Name: Asian Salad Dressing
Prep time: 5 min
Total time: 5 min
Cuisine: Asian
Ingredients: 5 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil or neutral cooking oil (avocado, canola, etc.); ½ teaspoon sesame oil, or to taste; ¼ cup rice vinegar; 1 teaspoon less sodium soy sauce; 1 teaspoon fresh ginger, grated; 1 ½ tablespoons honey or maple syrup; 2 tablespoons hoisin sauce; 1-2 teaspoons sesame seeds

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Sweet and savory with a sesame ginger twist and bright flavor for the best Asian Salad Dressing!

Do you ever feel like sweet ‘n savory flavors taste sooo much better than just sweet or just savory flavors?

Growing up, my mom taught me that a hint of spice (okay, way more than a hint) and a hint of sweet would go a long way to making a savory condiment or dish delicious.

Today, we’re going to use my mom’s tried and true concept to make the perfect savory/sweet Asian Salad Dressing.

Think: spicy ginger, nutty sesame, and sweet honey, all combining to make the best Asian salad dressing! Let’s make this!

pouring this Asian Salad Dressing recipe over an Asian Salad

What is Asian Salad Dressing?

Asian salad dressing is a salad dressing that’s inspired by Asian flavors.

For today’s Asian salad dressing, we’ll be using ginger, sesame, honey, and soy sauce to create the perfect sweet ‘n savory dressing for an Asian salad that’s packed with cabbage, carrots, cilantro, celery and more.

Asian Salad Dressing ingredients laid out on a kitchen counter

What’s in Asian Salad Dressing?

Asian salad dressing can be made with a variety of ingredients, but I’ve chosen a select and balanced few to hit just the right notes for a tasty dressing.

Oil – for less guilt, I use extra virgin olive oil, but for those who prefer less flavor from the oil, try something neutral like canola or avocado (which has a very light flavor).
Sesame oil – I use this sesame oil for a highly potent sesame flavor.
Rice vinegar – this adds a mild, sweet flavor and aroma to your dressing.
Soy sauce – I use a “less sodium” soy sauce which lowers the sodium content without sacrificing on flavor.
Ginger – always use fresh ginger for a bright, slightly spicy taste.
Honey – honey is preferred in this recipe, but you can use maple syrup in a pinch.
Hoisin sauce – one of the key ingredients in this recipe, hoisin sauce is one of my favorite sauces of all time. It’s the perfect balance between sweet & savory, bringing out the best in many flavorful ingredients & meals.
Sesame seeds – the prettiest component of this dressing—it signals the sesame flavors you’ll taste from the sesame oil.

How to Make Asian Salad Dressing

I’m going to take you through, step-by-step with instructional photos as we learn how to make Asian Salad Dressing together.

Be sure to check out the detailed instructions & precise ingredients in the recipe card lower in this post.

First, choose an oil and add it to a small mixing bowl. You can use extra virgin olive oil, canola oil, and more.

Photo showing How to Make Asian Salad Dressing – adding neutral oil into small mixing bowl

Second, carefully add in sesame oil. This ingredient is very aromatic and potent, so you don’t want to go overboard with it.

Photo showing How to Make Asian Salad Dressing – adding sesame oil

Third, add in the rest of the Asian salad dressing ingredients: rice vinegar, soy sauce, ginger, honey, and hoisin sauce.

Photo showing How to Make Asian Salad Dressing – adding soy sauce

My favorite part is adding in the sesame seeds. Aren’t they pretty?

Two photos showing How to Make this recipe – adding sesame seeds

Fourth, grab your cutest tiny whisk and whisk Asian Salad Dressing until emulsified.

Photo showing How to Make this sesame ginger recipe – whisking ingredients together

Do you see the color difference when the ingredients are just sitting in separate layers versus when they are truly combined into one?

Close up of the finished texture of this recipe to show the right emulsion

The Asian salad dressing should have a creamier, more opaque look, with the sesame seeds evenly floating throughout.

Lastly, transfer your homemade Asian ginger sesame dressing to an airtight container.

Then, enjoy!

Pouring this recipe over a big bowl of vegetables

How to Store Asian Salad Dressing

Since this Asian salad dressing is made fresh, you’ll be able to keep it for up to 1 week, maximum.

Be sure to store this dressing in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Also, shake it up thoroughly before using.

More Salad & Vegetable-Rich Recipes

spooning this recipe out of the container

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I’m Grateful…

…to you! Just know that Erik and I simply love hearing from you, spending time with you, and seeing your BB creations on Instagram & Facebook. To ensure we see it, make sure to tag your photo with @beamingbaker and #beamingbaker. ‘Til our next kitchen adventure…

Sending you all my love and maybe even a dove, xo Demeter ❤️