Make this iconic and delicious Japanese Restaurant Style Ginger Salad Dressing Recipe in less than 10 minutes! Inspired by Japanese-American steakhouses, the sweet and tangy flavors make the perfect pairing to ice cold iceberg lettuce!

 

Japanese Restaurant Style Ginger Salad Dressing

OMG… I am missing Japan like crazy right now. This happens from time to time. You see, between the years I spent living in Japan – and since my mother now lives in Fukuoka (and my brother and cousins in Tokyo) – there is a real hold the land of the rising sun has on me.

I’ve been watching a few Japanese series (Midnight Diner and Terrace House) on Netflix recently in hopes of loosening that yearning – but the main effect those shows are having is making me super hungry! When I’m missing family, the first thing I start to crave is the foods I associate with them (plus, those shows aren’t light on the food references!).

This Japanese salad dressing recipe may be an Americanized version of the original (which has no carrots, uses less sugar and more ginger) but since I grew up on this side of the pond, speaks to me the same as if I was eating the real thing in Japan.

This is the ubiquitous restaurant style ginger and carrot dressing you get on your starter salad at your local Japanese steakhouse and sushi restaurant. It’s delicious, super easy to make and, if you’re like me, it’s a comforting reminder of home.

Common Ingredients, Iconic Flavor

The ultimate best thing about this Japanese restaurant salad dressing (aside from the incredible taste) is how simple it is to whip up using just a few common ingredients. A couple of carrots, a small onion and organic canola oil all form the base of this restaurant style dressing.

Then, this delicious salad topper gets a savory undertone from soy sauce. That zing… well, that’s from the rice vinegar and fresh ginger! If you’ve been to a Japanese restaurant in the US or Canada, chances are excellent that you’ve had a variation of this carrot ginger dressing.  It’s so cool that, when combined, pantry ingredients this common can have such a universally recognizable flavor!

How To Make Japanese Carrot Ginger Dressing

You will need a blender to make this salad dressing.

Start by adding all the ingredients, except for the oil, in the blender. Press start and blend until the texture is smooth. While keeping the blender on, slowly add the oil so that it emulsifies (blends) with the other ingredients.

Doing it too quickly can cause the oil to separate, so take your time for this step! Once you are done, do a taste test and if you think it needs adjusting, add a little more sugar or salt.

And that’s it, you’ve just made the iconic Japanese salad dressing in your own kitchen!

Japanese Ginger Dressing… A Reminder of Home

A simple side salad is so much more satisfying to me when topped with this bright and iconic Japanese carrot ginger dressing. Whether I’m in my home kitchen or at a restaurant, the flavor transports me to meals I enjoyed long ago with family and friends halfway around the world.

Bite after bite, I feel a little bit closer to the people and the country I find myself missing so much these days.

What about you? What food reminds you of home? I’d love to hear about it in the comments!

Other simple, delicious Japanese recipes:

• Japanese curry
• Agedashi tofu
• Tonkatsu sauce
• Miso ramen
• Nasu dengaku

Did you like this Japanese Restaurant Style Ginger Dressing Recipe? Are there changes you made that you would like to share? Share your tips and recommendations in the comments section below!

This recipe is one of many included in my ecookbook!

These recipes constantly make “best dish” lists on sites such as Country Living, Self, Shape, Bon Appetit, The Cooking Channel, Men’s Fitness and Woman’s Day. They are favorites among my readers, friends and family!

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