Japanese Salad Dressing Recipe

Name: Japanese Salad Dressing
Prep time: 10 min
Total time: 10 min
Yield: 12
Cuisine: Japanese
Ingredients: 1/2 cup roughly chopped onions; 1/2 cup olive oil; 1/4 cup rice vinegar; 3 tablespoons fresh grated ginger; 2 stalks celery, roughly chopped; 2/ tablespoons soy sauce; 3 teaspoons tomato paste; 3 teaspoons granulated sugar; 2 teaspoons lemon juice; 1 teaspoon salt; 2 tablespoons water

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holding a bowl of salad with ginger dressing

Why I love this Japanese salad dressing

Tomorrow is Valentine’s Day, and we have no plans. Marc has an away game so we will have a romantic pre-game meal of chicken parmesan with spaghetti. Then he’ll be gone for most of the day/night. So I’ll probably make my favorite one-person meal – Thai green chicken curry with vegetables and rice and a nice big salad with this hibachi-style ginger dressing. Then I’ll watch my favorite girly shows all by myself. It’s going to be great.

I’ve been in love with the ginger dressing they serve at Japanese steakhouses all over the U.S., but I’ve never been able to replicate the taste and texture together. I’ve tried and tried and tried to figure it out, and I finally came up with the simple ginger dressing I posted a while back. It had the right flavor, but it was missing the texture. Thankfully, my sister found a recipe that was (almost) perfect. With a few minor adjustments, I had finally figured out the perfect hibachi ginger dressing.

Try it for yourself and see what you think. Doesn’t it taste just like the stuff you get at your favorite Japanese steakhouse?

a bowl of green salad topped with ginger dressing and a fork

Here’s what you’ll need to make it

Ingredients note: I normally buy pre-grated ginger, but if you’re using fresh, I recommend using the small side of a box grater to grate it rather than a microplane. I find that the fibers just get stuck on the microplane.

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pouring olive oil into a food processor full of dressing ingredients

How to make ginger salad dressing

Prep your ingredients. Since this dressing is blended, it’s tempting to just throw everything into the blender, but I find that cutting the celery and grating the ginger really helps get the dressing nice and smooth – or as smooth as it’s going to get.

Blend the dressing in a food processor or blender until it’s mostly smooth. Transfer it to a mason jar or other container and refrigerate until you’re ready to use it.

a bowl of salad topped with ginger dressing

FAQ’s and tips for making Japanese ginger dressing

Is ginger dressing gluten free?

This salad dressing is gluten free, but you should always make sure to double check any of the ingredients in your packaged items to help avoid any possible cross contamination.

How long does ginger salad dressing last?

If you leave it stored inside of an airtight container in your fridge you can expect your homemade ginger dressing to last up to a week and still be good.

Is ginger dressing supposed to be chunky?

Ginger dressing is one of those weirdly textured dressings that you get used to the more you try it. It’s chunky and creamy at the same time, but when you eat it with your crunchy salad, it all works together to create a symphony of flavors and textures you can enjoy.

Japanese Steakhouse Copycat Ginger Dressing

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