While sushi is a staple dish in Japan, you may wonder which side dishes should be served alongside it. Sushi on its own is raw fish wrapped in rice and then surrounded by seaweed which still commands a high price.
You still may want some side dishes alongside it to fill your appetite and be easy on your wallet. From salads to steamed vegetables, miso soup, and dumplings, there are many side dishes that go really well with sushi.
If you are hoping to sample some delicious sushi and take in some yummy side dishes too then read on.
Salads
Having a refreshing, delicious salad with your sushi may seem like a tedious choice yet will work incredibly well.
The salad is made with seaweed which is then mixed in with vinegar, sugar, sesame oil, and roasted sesame. Those delicious umami, sweet, and sour flavors mixed together do create a taste sensation to go with your sushi.
Another salad using wakame is Wakame Kyuri which mixes in cucumber though retains the same sort of flavor combinations as the sushi.
The salad may be hard to find though remains more widely-known to increasingly authentic Japanese restaurants. One salad that is not Japanese but goes really well with sushi is Kani Salad.
Originating from the US, Kani Salad uses imitation crab meat which is typically pollock combined with a seafood paste known as Surimi.
Going alongside it is mango, cucumber, mayonnaise, sesame seeds, thinly sliced carrots, and either vinegar or lemon juice.
Then there is Gomaae, a salad that means ‘dressed in sesame’, which is exactly what happens to a handful of spinach leaves. The leaves are first soaked in boiled water then dropped in cold water and drained.
The sesame comes from a sesame sauce which includes toasted white sesame seeds. An accompanying salad also includes soy sauce, sugar and perhaps sake and mirin.
Vegetables
To mix it up with your sushi, throw in some veggie options. These could include crisp vegetable tempura made from a fluffy batter which is wheat flour with iced water.
There is also Tsukemono which is a dish including pickled vegetables including cabbages, cucumbers, and carrots.
The pickled taste can also refresh your palate which can be a welcome change during a meal. This is similar to how pickled ginger would, which could be a welcome relief with sushi.
For a more rudimentary serving of vegetables, order some Asian stir-fried asparagus. The recipe includes asparagus fried with sugar, soy sauce, garlic, and dry sherry.
However, adding some chili powder and shrimp paste can also introduce some heat.
Another simple vegetable side dish to go with sushi is boiled edamame. The texture and flavor can prove really rewarding and it is very easy to prepare.
Simply put some fresh edamame in a pot which is filled with hot water and a sprinkling of salt. Give it around three or four minutes to soften then sprinkle over a bit more salt if required.
Soups
A classic side dish to go with sushi is miso soup and you may expect it to arrive with your delicious pieces of rice and raw fish.
If you are preparing sushi for a party, it is relatively quick to prepare and only requires some simple ingredients.
These include spring onions (Negi), tofu, seaweed (wakame), dashi, and miso paste. You could also find another basic type of Japanese soup with your sushi, which is suimono, a clear soup.
Dumplings
Rice and raw fish is still a filling dish on its own, yet dumplings can really help if you have a big appetite. For some typically Japanese dumplings you should order a portion of Gyoza which are shaped like a half moon.
For sushi, you should opt for a vegetable filling to go alongside the vast array of seafood.
Take the time to consider whether you want the Gyoza to be boiled or deep-fried. You may want to go for the latter for that extra indulgence.
Whichever you go for, they can also be dipped in the soy, teriyaki, or sweet chili sauce that comes with your sushi. Just with some simple dipping sauces, dumplings can make an ideal accompaniment to sushi.
Drinks
While not strictly a side dish, having a drink to go with your sushi can really bring a benefit to the eating experience.
A Japanese beer, especially a dry one, can really complement the sushi. You should be able to ask about specific pairings based on the sushi that is being served.
A cup of green tea can also be a light beverage that can really go well with sushi.
The drink is packed full of flavor and is versatile enough to be served hot, at room temperature, or even ice-cold.
Final Thoughts
To complement the umami flavor of sushi, you should go with a variety of side dishes. These can include fresh salads which also include seaweed, tempura vegetables, and those that have been steamed or stir-fried.
Try a soup, glass of beer, or cup of green tea to help cleanse your palate before you go back into your sushi. Then there are dumplings which can provide a different texture and also leave you more filled.
Frequently Asked Questions
What Does Not Go So Well With Sushi?
There are certain do’s of side dishes that do go well with sushi, but eating sushi also comes up with a few do not do’s.
For instance, you should not mix wasabi with soy sauce. Make sure that your sushi only has one accompaniment before eating it up.
Try not to leave your chopsticks sticking out of the bowl and do not eat the pickled ginger along with the sushi. Also, do not begin with heavy sushi rolls as you should start light then move up.
Why Is Ginger Served Along With Sushi?
While you should not eat the serving of pickled ginger on a piece of sushi, the ginger is meant to enhance your experience of sushi. The ginger is therefore meant to be eaten separately.
This is specifically between servings of sushi to cleanse as well as refresh the diner’s palate.
Hi, I’m Jason Patrick, and for as long as I have been alive, I have been obsessed with Japanese culture. From the sights and sounds of Japan’s many cities to its culinary delights that have become famous worldwide, I simply cannot get enough of this wonderful nation!
I hope that, by exploring this website, you all will develop a much deeper appreciation for Japan, and that it may even influence you to pay it a visit yourself eventually! It is definitely a trip of a lifetime, and whether you experience it firsthand, or through my own website, I’m sure you will become just as passionate as I always have been!
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