This Sesame Ginger Dressing is tangy, savory, and nutty with fresh ginger, sesame oil, rice wine vinegar, and a touch of Sriracha. It takes just minutes to shake together and instantly makes simple salads restaurant-worthy.
This flavorful dressing is great on an Asian noodle salad, a crisp arugula salad, or a fresh leafy greens salad.
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Holly’s Recipe Highlights: Sesame Ginger Dressing
- Flavor: Savory, tangy, and nutty with a bright hint of lime and a subtle kick of heat from Sriracha.
- Skill Level: No cooking required! This beginner-friendly recipe is mixed and chilled.
- Prep Note: This recipe uses fresh garlic, so be sure to store it in the refrigerator right after making and use it within 3 days.
- Serving Suggestions: Great on your favorite salads, drizzled over a salmon bowl, or as a dipping sauce with chicken lettuce wraps.
Total Time: 10 minutes Servings: 21 Tablespoons Cooking Method: Chilled
Ingredient Notes
- The Base: Vegetable oil acts as the perfect base for this dressing, as it doesn’t overpower the other flavors. Swap it for canola, avocado oil, or another neutral-flavored oil.
- Rice Wine Vinegar: Perfect to add a mild tang to this recipe. Use unseasoned rice wine vinegar so the sweetness can be controlled for the best flavor.
- Soy Sauce: Opt for low-sodium soy sauce to control the sodium. Tamari works well for this recipe, too!
- Honey: Sweetens and balances the rice wine vinegar. Can be replaced with maple syrup.
- Aromatics: Fresh minced garlic adds a savory bite while fresh ginger gives this dressing a fresh, gentle heat. Swap the fresh aromatics with ¼ teaspoon each of powdered garlic and ground ginger to extend the shelf life.
- Flavor Boosters: Toasted sesame oil delivers that signature nutty flavor (don’t skip it)! A splash of fresh lime juice (or bottled) adds a punch of citrus, and a teaspoon of Sriracha provides a subtle warmth.
Favorite Variations
- Add Texture: Stir in a teaspoon of sesame seeds for texture and a pretty finish.
- Make it Creamy: Stir in a spoonful of tahini or peanut butter to make this a creamy dressing perfect for sesame ginger noodle salad or Asian slaw.
- Swap the Citrus: Replace the lime juice with fresh-squeezed lemon juice or orange juice for a twist.
How to Make Sesame Ginger Dressing
- Squeeze a lime, mince a clove of garlic, and grate some ginger.
- Measure and add each ingredient (per recipe below) into a jar or cruet and shake to blend.
Storing the Dressing
Store sesame ginger dressing in a glass jar or salad dressing cruet in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Shake well before using, as it will separate as it sits.
Freezing is not recommended.
More Easy Salad Dressings
Did you enjoy this Sesame Ginger Dressing? Leave a comment and rating below!
Ingredients
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- 3 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
- 3 tablespoons honey
- 2 tablespoons less sodium soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons water
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
- 1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 1 teaspoon Sriracha or to taste
- 1 teaspoon sesame seeds optional
Instructions
- Combine all ingredients in a jar and shake well to combine.
- Enjoy over salads, as a marinade, in stir fries or as a dip.
Notes
Nutrition Information
Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.
Course Dressing
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Love love love this recipe!
I wish I didn’t add water and read the comment about the water. Ruined the dressing too runny.
I’m sorry to hear that, Lola! Without the water, we find it too thick but you can leave it out if you prefer.
Awesome recipe! I am baffled, and I might be ignorant, how does this recipe with lime and rice vinegar cause botulism? I kept it the refrigerator.
Hi Jill, the risk is low but when storing fresh garlic in a low acid solution, even in the refrigerator, there is a risk of botulism developing. The PH of this dressing can vary based on the ingredients used so we find it better to be safe when it comes to storing homemade dressings containing fresh garlic. You can substitute the garlic clove for ⅛ tsp of garlic powder if you prefer. Hope that helps!
Thanks for a great flavour combo – I subbed lemon for lime since that was all I had in the fridge, but the lime would have been better. Next time I will reduce the oil to 1/4 cup – it was a bit too oily for my taste and I had about half of it left over, so it’s enough for a single use family size salad with the reduced quantity.
Do you think if I substituted garlic powder for the clove of garlic it would last longer in the fridge? I’m ok with giving up some fresh flavor in this case, so I’m not too worried about that being the only issue. :) So excited to try this!
I think that would work well, Veronica!
Update!! Made the dressing to go with some leftover 7-up chicken (the soy sauce in the chicken recipe gives it more of an Asian flavor and was the reason I looked up this recipe actually) and wow. Definitely lose some flavor substituting with garlic powder, but that for me right now is worth it to be able to keep the dressing longer…. though I don’t think what I made will be around long anyways! What a refreshing dressing! Can’t wait to try it with fresh garlic.
So happy to hear how much you love this dressing Veronica! Sounds like a perfect match to your dinner.
Wonderful recipe, tasted just like our nearby cafe I was trying to duplicate. The water made of a big too runny so I’d halve that. I didn’t use garlic due to sensitivity and it was still PERFECT!
Bag of coleslaw cabbage, shredded romaine, roasted peanuts, shredded rotisserie chicken, sesame seeds .. add this dressing .. so good!
So happy you enjoyed this recipe, Sandy!
This is the only dressing I use now. It’s perfect! The 2nd time making it I dropped the honey from 3 Tbsps to 2 for less sugar. It was still great.
Thank you for sharing Tina!
Quite tasty, but very watery. Personally I omit the water entirely and it’s perfect.
Glad you enjoyed it, Melissa!
Hi! I want to make this dressing but am a bit confused as I can’t find “rice wine vinegar”. I found “Rice cooking wine” and “rice vinegar” and am unsure what the difference is or which to use ; they both have Asian-type writing on them… thank you for clarifying!
Hi Venessa, rice vinegar would be the best option for this recipe. Enjoy!
If I could do it again, I’d half the oil or omit the water, as the bottom of my salad got soupy. But otherwise the flavor is there and delicious! Will certainly make again.
I work at a local university in the catering dept. This recipe saved the day at work today! We ran out of premade sesame ginger dressing. Served it to the university president and his vip guests. They raved about it! Sounds like we will be making it from scratch from now on. Thank you so much!
You’re welcome, that’s amazing June!
This dressing is spectacular! Thank you!
You’re welcome Nan!
Outstanding recipe thank you ! This is now one of my “Go To” Dinner salads !!
What are those crispy little pillow shaped things you have sprinkled on top in the salad photo ?
SF
These were crispy fried wonton strips that I picked up at the grocery store. Enjoy, Scott!
I’m going to make your Asian Noodle salad with chicken for a dinner party. Would the Sesame Ginger Dressing work okay with brown sugar instead of the honey?
Thanx!
Mary
Brown sugar will work just make sure to mix the dressing well so it dissolves fully!
Looks great
Excellent dressing ! What are those little crispy things in the salad photo ? I love having the whole range of textures in dinner salads, including a little crispy crunchy too, and they look very good !
TY for the recipe.
These were crispy fried wonton strips that I picked up at the grocery store. Enjoy, Scott!
Why does this appear to have sesame seeds in it, yet you don’t list it as an ingredient??
You could add 1 teaspoon of sesame seeds Beth. Enjoy!
This was really tasty! How about adding a little xanthan gum to increase viscosity? It would pour a little thicker.
Haven’t tried that Richard. Let us know how it goes if you do!
Perfect in my grain bowl! This time I was serving a Chile blend dry rubbed salmon over farro with roasted broccoli, delicata squash , and shiitake mushroom. Topped with pickled red onion and toasted black and white sesame seeds. This dressing added a whole other layer of flavor that was AMAZING!!
Oh.my.yummm! That sounds so delicious Jackie, thanks for sharing!
This is for all you none believers out there ! Honestly I didn’t think this would be so good , wait-excllent ! Only didn’t use lime juice (I will in future) and Sriracha , wife can’t stand heat. Nice one Holly…..
Thank you Mervyn!!
Delicious!