Asazuke (Japanese Lightly Pickled Vegetables)

Name: Asazuke (Japanese Lightly Pickled Vegetables)
Prep time: 15 min
Total time: 15 min
Cuisine: Japanese
Ingredients: 4 leaves napa cabbage ((11 oz, 300 g; or use green cabbage)); 2 inches daikon radish ((6 oz, 170 g; or use turnips or cauliflower)); 1 Japanese or Persian cucumber ((4.5 oz, 128 g)); ½ watermelon radish ((3.5 oz, 100 g; or use red radish)); ⅓ carrot ((1.6 oz, 45 g)); Diamond Crystal kosher salt (use half the amount or the same weight for table salt); ½ tsp sugar; 1 piece kombu (dried kelp) ((1 x 2 inches or 2.5 x 5 cm per piece; see Notes below)); 5 shiso leaves (perilla/ooba) ((optional)); toasted sesame oil ((for drizzling)); toasted white sesame seeds ((for sprinkling)); yuzu zest ((optional; lemon zest))

Instructions

Prep:15min

Colorful and crunchy vegetables are the star ingredients for my quick, simple Asazuke: Everyday Japanese Pickles recipe. These Japanese lightly pickled vegetables are ready in 1 hour! Take them to the next level by adding shiso leaves, yuzu zest, and sesame oil.

Updated at: Tue, 03 Nov 2026 00:46:12 GMT