Japanese-Style Ginger Salad Dressing
Japanese-Style Ginger Salad Dressing is fresh, tangy, savory, and lightly sweet.Fresh ginger and onion provide its signature aromatic flavor.Soy sauce adds savory umami while rice vinegar brings bright acidity.Sesame oil gives the dressing a warm, nutty finish.It takes only minutes to blend or whisk together.Serve it over salads, vegetables, noodles, rice bowls, or grilled proteins.
Ingredients
- ¼ cup rice vinegar
- 3 tablespoons neutral vegetable oil
- 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon honey or granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, peeled and grated
- ¼ small yellow onion, roughly chopped
- ¼ cup finely grated carrot
- 1 small garlic clove
- 1 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 1–2 tablespoons water, as needed
Instructions
Prepare the Ginger
- Peel the fresh ginger using the edge of a teaspoon.Finely grate the ginger using a microplane or fine grater.Fresh ginger gives this dressing its characteristic bright and spicy flavor.
Prepare the Aromatics
- Roughly chop the onion and garlic.Finely grate the carrot.The carrot adds subtle sweetness, color, and body to the dressing.
Add the Ingredients to a Blender
- Place the rice vinegar, vegetable oil, sesame oil, soy sauce, lemon juice, honey or sugar, grated ginger, onion, carrot, garlic, sesame seeds, and black pepper into a blender.
Blend
- Blend for approximately 30–60 seconds, or until the mixture is mostly smooth.For a slightly textured dressing, blend for a shorter time.
Adjust the Consistency
- If the dressing is too thick, add 1 tablespoon of water.Blend again.Add another tablespoon if needed.The finished dressing should be pourable but not watery.
Taste and Adjust
- Taste the dressing.For more acidity, add a little rice vinegar or lemon juice.For additional sweetness, add a small amount of honey or sugar.For more savory flavor, add a little soy sauce.For stronger ginger flavor, add another small amount of freshly grated ginger.
Rest the Dressing
- Transfer the dressing to a clean glass jar or airtight container.Allow it to rest for approximately 15 minutes before serving.This gives the ginger, onion, sesame, and other flavors time to blend.
Shake Before Serving
- Natural separation is normal because the dressing contains oil and water-based ingredients.Shake the jar vigorously before each use.
Serve
- Drizzle the dressing over crisp lettuce and vegetables.It can also be used as a marinade, dipping sauce, or finishing sauce for cooked proteins.
Notes
- Fresh ginger matters: Freshly grated ginger provides much more vibrant flavor than dried ginger.
- Sesame oil: Toasted sesame oil is especially flavorful, so a little goes a long way.
- Soy sauce: Regular soy sauce can be replaced with low-sodium soy sauce.
- Sweetener: Honey, sugar, or maple syrup can be used.
- Texture: A blender creates a smoother dressing, while whisking produces a more textured version.
- Separation: Separation is natural because of the oil and vinegar. Shake well before serving.
- Flavor development: Allowing the dressing to rest for a short time helps the flavors combine.