All things work together to create the perfect wedding day. Choosing the perfect dress, the perfect venue, and guest list are all major components. Another area that makes a huge difference in the day is planning your wedding reception menu.

Curating a dreamy wedding reception menu takes careful thought and planning. From choosing the perfect starters and appetizers to selecting the entrees, side dishes, and even custom drinks!

Choosing a particular cuisine can help make planning your menu a lot easier. Japanese cuisine is known for its unique and rich flavor profiles. There is a wide variety of Japanese side dishes that create balanced and healthy meal options for weddings.

Today, I’m sharing a round-up of easy Japanese side dishes that go well with a variety of Japanese meals on a wedding reception menu.

5 Japanese Side Dishes for Wedding

Vegetables Blanched with Sesame Oil

A super easy Japanese side dish you can serve up at your wedding is blanched vegetables. To make it Japanese, generously coat it in sesame oil and then blanch it in salt water. The sesame oil will enhance the flavor and help preserve its freshness longer. Other vegetables you can serve as side dishes using this same method include bok choy, bean sprouts, or napa cabbage.

Japanese Spinach Salad

This is another easy side dish that pairs well with a wide variety of Japanese meals, making it an essential item for a wedding reception menu with Japanese cuisine. It’s a mixture of leafy greens topped with Goma dressing. Need a recipe? Try this one.

Bok Choy and Tofu Miso Soup

Miso is another great Japanese side dish to serve up at your wedding. It pairs well with a wide variety of proteins including fish, shellfish, chicken, or pork entrees. It can also go well with tofu, sashimi or steak – making it an excellent choice for weddings due to its versatility as a side dish.

Ingredients

5 oz Tofu, firm - 130 calories

2 cups Leafy greens, bok choy, raw - 20 calories

1 tsp Sesame seeds (tsp) - 13 calories

1 tsp Red pepper flakes (tsp) - 0 calories

2 cups Miso broth - 30 calories

1 Tbsp Green onions - 3 calories

½ cup Mushrooms, small, whole or sliced - 8 calories

Instructions

Cut tofu into small cube shapes.
Spray a pan with an oil spray.
Stir fry tofu on low heat ~20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until all surfaces are browned.
Spray the bottom of a pot with cooking spray.
Add in mushrooms and bok choy – cook for 2 minutes on low heat.
Add in miso soup and tofu, let simmer on low heat for ~10+ minutes, or until your soup gets to its desired temperature.
Top with green onions (chopped), sesame seeds, and red pepper flakes.

Teriyaki Tofu

Teriyaki tofu is a great side dish to serve at your wedding that has Japanese cuisine. Tofu in and of itself has a chewy and crispy texture. When adding the teriyaki marinade, it brings a sweet, savory, tangy, and slightly salty flavor to the dish that’s pronounced from the sugar, rice vinegar and soy sauce ingredients. If you want to learn how to make it yourself, I found this beautiful recipe.

Ramen with Spaghetti Squash

Ingredients

1 cup Squash, spaghetti - 45 calories

½ Bell pepper, red, medium - 19 calories

1 Tbsp Green onions - 3 calories

6 oz Chicken breast, boneless, skinless, raw - 190 calories

2 cups Broth, chicken or beef (cups) - 70 calories

1 tsp Buffalo sauce - 5 calories

1 Tbsp Soy sauce (Tbsp) - 10 calories

Instructions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Slice spaghetti squash in half if you haven’t already done so. Scoop out seeds of spaghetti squash
Line baking sheet with parchment paper, spray it with an oil spray
Bake spaghetti squash, cut side faced down, for 35 minutes
Shred spaghetti squash with a fork when it has cooled down for a few minutes
Spray a pan with an oil spray.
Slice chicken into bite sized pieces.
Cook chicken ~10 minutes in the pan on low-medium heat, until cooked through.
In a small pot, add in broth, buffalo sauce, and soy sauce. Heat ~5 minutes.
While heating, chop bell pepper and scallions/ green onion into small pieces.
Add chicken, bell pepper, spaghetti squash, and green onion to a bowl. Pour broth on top and serve.
No chicken? Use tofu or fish.
1/2 spaghetti squash = about 2 cups spaghetti squash.

How To Make Japanese Side Dishes Fresh

Ice beds

Serve your cold food such as salads and chilled vegetables trays on chilled plates or with ice packs underneath to maintain coolness and freshness.

Airtight containers

Airtight containers or a layer of plastic wrap can help food maintain its freshness by keeping away moisture.

Chaffing dishes

For food that’s best served warm, use heat-resistant dishes like a chafing dish or other dishes that can be placed in a warming oven.

Smaller portions

Serving the side dishes in smaller portions helps to prevent the food from sitting out too long, becoming stale, and eliminates the need for constant reheating, which helps to maintain optimal freshness.

Do you have any other tips or suggestions for keeping food fresh? I’m curious to know! Share your thoughts, let’s talk about it in the comments down below.

For more ideas, you can also see this list of healthy vegetable side dishes.