Tomato Salad with Sesame Ponzu

For a refreshing side dish on a busy weeknight, try my Japanese Tomato Salad with Sesame Ponzu recipe. Tangy, sweet, and nutty, it takes just minutes to make the citrusy soy dressing and toss it with juicy tomatoes. Variations included!

On busy weeknights, I’m a huge fan of recipes with tons of flavor and minimal prep time. That’s why I love this easy Tomato Salad with Sesame Ponzu recipe. It comes together in just 5 minutes and is at once nutty, tangy, savory, and sweet, Plus, cleanup is a snap!

If you’re craving more quick salad recipes, try my Japanese Cucumber Salad, Seaweed Salad with Miso Dressing, and Japanese Kani Salad next!

Why I Love This Recipe

• Quick and simple: Grind the sesame seeds, add ponzu, cut the tomatoes, and toss. Done!
• Full of flavor: The Japanese citrus soy sauce and ground white sesame seeds make a bright, rich, and umami dressing.
• One-bowl recipe: I mix the dressing and toss the salad in the mortar that I use to grind the sesame seeds, so there’s only one dish to wash.

Ingredients for This Tomato Salad

• Tomatoes
• Ponzu (Japanese citrus dipping sauce)
• Toasted white sesame seeds

Find the printable recipe with measurements below.

Jump to Recipe

Substitutions

• Ponzu: This all-purpose Japanese condiment with citrus juice and soy sauce is used in salad dressing, dipping sauce, and seafood marinade. You can find it bottled at a Japanese grocery store or Amazon. You can also make it from scratch with my Homemade Ponzu Sauce Recipe.
• White sesame seeds: You can find pre-toasted white sesame seeds in Japanese and Asian markets. If you can’t find it, you can lightly toast your own in a dry fry pan until fragrant. You could also add a touch of toasted sesame oil to enhance the nutty flavor.

Key Kitchen Tools

• Ceramic mortar and wooden pestle – Called suribachi and surikogi, they are Japanese kitchen essentials.

How to Make Tomato Salad with Sesame Ponzu

Preparation

Step 1 – Grind the sesame seeds. I like to leave some seeds unground for texture.

Step 2 – Add the ponzu sauce. Mix together with chopsticks until combined.

Step 3 – Cut the tomato. Slice into wedges, then cut them in half crosswise.

Assemble

Step 4 – Toss. Add the tomato chunks to the sesame ponzu and gently toss with chopsticks to coat.

Step 5 – Serve. Optionally, garnish with sprigs of mitsuba or your favorite green herb.

Nami’s Recipe Tips

• Use the ripest tomato you can find – The quality of the 3 ingredients in this dish really matter. I try to select the best tomato that is ripe, juicy, sweet, and tangy.
• Toast the sesame seeds – If you have time, I highly recommend toasting your sesame seeds, even if you have the pre-toasted kind. This extra step will wake up the flavor so they taste amazing. Simply heat them in a dry frying pan, shaking constantly, until one or two seeds pop and they are lightly toasted.
• Serve it immediately – I like this salad best when it’s dressed just before serving. The longer it sits, the more juice the tomato will release into the dressing and dilute it.

Variations and Customizations

There are so many ways that you can enhance this basic salad with additional flavors, veggies, and proteins. Here are a few of my favorite suggestions.

• Sprinkle with julienned shiso (perilla leaves). This fragrant Japanese herb and tomato are a classic summer combination.
• Add minced shallot or white onion. Mix a teaspoon or two into the dressing for an aromatic kick.
• Try young ginger or myoga. I highly recommend adding sliced myoga (Japanese ginger flower buds), if you can find it in the summertime. It has a heavenly fragrance and mild gingery taste. Julienned young ginger also works well. If you don’t have it, you could try julienned regular ginger soaked in water to tame its spiciness.
• Toss in greens or sea vegetables. Wakame seaweed pairs well with these flavors. I love the spicy taste of mizuna (Japanese mustard greens) with this dressing, or use your favorite salad greens.
• Add protein. Make it more substantial with shredded steamed chicken, silken tofu, deep-fried tofu, boiled shrimp, thinly sliced pork (shabu shabu), or boiled egg.
• Substitute yuzu-flavored ponzu. Yuzu is a tart and incredibly fragrant citrus fruit used for centuries in Japanese and Korean cuisine. It makes a delicious ponzu that we call yuzu pon (柚子ポン) in Japan. You can find it sold in Japanese markets or make my homemade Yuzu Ponzu with fresh yuzu fruit.
• Add mayonnaise or sesame oil to ponzu. Enhance your ponzu sauce by adding a touch of Japanese mayonnaise or sesame oil. Just a small amount of these Japanese condiments can elevate the flavor, giving it a creamy or nutty twist!
• Make it gluten-free. Look for gluten-free ponzu or make it from scratch using gluten-free soy sauce.

What to Serve with This Salad

Tomato Salad with Sesame Ponzu goes well with practically any menu!

• With dumplings – Fried foods like Gyoza (Japanese Potstickers) or Vegetable Gyoza go well with this refreshing salad.
• With chicken – Try it as a side to Yakitori or Miso Chicken.
• With steak – It’s a wonderful contrast to the richness of Steak Garlic Rice or Japanese Hamburger Steak (Hambagu).

Storage Tips

To store: This salad is best when assembled just before serving, so I don’t recommend keeping it as leftovers or tossing it ahead of time. You can make the dressing in advance and store it in the refrigerator.

Frequently Asked Questions

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