This quick and easy Asian salad dressing recipe sparkles over a chopped salad or steamed veggies and rice. The toasted sesame oil combined with fresh ginger and garlic take it over the top. 🙂
Get this recipe in your inbox
Enter your email below and we’ll send it right to your inbox. Plus, you'll get our latest recipes emailed each week!
This is one of my favorite dressings to have on hand as often as possible because it really is so great over so many things besides salad. And trust me: if you're craving a salad with Asian dressing, this is the dressing to make.
It also makes the BEST dressing for chicken, steak, fish or tofu, and takes steamed veggies and greens from great to AMAZING such as this Asian sautéed Swiss chard or this broccolini recipe. I also love using it as a dipping sauce for fresh carrot sticks or sliced bell pepper.
For other versatile salad dressings and marinade recipes, try this easy Greek salad dressing or this simple apple cider vinegar dressing.
Did you know?
Tamari and soy sauce are both examples of fermented foods! They are produced by fermenting soybeans (and additionally wheat in the case of soy sauce) with salt and water. The whole two-step fermentation process can actually take several months to years depending on the specific production method and desired end result. And we can thank the use of yeasts and bacteria to change the properties of the soybeans into their distinct "umami" flavor we all know and love. 🙂
Jump to:
❤️ Why you'll love this recipe
- Takes just 10 minutes to make
- Uses fresh ginger, garlic and scallions for bold, fresh flavors
- Great Asian marinade or dipping sauce in addition to a salad dressing
- Travels well for meal prep lunches
- Kid-friendly and approved
🌿 Ingredients
The ingredients for this sesame dressing can all be easily found at most grocery stores. If you can't find black sesame seeds though, not to worry; they're just an optional garnish. Also, feel free to substitute soy sauce for the tamari if gluten is not a concern.
See recipe card below for exact quantities.
📝 Instructions
Start by mincing a little ginger and garlic, and thinly slicing the white and light green parts from a couple of scallions.
Then, place all of the ingredients except the sesame seeds in a pint-sized Mason jar or other container with a lid and shake well to combine.
Use immediately or store for future use, and additionally garnish your dish with the sesame seeds if desired.
📋 Substitutions
This Asian vinaigrette is very forgiving when it comes to ingredients, so feel free to adjust as needed! Here are some basic substitutions you can make:
- Gluten free - use tamari instead of soy sauce
- Vegan - use maple syrup or agave syrup instead of honey
- Olive oil - use avocado oil, sesame oil or canola oil
- Rice vinegar - use white vinegar
- Fresh garlic - use garlic powder
- Fresh ginger - use ginger powder
- Scallions - substitute chives, cilantro or just leave out altogether
📖 Variations
Here are a few dressing variations you can use:
- Creamy Asian salad dressing - blend the dressing in a blender for a minute or so
- Sweet Asian salad dressing - increase the amount of honey to taste
- Spicy Asian salad dressing - add red chili pepper flakes for extra heat and spiciness
🔪 Equipment
The only thing you'll need for this recipe besides a cutting board and knife is a jar with a tight fitting lid. I like pint-sized Mason jars but really any jar that holds at least a cup of liquid will work!
- cutting board
- chef's knife
- Mason jar
🍱 Storage
This recipe for Asian salad dressing will stay fresh in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 week, or in the freezer for up to 2 months.
🎉 Top tip
This little dressing makes instant meal prep easy! If you have some rice and veggies on hand, along with chicken, tofu or other protein, use this "secret sauce" to drizzle over everything or cook with; dinner will be so delicious. 🙂
Enjoy!
💭 FAQ
The basic ingredients necessary for an Asian sesame salad dressing include tamari or soy sauce, toasted sesame oil, rice vinegar and some sugar or honey. Additional ingredients might include olive oil, garlic, ginger, scallions or sesame seeds.
Asian dressing is not gluten free if it contains soy sauce, which is wheat-based. To prepare gluten free, you can substitute tamari for the soy sauce.
Asian salad dressing works well over a simple green salad with or without chopped veggies like cucumbers, red bell pepper and carrots, or as a dipping sauce for raw vegetable sticks, or as a dressing over meat, tofu or steamed vegetables.
Asian salad dressing will stay fresh in an airtight container in the fridge for up to one week, or in the freezer for up to two months.
🍳 Recipe
Asian Sesame Salad Dressing
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Prep: Mince the ginger and garlic and thinly slice the white and light green parts of the scallions.
- Mix: Place all of the ingredients except the sesame seeds in a Mason jar or other container with a lid and shake well to combine.
- Enjoy: Serve immediately or store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 week, or in the freezer for up to 3 months. Additionally garnish with black sesame seeds, if desired.
Rodney Zumbach
Thank you!
Ty Barends
I couldn’t refrain from commenting. Very well written!