Shabu Shabu Salad is a perfect dish to cool down in the summer heat. Delicious thinly sliced pork tops a crisp green salad dressed in a refreshing ginger soy vinaigrette. It makes a complete lunch or dinner! It‘s great to serve at potlucks and parties, too.
With the warmer weather upon us, my family has been eating this Shabu Shabu Salad (Pork Shabu Salad) On rotation, if not every day.
I love that it requires minimal effort and is so satisfying without feeling too full. This is a delicious salad you can enjoy as a side or as a light lunch or dinner.
What is Shabu Shabu Salad?
The salad emulates the concept from the Japanese hot pot—Shabu Shabu. There are plenty of veggies and sliced meat, but the simmering broth has been switched out for a refreshing dressing. From a winter meal, it’s now transformed into a fresh salad!
You can use thinly sliced pork or beef for this recipe. My family prefers pork for this dish, and that’s what we used today.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- So easy to put together; even my kids can make it!
- Light, refreshing, flavorful, and fulfilling.
- Versatile – you can change up the salad component to different lettuce, shredded cabbage, or bean sprouts.
- Easy to volumize and serve a crowd.
- Simple ingredients… read next!
Ingredients You’ll Need
- pork away
- sake and salt to cook the pork
- green salad — mizuna, iceberg lettuce, cucumber, red onion, and tomatoes
- homemade dressing — more about this below
How to Make Tender Shabu Shabu Meat
The main component of the salad is the pork slices. To achieve tender-moist perfection (no tough meat), here’s what you can do:
- Use thinly sliced pork loin — Get pre-sliced meat from a Japanese/Korean/Chinese grocery store. Can’t find any? Prepare your own sliced pork loin by following my tutorial How to Thinly Slice Meat. All you need is a sharp knife!
- Add sake — Sake helps tenderize the meat.
- Add salt — Salt locks in all the umami flavors in the meat.
- Cook the meat in simmering water — Once boiling, reduce the heat to maintain a simmer, where you only see small bubbles (185 ºF or 85 ºC).
- Let cool to room temperature firstthen chill in the refrigerator. Never soak the meat in iced water.
Shabu Shabu Salad Dressing
You should already have all the pantry-friendly ingredients to make the dressing, especially if you often make Japanese or Asian food.
- I am willow – I used Kikkoman Gluten-Free Tamarind Soy Sauce to make the salad gluten-free
- Sesame oil – I also used Kikkoman Sesame Oil.
- Rice vinegar – It’s milder than other types of vinegar.
- Sugar – You can use other sweeteners of your choice. Don’t skip it as you need to balance out the salty and vinegary taste.
- Ginger
- Sesame seeds
- Freshly ground black pepper
How to Serve: Toss Together or Pile Up
Today, I prepared a simple salad with shredded crispy iceberg lettuce and mizuna, thinly sliced red onion and cucumbers, and tomato wedges.
I like to toss all the ingredients together and serve. However, when you hear Shabu Shabu Salad, it’s typically constructed with piles of greens at the bottom, followed by the meat, and dressing on top.
I recommend tossing the salad together if you’re serving a big party; otherwise, there will be no meat left! You can serve it in a traditional “pile up” style for small gatherings.
This Shabu Shabu Salad is perfect to make in bulk and eat throughout the week. Pack the dressing in a separate container, and you’re good to go. Enjoy the salad days
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Shabu Shabu Salad
Shabu Shabu Salad is a perfect dish to cool down in the summer heat. Delicious thinly sliced pork tops a crisp green salad dressed in a refreshing ginger soy vinaigrette. It makes a complete lunch or dinner! It‘s great to serve at potlucks and parties, too.
Ingredients
Prevent your screen from going dark
Instructions
To Cook the Shabu Shabu Pork
To Serve
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Cut 1 tomato into wedges.
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Serve the salad on a plate, topped with the cooked pork and tomatoes. Drizzle with the dressing and enjoy! Alternatively, you can add the pork and dressing to the bowl and toss all together before plating. This is my preferred serving style; however, the classic Shabu Shabu Salad is typically constructed with layers of salad and pork, topped with the dressing.
To Store
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You can prepare and store this dish ahead of time. Keep the salad, pork, and dressing separately until you‘re ready to serve. You can keep it for 24 hours. The dressing can be made ahead and kept in an airtight jar for up to a week.
Nutrition
Nutrition Facts
Shabu Shabu Salad
Amount per Serving
% Daily Value*
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
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Editor’s Note: This post was originally published on May 29, 2020. It was republished with more helpful information on June 4, 2024.
