Japanese Carrot Ginger Dressing. A delicious dressing that will take your simple salad to the next level! Sweet, gingery, and tangy with a nutty flavor. It will satisfy all your taste buds! Easily ready in 10 minutes.
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What is Japanese Carrot Ginger Salad Dressing?
This Japanese salad dressing is a popular one served at your local Japanese restaurant. It's one of those Asian salad dressings made of basic ingredients such as carrot, ginger, apple and red onion with soy sauce, sesame oil, rice vinegar, a touch of sugar and cold water. When I first had my taste of this salad dressing, I was amazed by the sweet, tangy and savory taste of it! I knew I had to create my own version and after multiple trials of making this dressing, I have finally created a version that I'm proud to share.
This orange dressing is those wonderful recipes that is super tasty. It's packed with sweet, savory, nutty with tangy flavors. Commonly served over crisp iceberg lettuce or romaine lettuce, cucumber slices, fresh carrots, tomatoes, red onion and radish. Easily my favorite way to enjoy a salad because it really elevates it and makes eating veggies feel less like a chore! The dressing is also very quick and easy.
Ingredients
Please scroll down to below recipe card for exact measurements.
Note: Most grocers will carry these ingredients. You may find some online, like on Amazon.
Key Ingredients
- Carrots: fresh medium carrots will make this easier, so you have less to peel and chop. This is the key ingredient to our delicious carrot ginger dressing recipe.
- Red onion, skin removed: or substitute with a normal onion but I highly recommend red onion for a sharper flavor!
- Fresh ginger: this is the second key ingredient to our carrot ginger sauce. Make sure to use the fresh ginger over ginger powder.
- Apple: optional but highly recommended
Other ingredients
- Rice vinegar: aka rice wine vinegar (except there is no wine). Make sure it's an unseasoned rice vinegar. You may also substitute with white vinegar or apple cider vinegar. Avoid using balsamic vinegar or any dark colored vinegars. Most Asian grocery stores or even Western grocers will carry this ingredient.
- Neutral oil: like avocado oil, sunflower oil, grapeseed oil, peanut oil, vegetable oil or organic canola oil. Avoid olive oil, coconut oil or any heavy scented oils.
- Regular soy sauce, not dark soy sauce: aka all-purpose soy sauce. The label will simply say "soy sauce". This is different from dark soy sauce, which is darker in color and thicker in viscosity. You may also substitute with light soy sauce or low sodium soy sauce.
- Cold water
- White granulated sugar: or substitute with any sweetener of your choice like honey, maple syrup, brown sugar, or cane sugar.
- Sesame oil
How to Make Japanese Carrot-Ginger Salad Dressing
Add Ingredients into a Blender or Food Processor
Add all ingredients into a high speed blender or food processor.
Blend until Smooth!
Blend until very smooth and there are no chunks left. It should be runny.
Enjoy with Salad
Enjoy with your salad. Salad options can include chopped iceberg lettuce, julienned carrots, tomato wedges, sliced cucumbers, thinly sliced radish and julienned red onion. Or feel free to enjoy over a simple cucumber salad.
Storage
This will last 1-2 weeks in an airtight container (like mason jars) stored in the fridge.
FAQ
Can I substitute the soy sauce to make it gluten-free?
Yes, feel free to substitute with tamari sauce, coconut aminos or a gluten free soy sauce of your choice.
Can I substitute the rice vinegar?
Yes, please use white vinegar or apple cider vinegar. Avoid using balsamic vinegar or any dark colored vinegars.
Is there a substitute for sesame oil?
You may use sesame seeds as a very last resort. However, if you're allergic to sesame seeds or sesame oil, omit altogether.
What kind of salad can I enjoy this salad dressing with?
A perfect way to enjoy this salad dressing is with some chopped iceberg lettuce or romaine lettuce (or any lettuce of your choice), julienned carrots, tomato wedges, sliced cucumbers, thinly sliced radish and julienned red onion. Or feel free to enjoy over a simple cucumber salad.
Other recipes you may enjoy!
- Spicy Asian Cucumber Salad
- Easy Korean Potato Salad
- Korean Bean Sprout Salad
- Din Tai Fung Cucumber Salad
- Korean Cucumber Salad
- Watermelon Basil Salad
📖 Recipe
Easy 10-min. Japanese Carrot Ginger Dressing
Ingredients
- 4.4 oz carrots peeled & chopped
- 1 oz red onion
- 0.35 oz ginger peeled
- 1 oz gala apple or sub with any peeled apple
- ¼ cup rice vinegar or substitute with apple cider vinegar or white vinegar
- ¼ cup avocado oil or any neutral oil
- 1 tablespoon regular soy sauce not dark soy sauce
- 2 tablespoon cold water
- 4 teaspoon white granulated sugar or substitute with brown sugar, cane sugar, honey or maple syrup
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil toasted kind
Instructions
- Add all ingredients into a high speed blender or food processor.
- Blend until very smooth and there are no chunks left. It should be runny.
- Enjoy with your salad. Salad options can include chopped iceberg lettuce, julienned carrots, tomato wedges, sliced cucumbers, thinly sliced radish and julienned red onion. Or feel free to enjoy over a simple cucumber salad.
Storage:
- This will last 1-2 weeks in an airtight container stored in the fridge.
John
Hey Christie. I love all your recipes! BIG REQUEST. Some of your recipes use metric measures. I then have to covert to the American system. Confusing and irritating. Can you put the equivalent measurement in parentheses next to the metric. Would be SO HELPFUL! THANKS MUCH. JOHN.
christieathome
Hi John, thanks for the support of my recipes! I will have to look into your suggestion and see if it's viable for the blog.