Easy Asian Salad Dressing

This simple and delicious multipurpose Asian salad dressing, made with just 5 pantry ingredients is one of my favourites. It keeps for ages, and is perfect for all your salad, dipping and marinade needs!

Asian salad dressing

This gorgeous nutty, salty, sweet umami packed Asian sesame salad dressing recipe is one of my dressing “wardrobe” favourites.

Equally suited for dressing fresh leafy salad leaves, a more robust cabbage based slaw, or even to coat noodles or roast vegetables.

You can even use it for dipping, or as a marinade. It is an all round multipurpose winner!

See also

• Tahini lemon dressing is a zesty creamy dressing, good enough to spoon from the jar!
• In a twist on the classic maple balsamic dressing is thick and sweet and so good over green leaves
• If you like salad you need a “wardrobe” of dressings – here are all my salad dressing recipes

If you cook for one or two, you will know that it is is quite hard to accurately scale down a salad dressing recipe to a single, or double serving (also who can be doing with getting umpteen bottles out of the cupboard then putting them back every time you make salad?)

Happily this Asian style dressing lasts for a good week on the countertop – and for two weeks in the fridge so make up a big bottle which will last you a good few meals.

Why make Asian salad dressing

• a delicious dressing with plenty of depth and umami flavour

• just 5 basic ingredients

• make a big batch to last a week

• endlessly customisable to suit your taste buds

• Multipurpose – use as a dressing on every type of salad, as a marinade, even as a stir fry sauce

• Homemade means you know exactly what goes in – unlike many shop dressing this is UPF free!

Asian sesame salad dressing – ingredients

• Olive oil – good, unrefined, extra virgin olive oil. You don’t need anything fancy as it is not there for the flavour, which will be hidden.

• Toasted sesame oil – choose a toasted sesame oil for the flavour. Cold pressed sesame oil tastes completely different (well to be honest when compared to toasted sesame oil it doesn’t actually taste of anything!).
  
  You could use a wok oil that contains toasted sesame oil here, but read the label as many contain flavourings and refined oils.

• Honey – runny honey thickens, emulsifies and sweetens the dressing. A regular light colour honey – nothing too intense or dark. You can also use a light maple syrup.

• Cider vinegar (or white wine vinegar) – something balanced with some flavour and a little bite – not too sweet, but equally not too astringent

• Soy sauce – light, dark, sweet or a (gluten free) tamari, depending on taste preference. I tend to use a mix of light and dark.

How to make Asian dressing recipe – step by step

Before you start, read my step-by-step instructions, with photos, hints and tips so you can make this Asian salad dressing recipe perfectly every time.

Scroll down for the recipe card with quantities and more tips at the bottom of the page.

Step One – Put all the ingredients into a jar with tightly fitting lid.

Screw the lid on and shake well.

Taste the dressing and adjust if necessary, adding a little more of an ingredient if you want to change the balance.

I like to use a bottle to store my dressing, as this makes it easier to pour. If you want to transfer your dressing, use a funnel to save on mess and waste.

Serving suggestion

This punchy dressing stands up to strong flavours, so serve with peppery leaves, use with shredded cabbage in a slaw, glug it over freshly cooked noodles or rice. Even use it is a dipping sauce.

I like to finish a green salad with this dressing with some sesame seeds, or nori flakes.

Variations

• I love this dressing as it comes – add some more vinegar to make it tangier, or use a rice (wine) vinegar to make it less tangy.

• Use some fresh addins – fresh minced garlic, a grating of fresh ginger, some chopped scallions/ spring onions or swap some of the vinegar for lime juice.

Storage

The Asian dressing recipe (as written with pantry ingredients) can be kept in a bottle or jar on the countertop and will last a good few weeks. If you add fresh ingredients then store in the fridge.

Fridge – Keep in the fridge but take it out half an hour before serving to come up to room temperature. Keeps well for 4 days when using fresh ingredients.

Hints and tips

• If you swap in some rice vinegar remember that it is not very acidic, so you also need to use some wine or cider vinegar.

• Do not fall into the trap of adding salt out of habit. There is plenty of salt in the ingredients, and if you add extra, you will spoil the dressing.

More salad dressing recipes

• Balsamic dressing – a delicious classic vinaigrette with plenty of flavour

• Lemon dressing – fruity, fragrant and perfect for Mediterranean dishes

• Pomegranate dressing – perfect on Middle Eastern style salads