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! Ready in 10 minutes.
If you love carrot and ginger, you will love this homemade dressing! My healthy Japanese ginger salad dressing comes togethers quickly and easily with a high-speed blender or food processor. The perfect pairing with any fresh side salad, especially when the weather gets warmer.
First time making this homemade salad dressing?
Don't worry, I share step-by-step instructions with visuals and a video. It’s going to be super easy!
What is Japanese Carrot Ginger Salad Dressing?
This Japanese salad dressing is a popular one served at your local Japanese restaurant like at a sushi restaurant or a hibachi restaurant (which is a Japanese steakhouse restaurant).
It's one of those Asian salad dressings made of basic ingredients. Also, this orange dressing is those wonderful recipes that is super tasty! Sweet, savory, nutty with tangy flavors.
Commonly served over crisp iceberg lettuce or romaine lettuce, cucumber slices, fresh carrots, tomatoes, red onion and radish. A great way to get more vegetables into your diet without it feeling like a chore!
Easy Japanese Carrot Ginger Dressing
My Japanese-style carrot-ginger dressing is quick and easy to make! Only takes 10 minutes of your time. The ingredients are simple and accessible.
It'll also last you 1-2 weeks stored in an airtight container in the fridge. So, you can enjoy this healthy ginger carrot dressing anytime you’d like.
Ingredients
You’ll need the below ingredients for my Japanese Ginger Dressing. 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.
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: to help dilute our thick dressing.
- White granulated sugar: or substitute with any sweetener of your choice like honey, maple syrup, brown sugar, or cane sugar.
- Sesame oil: to offer a beautiful toasted nutty flavor! I wouldn't suggest substituting with sesame seeds as you'll need the oil component of this ingredient. Most Asian grocery stores or even Western grocers will carry this ingredient.
How to Make Japanese Carrot-Ginger Salad Dressing
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 (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!
If you enjoyed my Japanese carrot ginger dressing, you may like these other recipes:
- Spicy Asian Cucumber Salad
- Easy Korean Potato Salad
- Korean Bean Sprout Salad
- Din Tai Fung Cucumber Salad
- Korean Cucumber Salad
- Watermelon Basil Salad
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 (optional *not shown in video)
- 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.