This simple shiso dressing will blow your socks off! Made with fresh shiso leaves, this bright green dressing is savory, tangy, fruity, and full of aromatics.
Surprise your family this dinnertime with something a little different! What makes this shiso dressing stand out comes from the combination of fresh shiso leaves and dashi powder. I know it sounds strange, like these two ingredients wouldn’t pair well with olive oil and vinegar, but I am here to tell you that they will make your taste buds sing!
Perfect as a seasoning for chicken, beef, seafood, baked tofu (and fresh tofu), this shiso dressing is also delicious drizzle over rice or tossed with noodles. It’s very versatile and only requires 7 ingredients to make.
Table of contents
Shiso Dressing Ingredients
- Shiso leaves: Shiso leaves, also called Japanese basil, are shaped like a spade and taste somewhere between anise and basil. They are a type of perilla leaves that’s often used as a garnish to traditional Japanese dishes such as nigiri sushi and soba noodles, and is also pickled with umeboshi. They are generally not sold in general grocery stores but can be found in Japanese supermarkets and sometimes other Asian supermarkets.
- Dashi powder: Dashi is made with a mixture of dried bonito flakes and kombu (seaweed) that have been ground to a powder. It adds a mild briny element that’s very traditional to Japanese food.
- Sugar: Sugar is used to tone down the tanginess of the vinegar and the umami of the soy sauce.
- Salt: A little salt to balance to the overall taste of the dressing.
- Soy sauce: Soy sauce for saltiness, earthiness, and umami.
- Rice vinegar: Rice vinegar has a mild and fruity flavor that’s similar to apple cider vinegar. It’s milder than other types of vinegars which makes it a good option for sauces and dressings.
- Olive oil: Use a high quality, cold pressed olive oil, that’s both fruity and spicy. It will add depth of flavor and complexity. One of my absolute favorite brands is Graza.
Alternative Ingredients
- Use Thai basil or mint, or a mix of both, instead of shiso leaves. Do not substitute with perilla leaves as they have a different texture and taste very different (even though they are from the same family).
- Use apple cider vinegar instead of rice vinegar. Both have a fruity taste and are milder than other types of vinegar.
- Leave out the dashi powder to make a vegan dressing. I don’t recommend using powder vegetable stock as it has a completely different taste and may not blend well with the other flavors. It’s best to just omit the dashi powder.
How to Make Shiso Dressing
Scroll down to the recipe card for the full recipe.
- Grab and knife and the shiso leaves. Start by chopping the shiso leaves until they are minced.
- Melt the sugar, salt, and dashi powder. Place them in a bowl with 1 tablespoon of warm water and stir.
- Add the other ingredients. Add the remaining ingredients along with the minced shiso leaves and whisk until everything is combined.
- Season and enjoy. Season with a little salt, if needed, and serve.
Storage
It’s important to refrigerate this dressing because it contains fresh shiso leaves and dashi. I usually keep in it a small glass jar and take it out of the fridge 15 to 30 minutes before using it, to allow the oil to warm up and liquify.
Other things to keep in mind when making homemade dressings using fresh herbs:
- It’s best to store them in an airtight storage containers such as a mason jar or other glass bottle, to prevent oxidation.
- Because homemade dressings don’t contain preservatives, it’s best to use them within 3 to 5 days.
How to Use Shiso Dressing
As I previously mentioned, this shiso dressing is very versatile and can be used with many dishes. It makes a delicious sauce for proteins such as beef, chicken, and tofu, and also tastes great with rice and noodles. It can be used as a salad dressing for salads using fish or poultry as a topping, and makes a beautiful drizzle for grilled vegetables.
Dishes that pair well with shiso dressing:
- Fried noodles with soy sauce
- Japanese fried rice (yakimeshi)
- Crispy tofu
- Baked chicken katsu
- Chinese style eggplant with sesame sauce
Other delicious dressings and sauces you might like to try: All purpose balsamic sauce, miso dressing, all purpose vinaigrette, Japanese sesame dressing, eel sauce, dumpling sauce, teriyaki sauce, Japanese carrot ginger dressing.
Did you like this recipe? Are there changes you made that you would like to share? Share your tips and recommendations in the comments section below!
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Shiso Dressing
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: N/A
- Total Time: 5 minutes
- Yield: about 1/3 cup
- Category: Sauce
- Method: Mixing
- Cuisine: Japanese
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
Made with fresh shiso leaves, this bright green shiso dressing is savory, tangy, fruity, and full of aromatics.
Ingredients
- 10 shiso leaves
- 1/4 teaspoon dashi powder
- 1 1/2 teaspoon sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
Instructions
- Chop the shiso leaves. Place the shiso leaves on a cutting board and finely chop them. Set them aside.
- Mix the dry ingredients. Put the dashi powder, sugar, and salt, in a bowl and add 1 tablespoon of warm water. Stir until the sugar has fully dissolved.
- Add the wet ingredients. Add the olive oil, soy sauce, and rice vinegar, and whisk to combine.
- Add the shiso leaves and mix. Serve with your favorite protein, drizzled over grilled vegetables, or as a salad dressing.
Notes
Transfer the dressing to an airtight storage container and refrigerate for up to 3 days.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 70
- Sugar: 1.8g
- Sodium: 253mg
- Fat: 7g
- Saturated Fat: 1g
- Unsaturated Fat: 0g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 2.3g
- Fiber: 0g
- Protein: 0.4g
- Cholesterol: 0mg
