Japanese Onion Salad

Onion salad is popular all over the world and is also a favorite dish in Japan. Japanese Onion Salad is typically served with traditional Japanese seasonings and shaved bonito flakes (katsuobushi). Give it a try and compare it to your usual onion salad.

Jump to:

• What is Japanese Onion Salad?
• Suitable types of onions to use
• How to reduce the pungency of onions
• Other ingredients that can be added
• 📋Step-by-step recipe
• Tips on how to make
• Recipe card

What is Japanese Onion Salad?

Japanese Onion Salad is a dish consisting of thinly sliced onions dressed with ponzu (citrus-seasoned soy sauce) or soy sauce. It is commonly topped with shaved bonito flakes (katsuobushi).

The combination of onions, ponzu or soy sauce, and shaved bonito flakes is incredibly harmonious, enhancing the flavors of each ingredient. It is a refreshing dish that offers a light and crisp taste.

Suitable types of onions to use

You can use any type of onion for this dish, but regular onions have a strong flavor when eaten raw. Therefore, if you have access to a milder variety of onion in your area, I recommend using it instead.

In Japan, seasonal onions with less pungency are commonly used during the spring, while yellow onions are used in other seasons. In particular, if you are using strongly pungent onions like yellow onions, I suggest following these methods to reduce their sharpness.

How to reduce the pungency of onions

After slicing onions, you can reduce their pungency by following these steps:

• Sprinkle salt or sugar

Sprinkle salt or sugar over the sliced onions, massage them, and let them sit for 5-10 minutes. Then, rinse them under running water.

• Soak in vinegar water

Soak the sliced onions in a mixture of water and vinegar for 5-10 minutes. There is no need to rinse afterward.

If you want to fully reduce the pungency of onions, you can first massage them with salt or sugar and then soak them in vinegar water.

Other methods include briefly boiling the sliced onions or heating them in the microwave for a short time, but these methods may compromise their crisp texture. Therefore, I recommend using the methods described above to reduce the pungency.

Additionally, cutting the onions against the fiber makes it easier to reduce their pungency. However, cutting along the fiber provides a better texture, so it is up to your preference to prioritize either texture or reducing pungency.

Other ingredients that can be added

Japanese onion salad can be enjoyed with just onions and shaved bonito flakes, but it can also include cucumbers, cherry tomatoes, kaiware sprouts (daikon radish sprouts), mitsuba leaves (Japanese parsley), tuna, nori seaweed, green onions (scallions), and shiso leaves (perilla). Adding these ingredients can also enhance the visual appeal, so feel free to use them according to your preference.

📋Step-by-step recipe

Ingredients

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Instructions

🕒 Total: 15 mins mins

Depending on the pungency of your onions and your preference, you can either perform both steps 2 and 3, choose only one of them, or skip both.

Step 1
Slice onion very thinly.

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Step 2 (optional)
Sprinkle salt or sugar over the sliced onions and massage them. Arrange them so that they overlap as little as possible, and let them sit for 5-10 minutes. Then, rinse them in a colander under running water and drain off any excess moisture.

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Step 3 (optional)
Mix water and vinegar in a bowl, add the sliced onions, and let them soak for 5-10 minutes. Then, drain them in a colander (there is no need to rinse the onions).

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Step 4
Serve the sliced onions in bowls and top with ponzu and shaved bonito flakes.

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To Store

You can store it in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Tips on how to make

• Slice the onions very thinly. This will help reduce their pungency.
• If you have access to milder onions, I highly recommend using them. You can make this dish with regular onions, such as yellow onions, but milder varieties are easier to eat.

Recipe card