top. For today’s recipe, I included a vegan-friendly version in mind. Vegan-friendly version: Use vegan-friendly Kombu Dashi for steeping and garnish with toasted sesame seeds instead of katsuobushi. Regular version: If you prefer a more prominent dashi flavor, use Awase Dashi, a combination of both kombu and katsuobushi.
Serve Spinach Ohitashi with Your Japanese Meal
A typical Japanese meal consists of steamed rice, miso soup, main dish, and side dishes. This set meal is called Ichiju Sansai (一汁三菜) and we have a detailed post on this topic here. Japanese set meal encourages you to eat a balanced diet. You’ll find each dish presented in individual serving wares, and side dishes are usually in a kobachi (小鉢, literally meaning “small bowl”). As a result of this attentive arrangement, we can easily control the portion of the food. Here are a few suggestions that I would serve with Spinach Ohitashi (Japanese Spinach Salad):
Rice
Steamed RiceTakikomi Gohan (Mixed Rice)Chestnut Rice
Miso Soup
Vegetable Miso SoupTonjiru (Pork and Vegetable Miso Soup)Sanpeijiru (Salmon Miso Soup)
Main Dish
Eggplant Miso DengakuWarm Mushroom SaladMapo TofuGrilled MackerelNikujaga (Meat and Pork Stew)Baked TonkatsuTeriyaki Steak Rolls
Side Dishes
Chilled TofuHijiki Seaweed SaladKinpira Renkon (Stir-Fried Lotus Root)Simmered KabochaKinpira Gobo (Stir-Fried Burdock Root)Spinach Gomaae (Spinach Salad with Sesame Sauce)
Ohitashi is Great for Meal Prep!
Since ohitashi requires making ahead of time, it makes a perfect side dish for meal prepping. In general, you can steep the vegetables in the dashi soy broth for 3 days. If you have 20-30 minutes to spare, prepare your vegetables and let them absorb all the flavor as you store in the refrigerator. Use a clean utensil and container and put it in the refrigerator as soon as the food is cool. This allows the food to last longer. If you’re interested in meal prep recipes, click here for more inspiration!
Don’t like Spinach?
You can apply the Ohitashi method to almost any kind of vegetable! If you are not a fan of spinach, try other vegetables like okra, eggplant, boy choy, and other leafy greens. Okra Ohitashi Eggplant Agebitashi (variation of Ohitashi) 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 January 26, 2012. It’s been updated with a new video on September 2019.
