Name: Japanese Salad Dressing Recipe
Prep time: 5 min
Total time: 5 min
Yield: 12
Ingredients: 1/4 cup rice vinegar; 2 Tbs soy sauce; 1 tsp white sugar; 3/4 cup neutral oil such as sunflower, grapeseed or avocado; 1/2 tsp minced ginger

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A classic Japanese Salad Dressing with only five ingredients. Brighten up your veggies and noodles with this soy sauce and vinegar dressing, perfect for a healthy recipe re-set.

IN THIS POST

Japanese Salad Ingredients

The Japanese traditionally don’t eat Western-style salads, fresh greens with a dressing poured over. Instead they have vegetable side dishes or courses that are salad-like. Aemono means ‘mixed things’ – this can be vegetables, fish, chicken mixed with sauces and dressings. Sunomono refers to foods with vinegar. These two categories can overlap and can resemble Western-style salads. That being said, Japanese restaurants in the U.S. do offer salads. For a popular and traditional Japanese salad, be sure to try Kani Salad.

Popular Japanese Salad Ingredient Combinations

Try these different Japanese-inspired salad combinations with this dressing. As with all salads, these are versatile so feel free to add whatever suits your tastes.

GREEN SALAD – spinach blanched in boiling salted water, then cooled in ice water. Pour dressing over and garnish with toasted sesame seeds.

CUCUMBER SALAD – cucumbers sliced thin, salted for 15 minutes, rinsed, drained & patted dry. Pour dressing over and garnish with black sesame seeds.

SOBA NOODLE SALAD – cooked Soba noodles, crunch veggies cut into matchsticks like carrots, zucchini, bell peppers. Add edamame for some protein. Pour dressing over, garnish with chopped cashews and scallions.

WAKAME SALAD – rehydrated Wakame seaweed with thin-skinned cucumbers sliced thinly and salted for 15 minutes, excess water squeezed out. Pour dressing over and garnish with sesame seeds and cooked seafood like shrimp or crab.

HOUSE SALAD – iceberg lettuce, tomato, cucumbers, carrots. Pour dressing over.

CABBAGE SALAD – chopped bok choy or sliced Napa cabbage, scallions, almond slivers and sesame seeds. Pour dressing over.

Sliced cabbage, carrots, pickled ginger and mandarin slices on white plate.

How to Make Japanese Salad Dressing

Japanese Salad Dressing ingredients in a jar before mixing. — Place ingredients in a jar with a tight-fitting lid.

Japanese Salad Dressing ingredients in a jar after mixing. — Shake until well combined. Keeps in the fridge for up to one week. Bring to room temperature and shake to mix the dressing again.

Japanese Salad Dressing pouring over salad. — Pour over your salad.

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Salad ingredients on a plate with smoked sprats.

If you are passionate about this dish because of a favorite memory or just love to cook this, let me know about it. I live vicariously through all of the wonderful stories I come across.