Japanese Carrot Ginger Salad Dressing (Restaurant-Style)
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Make this iconic and delicious Japanese Carrot 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!
Sometimes I get really homesick about Japan.
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 Carrot Ginger 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.
Better than the Restaurant Version
The ultimate best thing about this Japanese Carrot Ginger 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!
Ingredients for Japanese Carrot Ginger Salad Dressing
- Carrots: I’m using 7 ounces of carrots which comes to about 200 grams. Since everything will be blended the carrot can be roughly chopped here.
- Onion: A yellow sweet onion is best for this recipe but you can also use a regular yellow or white onion. I’m using 4 ounces which is about 110 grams.
- Ginger: You can use more than 2 tablespoons of ginger if you like your dressing to have some heat. Two tablespoons, which is what I’m using, is just enough to infuse it with ginger flavor without feeling any tingling on the tongue.
- Sugar: Granulated sugar is preferred but you can use brown as well. One tablespoon is all you need.
- Soy Sauce: 1/4 cup to add umami and earthiness to the dressing.
- Rice Vinegar: That’s the famous zing you taste in the dressing. Plain rice vinegar is recommended. If you have seasoned rice vinegar only, I suggest omitting the sugar for this recipe.
- Salt: I use kosher salt which has bigger granules. If you are using regular salt, start with 1/4 teaspoon, do a taste test, and work your way up if needed.
- Oil: Any neutral oil will do here. You can use organic canola oil, vegetable oil, grapeseed oil, corn oil.
How To Make Japanese Carrot Ginger Salad Dressing
You will need a blender to make this salad dressing.
- Add all the ingredients, except for the oil, in the blender and press start. Blend until the texture is smooth.
- While keeping the blender on, slowly add the oil so that it emulsifies (blends) with the other ingredients. It’s important to do it slowly otherwise the oil can separate and ruin the dressing, so take your time for this step!
- 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!
What to Serve with Japanese Carrot Ginger Salad Dressing
Serving this dressing over a bed of crispy iceberg lettuce is by far my favorite combination. However, you can use romaine lettuce or endives as well, or any other type of crunchy greens to enjoy this lovely dressing.
A side salad is usually served as part of a sushi meal here in the US but there are many other meal combinations where you can serve green leaves and carrot ginger dressing. Some of my favorites are:
- Japanese fried rice (yakimeshi)
- Japanese curry rice
- Honey sriracha oven baked salmon
- Singapore chow mei fun
- Vegan jajangmyeon
Did you like this Japanese Carrot Ginger Salad Dressing 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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Japanese Carrot Ginger Salad Dressing (Restaurant-Style)
This iconic and delicious Japanese Carrot Ginger Salad Dressing Recipe will transport your taste buds to Shibuya! Ready in 10 minutes from start to finish.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 10 minutes
- Yield: 8 people 1x
- Category: Dressings
- Cuisine: Japanese
Ingredients
- 7 ounces carrots (peeled and chopped )
- 4 ounces onion (peeled and finely chopped)
- 2 tablespoons ginger (peeled and finely chopped)
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup soy sauce
- 1/2 cup rice vinegar
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 cup organic canola or vegetable oil
Instructions
- Put all the ingredients except for the canola oil in a blender and blend until smooth.
- Slowly add the oil and blend until the mixture has emulsified.
- Refrigerate for up to 2 weeks.
- Serve with iceberg lettuce, tomatoes, onions, cucumber.
Notes
You can use olive oil but the flavor will be slightly different since it’s not a neutral oil like canola or vegetable. It will still be good though!
This Japanese Restaurant Style Ginger Dressing Recipe makes about 2 cups.
Keywords: recipe, salad dressing, vinaigrette, carrot ginger dressing, condiment, vegan, vegetarian
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125 Comments on “Japanese Carrot Ginger Salad Dressing (Restaurant-Style)”
This is my new absolutely favourite salad dressing. I have made it at least 3 times. I actually want to drink it….and lick my plate…it’s so yummy…Thank you for sharing this gem!
Thank you so much Suzanne! 🙂
Excellent! Just like at our local hab Hibachi restaurant!
Maybe better, I burred the complete dressing to smooth it’s texture.
Plus I added fresh grated orange
★★★★★
Thank you so much Christine! 🙂
I usually can’t eat this at sushi places because I’m allergic to soy and canola oils. But I can make it at home using light olive oil! Thank you! I can now enjoy this.
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I made it and it is delicious!! Lots of chopping, but so worth it when it was all finished. Tastes just like the ginger dressing from the Japanese restaurant. I wonder if there’s any way to reduce the fat without compromising the taste?
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I can’t eat onion, what could I sub?
Hi Crystal! I would suggest substituting with 1-2 celery sticks. The texture won’t be the same and you will taste celery but it should still be good. You could also try with fennel if you don’t mind the taste of anise.
Thanks for posting !
It is easy to make, no doubt but all of sudden, I was flabbergasted that there is no orange juice in this recipe lol… Serious, I always thought OJ is part of the recipe, so when started the preparation and found the recipe has none…
I promptly added my own…. and what the heck, 1/4 tbsp of the orange peel zest for good measure.
Also found out that 1/4 cup of the vinegar was a little too much for us, and that’s the reason I actually added the second orange and a little more salt and sugar.
It was like 11pm when I was making this as I was badly craving some salad and this sauce. Thank you again.
I will definitely make it soon enough !
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That’s wonderful Alex! Late night salad cravings are the best in my book because they are almost guilt-free ;P Thank you for sharing!
Made this tonight…..AMAZING!! It was so refreshingly delicious!! Fast and easy to make.
Thank you
★★★★★
This is my favorite dressing ever! Love this recipe. Thank you for sharing.
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Thank you Dawn! 🙂
Restaurant style !! Definitely a big hit in our family. So very yummy!
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I am going to make this ginger dressing, we love the dressing in our Japanese Restaurant, how long will this keep in refridge? Thank you
Hi Kathy! The dressing should be good for about a week, up to 10 days 🙂
Tastes just like the Japanese restaurants. Very refreshing and tastes so good. The recipe was very easy and quick.
Thanks for sharing!
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Thank you Trang! 🙂
Perfect, authentic, Japanese steakhouse salad dressing. I doubled the ingredients to make a vat of it. I have no doubts it’ll be gone in no time.
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Delicious!
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One word…..Delicious!! Only used 1/2 C grape seed oil. Wonderful flavors.
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Thank you Cher! 🙂
Sooooooo gooooooood ^^
I’ve not actually experienced American Japanese restaurants, being in England, so don’t really know what that version tastes like, but it doesn’t matter cos it has the same effect of transporting me back to Japan! It’s literally the spicy zingy taste I adore and miss sorely. I also love the fact your mum is living in Fukuoka; between that and the memories of okosan lunches in kotobukiya, your time in Hong Kong, and your memories of Thai resort buffet breakfasts with your mum, your blog could not feel any more tailor made for me It must be why all your recipes turn out so delicious to me and my tastebuds!
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Thank you so much for the beautiful and kind comment Jo, I’m smiling as I’m typing this 🙂
Was just like my favorite sushi restaurants super easy and most of the stuff I had at home already. I loved it
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Thank you Isabella! 🙂
Delicious! So happy I found this recipe. Maybe even better than restaurant dressing!
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Thank you so much Tally! 🙂
Loved this dressing! Used a 1/3 cup of vinegar and a half cup of oil, to reduce liquid. Was amazing. Thank you!
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Wonderful Kara, thank you for sharing! 🙂
This recipe sounded good, but its actually delicious and so easy to make.
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i have made this recipe taste for loving it . me my family thank you for sharing this recipe
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Thank you so much 🙂
Spent 3 1/2 years in Misawa Japan , really missed this never thought I could replicate it. Thank you so much! Do have a recipe for my favorite thing I miss chicken & cheese gyoza ?
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Hi Stu! I’ve never heard of chicken and cheese gyoza, it sounds so good though! It must be a specialty from Misawa, that’s one thing I love about Japan, how every city has something different to offer ❤️
Thank you for posting this recipe! I will definitely try to make that tonight:)
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Do you happen to know the amount of ingredients needed not in ounces? I don’t have a food scale
It was about 2 1/2 carrots and 3/4 of a medium yellow onion.
Amazing, tastes just as good as the real thing, if not more so. I definitely recommend adding a drop of sesame oil (if you’re not allergic) for added depth. Thank you so much for this recipe!
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I totally loved this recipe, I just did something different. added two tablespoons of sesame oil just because I love sesame oil flavor.
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I made it as written and felt it was lacking something. It isn’t sweet enough so I added another Tablespoon of Sugar and that made it better
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I made this recipe today and it is delish! Taste like my favorite Asian resteraunt …even better! Thanks for sharing this recipe!!
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Wow. This tastes exactly like the real deal. Used olive oil because it’s all I had, and seasoned rice vinegar because it’s all I could find! It seriously is fantastic! So happy I found this recipe
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I’m happy you found it too 😉 Thank you Ally!
I was able to pull this together from my pantry & frig and it’s excellent! Can’t wait to surprise my boyfriend at dinner tonight with this amazing salad! Thank you!
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Could left over dressing possibly be frozen?
Hi Christin! Yes you can freeze this dressing in an airtight container for up to 6 weeks 🙂
Loved it!!! My husband not only loved it too but spread it all over his Korean beef main dish as a condiment!
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I thought this was fabulous. I kept mine a little chuncky as I enjoy that flavor.
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Could someone give me the details if I use ground ginger instead?
Hi Stephanie! Ground ginger is much more concentrated than fresh ginger so I suggest using 1/2 teaspoon of ground ginger as a substitute. The difference will be that there won’t be the same level of zing (or bite) in the dressing since ground ginger doesn’t provide that.
Use 2 tablespoons of sugar and add 1 cup of water and this recipe is perfect. Tastes just like the recipe at my hibachi restaurant I love so much.
★★★★★
Very much YUM! Tastes very much like the dressing used at our local Japanese Steak House, Sakura.
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I’ve tried making several other versions of this dressing and they were all okay. This recipe is AMAZING. I’ve made it a couple times and I’m about to make another batch or two. I’m going send some to my sister because we can’t get enough of this. I am going to try adding a little lemon and see how I like it.
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I just followed this recipe and we both love it! Tastes really yummy like the one we eat at a Japanese Resto!
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Sounds wonderful. Any ideas to work around not having a blender or food processor? I’m renting a house for two months and neither is available. Hate to have to buy a piece of equipment I would be leaving behind.
Lin
Hi Linda, I’m so sorry but I don’t think this dressing can be made without a blender 🙁
It won’t have the texture of the carrots but maybe you could try pureed carrots from the baby food aisle or a little carrot juice.
I haven’t made this specific recipe yet, but i did make one very similar and used pre-minced/blended ginger in a bottle and onion powder, then I used a mason jar to “blend” by shaking it. Worked very well. (I’m sure freshly graded/blended ginger tastes significantly better, but this is what I had on hand.)
I would be trying this one next…
What a great idea! Thank you for sharing this tip!
YOu can get a hand emulsion blender. They are small
What about a white sauce from same type restaurant?
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Fan favorite on our house! Thank you for the recipe. We all loved it.
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This ginger dressing is delicious!! I made it exactly as you instructed and I will not change a thing♥️♥️ I had it over crispy Romain lettuce with a salmon cake on top!! Fantastic lunch
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Thank you Dawn! 🙂
Love this receipe didn’t make it yet i dont know how to measure carrots and onion .Could you please use tbs.or cups to measure
Thank you
I found the answer in 1 of the comment’s so glad i decided to read all the comments
This is hands down my FAVORITE recipe of all time. My husband loves Japanese food so he asked me to recreate this salad after we visited Japan together. We frequently host dinners and everyone always asks for this recipe. We like it best on butter lettuce with cherry tomatoes and cucumbers, but my husband eats it on literally anything – takeout sushi, plain rice. Thank you!
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Wonderful Cat, thank you for the comment, I love it!
My wife and I have enjoyed ginger Japanese dressing at so many states from coast to coast. Reading your recipe somehow motivated me to give it a try.
It is just world class with subtle flavors absent in those restaurants which I think just cut corners. Savor this but my palate tells me I wouldn’t substitute or change one element.
Thanks so much!
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Thank you so much Tom! 🙂
I loved this recipe but I used Monk sugar instead and used about 4 full tablespoons…….I used healthy amino acids instead of regular soy sauce……..I also used a healthier oil instead of regular vegetable oil…….I used grape seed oil and the liquid coconut oil……….Next time I will add about 2-3 Tablespoons of lemon juice………thanks so much for this recipe, to me it is Keto friendly the way I changed it…..thanks again ……..
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Thank you Carol and for your tips on making this recipe keto friendly! 🙂
This is the real thing! It is absolutely delicious!!
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To smooth out this recipe a bit would u add more oil or more rice vinegar? It was a little grainy but absolutely amazing! Thanks!
Hi Andria, I’m so happy you liked the taste! The dressing is supposed to be grainy so I’m not sure how I would go about smoothing it out… You could zap the carrots in the microwave to soften them, this might help with the texture. Let me know if it works 🙂
Hi, can I use coconut oil instead?
Thanks!
Hi Erin, the taste of coconut might be overwhelming for the dressing, I would suggest using another neutral oil such as grapeseed or vegetable oil instead 🙂
Oh my goodness, thank you so much for posting this. My fiance took me to a restaurant a fee weeks ago and I couldn’t get enough of the dressing I got on my starter salad. I had no idea how to recreate it at home, I could only taste the predominant flavors were carrots and ginger. I’ve been looking for a recipe to match what I tasted that night, and I’m so excited I found your post today! Will be making it today for lunch! Thank you!
Hi Caroline,
Do you have the original Japanese recipe? I’d like to compare them and decide which I like better. I’m typically a less sugar kind of person 🙂 Thanks for posting!!
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Hi Aimee, there are no original Japanese recipes but I can tell you that this is pretty close to what I’ve tasted in Japan. I would recommend adding the sugar slowly so you can do a taste test until you like the flavor 🙂
We are trying to do more Paleo but I needed to have this. 😉 I used avocado oil, coconut sugar, and coconut aminos instead of canola, sugar, and soy sauce. It is amazing! Thank you so very much for this.
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Hi can I use olive oil instead?
Hi Amy, olive oil should be good although the flavor will be slightly different than the authentic dressing 🙂
Hi! What kind of onion did you use? Xo
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Hi Carmen! I use a regular onion, yellow or sweet 🙂
Hi there! I am interested in checking out this recipe but it seems to make a fairly large batch. Do you know how long this will keep in the fridge for? Or, is not recommended for storage?
Hi Jennifer! The dressing should keep in the fridge for about 1 week 🙂
When I select the “here” for the recipe for the French dressing it takes me to the Japanese Ginger dressing recipe.?
Hi Patti, what post are you clicking from? I’m on the Japanese dressing recipe but cannot find the “here” link.
This looks outstanding and am going to make it tonight. All the other recipes I have come across add ketchup or tomato paste. Has anyone tried adding those? Also, was thinking peanut oil might be a good add.
Hi Paul, I think peanut oil would indeed taste really nice with this dressing. If you try it, please leave another comment to let us know how it turned out 🙂
I made this dressing and it’s spot on. Then I looked up Midnight Diner on Netflix. Thank you for both. Currently learning wok skills. Maybe some Tan-men in the near future
Midnight Diner on Netflix was delightful!
Delicious! Omg, I made it and it was delicious! I really wanted it to taste like the dressing at one of my favorite sushi restaurants and I can honestly say that I think this taste better than the restaurant’s dressing (maybe because it’s fresh). Thank you, thank you, thank you so much for posting this recipe.
This sounds good… Do you have a version with orange juice in it? I’m trying to find a recipe similar to the restaurant in my town. It is fresh ginger, carrot and orange, but I can not get it right!!!
Hi Carey, I unfortunately am not familiar with the orange juice version. Have you tried making my recipe and then add orange juice little by little? That may help you figure out the right ratio 😉
I don”f know the recipe but I could guess where it’s not working. Don’t use orange juice. You should use orange zest. It will give you a truer orange flavor, not bitter or watery. Orange juice is a timebomb that can be clocked in minutes. The zest has a stronger more consistent flavor.
When you say the nutrition is for the entire recipe, can you break it down to a serving size. Is it 2 tablespoons to a serving or 1/4 or 1/2 cup serving???? I’m accustomed to salad serving size as 2 tablespoons. Please correct me if I’m wrong. Thank you.
Hi Mary, the serving size is for 6-7 tablespoons (for a big salad). 2 tablespoons would be come to about 72-75 calories 🙂
OMG IM IN LOVE WITH THIS RECIPE!THANK YOU FOR SHARING IT!
What kind of onion is best for this recipe?
Hi Kathy, you can use a regular white or yellow onion 🙂
I used a sweet onion and it tastes amazing! I also used olive oil instead of canola oil.
This is fantastic. I love it so much I bring it in to work to jazz up the boring salads they serve. Hubby and kids even love it. Awesome !!
It is a top fav in our house! Thank you so much for this amazing salad dressing recipe!
Yay! Thank you Carmen for letting me know 🙂
I found this much more vinegary than I’m used to. Maybe the Japanese restaurants in eastern North Carolina aren’t on the same page as some others! Good consistency though. I will make it again and use a little less rice vinegar.
Hi Tasha, the American style version is definitely sweeter than what’s being offered in Japan. Using less vinegar should bring you pretty close to the flavor you like 🙂
On the nutrition facts, what is the serving size?
Hi Sarah, the serving size is for the entire dressing 🙂
I made this last night and it was awesome! I used romaine instead of iceberg lettuce, and it worked but I recommend not adding the dressing until the last second or it will wilt your lettuce.
How many carrots and onions should I use, approximately? I can’t measure in ounces. 🙁
Hi Amy, 7 ounces is about the equivalent of 3 medium carrots. I would suggest you add the carrots little by little and keep an eye on the consistency until you are happy with it.
I was going to ask the same question. Safe to say a little less than 1 cup of chopped carrots and half a cup of chopped onion?
Hi Karen, yes that’s correct! 🙂
Hi very mouthwatering recipe..i like fresh Ginger very much..i will save the recipe ,,try it ,,and will post it to my social media accounts..
It’s one of my all time favorite dressings 🙂
Approximately how long does this keep in the fridge ?
Hi Jennifer, the dressing will keep for about 2 weeks refrigerated.
Can the canola oil be substituted for olive oil or safflower oil
Hi Tracey! A neutral oil would be preferable but if the olive oil you are using isn’t too strong, it should be fine too 🙂
I have always loved the dressing served in Japanese restaurants. Thank you for sharing. Now I can have it any time I want.
You’re welcome Kathy! 🙂
That sounds amazeballs. Huge fan of these dressings usually make our own but have never attempted this. For this, we thank you.
It’s one of my favorites, I hope you like it Josh!