No-Sugar Japanese Spinach Goma-ae (Spinach in Sweet Koji Sesame Paste)

A healthy, naturally fermented Japanese spinach side dish made with sweet ama koji, savory shoyu koji, and freshly ground white sesame seeds. Completely refined sugar-free with zero processed ingredients. Note: Unlike liquid sesame salad dressings, traditional Japanese goma-ae uses a rich, thick sesame paste to coat blanched vegetables, binding all the savory umami and natural sweetness directly to the greens.

Prep Time10

Cook Time2

Total Time12

Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: Japanese

Keyword: ama koji, goma ae, healthy Japanese recipe, Japanese side dish, sesame paste, shoyu koji, spinach gomaae, sugar-free

Servings:

Calories: 65kcal

Ingredients

1 bunch Fresh Spinach (or Savoy Spinach / Malabar Spinach) (~200g - 250g)
2 tbsp Ama Koji (甘麹)
1.5 tbsp Shoyu Koji (醤油麹)
1.5 tbsp Toasted White Sesame Seeds

Instructions

Bring a pot of water to a rolling boil with a pinch of salt. Submerge the spinach leaves for 30–45 seconds until bright green. Immediately transfer to an ice bath to stop the cooking process.
Gather the spinach, squeeze out excess water completely, and cut into 2-inch (5cm) bite-sized pieces. Squeezing well is crucial so the sesame coat does not become watery.
Add 1.5 tbsp of whole toasted white sesame seeds into a suribachi (pottery mortar). Using a surikogi (wooden pestle), grind until about 70–80% crushed—leaving a few whole seeds for texture and fragrance.
Add 2 tbsp of ama koji and 1.5 tbsp of shoyu koji directly into the ground sesame in the suribachi.
Stir together into a thick, glossy paste.
Add the prepped greens to the mortar and toss gently until evenly coated in the paste. Serve fresh at room temperature or chilled.

Notes

Suribachi Alternatives: If you don't have a mortar and pestle, pulse seeds in a coffee/spice grinder, or buy pre-ground white sesame seeds (suri-goma). If using pre-ground sesame, toast them in a dry skillet over low heat for 1–2 minutes to revive the aromatic oils.
Vegetable Variations: Works wonderfully with green beans (yingen), broccoli florets, or garland chrysanthemum (shungiku).
Storage & Meal Prep: Dressed goma ae keeps in the fridge for up to 3 days or in the freezer for up to 1 month.
Batch Prep: Plain koji-sesame paste (without greens) keeps fresh in a sealed glass jar in the refrigerator for up to 1 month. Make a multi-batch ahead of time for an instant 2-minute side dish whenever you blanch fresh vegetables. Once mixed with greens, consume within 3 days.
Koji Substitutions: If short on koji, substitute 1.5 tbsp shoyu koji with 1 tbsp soy sauce, and 2 tbsp ama koji with 1 tbsp raw honey or maple syrup.

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