Name: Sesame Spinach (Goma-Ae)
Cook time: 15 min
Ingredients: 10 oz spinach; 1/2 tsp salt; 1 tbs soy sauce; 1 tbs maple syrup; 4 tbs roasted sesame seeds

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Sesame Spinach (Goma-ae) is a classic Japanese side dish featuring tender blanched spinach tossed in a nutty, savory-sweet sesame dressing. Light, healthy, and full of flavor, it’s quick to make and pairs perfectly with rice, grilled fish, or as part of a Japanese-style meal. It’s one of those dishes that proves you don’t need many ingredients to create something delicious!

Japanese sesame spinach (goma-ae) served in a small dish with spinach and ingredients in the background

Cooking Time: 15 minutes

Ingredients (4 servings)

10 oz baby spinach
½ teaspoon salt
1 tbs soy sauce
1 tbs maple syrup
4 tbs roasted sesame seeds

Ingredients for goma-ae: spinach, maple syrup, sesame seeds, soy sauce, and salt

Step-By-Step Instructions

Step 1: Grind the roasted sesame seeds in a food grinder. Grind until mostly fine but still a little textured — reserve a pinch for garnish.

Whole sesame seeds in a food grinder before grinding

Ground sesame seeds in a food grinder after grinding

Step 2: Bring about 3 quarts water to a boil. Add salt, then add the spinach and blanch just until wilted (about 30–60 seconds), stirring occasionally.

Boiling pot of water with salt being added

Spinach being blanched in boiling water with chopsticks stirring the pot

Step 3: Immediately drain and cool under cold running water (or in an ice bath) to stop cooking.

Blanched spinach drained in a colander and cooled under running water

Step 4: Squeeze out excess water gently – use your hands first, then wrap in a kitchen paper and squeeze again Do not smash the spinach!

Hands squeezing excess water from spinach

Spinach wrapped in kitchen paper to gently squeeze out excess water

Step 5: Cut the spinach into bite-size pieces (about 1 inch long), then loosen the pieces using your hand so they’re not clumped together.

Spinach being cut into bite-sized pieces on a cutting board

Step 6: In a medium-sized mixing bowl, combine soy sauce and maple syrup. Mix well.

Soy sauce and maple syrup being poured into a mixing bowl

Soy sauce and maple syrup mixed together in a bowl

Step 7: Add the spinach in the bowl until evenly coated.

Step 8: Sprinkle the ground sesame over the spinach and toss again until evenly coated. (Adding sesame to the dressed spinach separately helps it distribute more evenly.)

Ground sesame seeds being sprinkled over dressed spinach

Spinach tossed with ground sesame in a mixing bowl

Step 9: Transfer to a serving dish and sprinkle with the reserved sesame. Served chilled or at room temperature.

Japanese sesame spinach (goma-ae) served in a traditional Japanese plate

Recipe Tip

While Goma-ae can be kept in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2–3 days, it’s best enjoyed the same day it’s made. The salt in the dressing draws out moisture from the spinach, which can make it watery and change the texture over time. If you plan to prepare it ahead, you can boil and drain the spinach in advance, but toss it with the dressing and sesame seeds just before serving for the freshest flavor and best texture.

I prefer mixing the spinach with the soy sauce and maple dressing first, then adding the ground sesame seeds. This way, the sesame coats more evenly. But if you’re short on time, you can combine everything at once for a quicker version!

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Sesame Spinach (Goma-Ae)

Sesame Spinach (Goma-ae) is a quick and healthy Japanese side dish with tender spinach, soy-maple dressing, and nutty sesame seeds

Cook Time15

Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: Japanese

Keyword: Goma-ae, Sesame, Spinach

Servings: 4

Cost: $6

Ingredients

10 oz spinach
½ teaspoon salt
1 tbs soy sauce
1 tbs maple syrup
4 tbs roasted sesame seeds

Instructions

Grind the roasted sesame seeds in a food grinder. Grind until mostly fine but still a little textured — reserve a pinch for garnish.
Bring about 3 quarts water to a boil. Add salt, then add the spinach and blanch just until wilted (about 30–60 seconds), stirring occasionally.
Immediately drain and cool under cold running water (or in an ice bath) to stop cooking.
Squeeze out excess water gently – use your hands first, then wrap in a kitchen paper and squeeze again) Do not smash the spinach!
Cut the spinach into bite-size pieces (about 1 inch long), then loosen the pieces using your hand so they’re not clumped together.
In a medium-sized mixing bowl, combine soy sauce and maple syrup. Mix well.
Add the spinach in the bowl until evenly coated
Sprinkle the ground sesame over the spinach and toss again until evenly coated.
Transfer to a serving dish and sprinkle with the reserved sesame. Served chilled or at room temperature