Creamy Sesame-Ginger Dressing
Updated June 26, 2025
Rachel Vanni for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Spencer Richards.
- Total Time
- 15 minutes
- Prep Time
- 10 minutes
- Cook Time
- 5 minutes
- Rating
- Comments
- Read comments
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Ingredients
¼ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice, plus more as needed
¼ cup seasoned rice vinegar, plus more as needed
5 tablespoons white miso
2 tablespoons honey
2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
6 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1 (3-inch) piece fresh ginger, peeled and thinly sliced
1 fresh jalapeño, stemmed (seeded if desired) and sliced
½ cup neutral oil
Kosher salt
Nutritional analysis per serving
24 grams carbs; 469 calories; 25 grams monosaturated fat; 12 grams polyunsaturated fat; 3 grams saturated fat; 41 grams fat; 2 grams fiber; 1060 milligrams sodium; 4 grams protein; 14 grams sugar
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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Preparation
- Step 1
In a liquid measuring cup or wide-mouth jar, combine the lemon juice, vinegar, miso, honey, sesame oil, garlic, ginger and chile, and use an immersion blender to blend until smooth. With the immersion blender running, add the neutral oil in a thin stream. (Alternatively, you can use a countertop blender.) Taste and adjust with salt, lemon juice and vinegar as needed.
- Step 2
Cover and refrigerate remaining dressing for up to 1 week.
To make a crunchy cabbage slaw, combine ½ head thinly sliced cabbage, 2 coarsely grated carrots, ¼ cup finely chopped cilantro, 2 scallions thinly sliced on sharp bias, 3 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds and 1 cup salted roasted peanuts in a large bowl. Toss with a generous amount of dressing. Taste and adjust the seasoning. Chill for 30 minutes before serving.
Private Notes
Comments
For those concerned about raw garlic bite, here's a tip from Cook's Illustrated I use all the time in dressings: Place unpeeled garlic cloves in a small bowl and microwave for about 15 seconds or until cloves are warm to the touch but not cooked. It prevents allicin from forming - which is what gives raw garlic its bite. https://www.americastestkitchen.com/cooksillustrated/how_tos/6583-taking-the-bite-out-of-garlic
@Maggie South River Miso makes a chickpea and an azuki bean miso neither have soy in them. Also, San-J makes a no soy tamari sauce that is soy free. I hope this helps!
Six cloves of raw garlic can’t be tolerated by many people in such a small volume of dressing. There is no easy sub I do use powdered garlic in small amounts it is gentler on the system.
I was looking for a sesame miso, Japanese style dressing. When I lived in Japan, I relished their commonly available sesame miso dressings. When I saw this dressing I thought I’ll give it a try, but as soon as I saw the garlic, ginger and jalapeño I knew it was going to be something different. It is a very tasty dressing, but it’s quite pungent. I still would like to find a sesame salad dressing that is closer to the Japanese style.
punchy, fresh and delicious. I’m using this as a topping for grain bowls with roasted red cabbage and faro. I made it according to the instructions. I don’t have an immersion blender so I used my bullet blender.
If I make it again I will reduce the raw garlic or try Abby's tip below (from America's Test Kitchen/ Cooks Illustrated)