Asian Salad Dressing (Sesame Vinaigrette)

This Asian salad dressing is made with sesame oil and olive oil for a healthy and delicious option that will transform ANY salad. You only need a few ingredients and you’ll have it ready in minutes! 

On any given day when my creativity doesn’t spark to the fullest and life seems just a little crazy, I grab my Whole30 Mayo and mix that into a simple lettuce salad. Simple has its pleasures, yes, but when it’s time to up my salad game and I have exhausted my jars of Apple Cider Vinaigrette and Homemade Strawberry Vinaigrette, I look to one of my favorites: Japanese inspired Asian sesame vinaigrette. I promised you this dressing will transform ANY salad. For example, I used this vinaigrette as a substitute when making this Steak Salad and this Black Rice Salad. With a fair amount of concern for flavor clashes, I even used it as the dressing for this Kale Salad with Cranberries. It was a fresh surprise! Who knew sesame and kale could be BFFs? SO, you’ll love this recipe because:

• It’s healthy
• Ready in just a few minutes
• Its Japanese inspired subtle flavors can be paired with multiple salads
• You can adjust the acidity or the sweetness to your liking – Make it YOUR Asian vinaigrette!
• Use it in a fresh or warm salad
• The perfect balance between exotic flavors and familiar flavors, you’ll see why…

Mix it up 

• Sesame seeds – To up the sesame taste and add a crunch, toast white or black sesame seeds in the oven or over a medium-hot pan for 3-5 minutes until golden brown. Allow to cool before adding it to the rest of the vinaigrette. 
• Spice – Sriracha sauce or chili flakes are the perfect options to add a spicy element. Start with ½ tsp chili flakes and 1-2 tsp sriracha when making 1 cup of vinaigrette. Add more to your spice preference. 
• Sliced scallion – Add 2 tbsp thinly diced scallion for a crunchy and fresh element to your vinaigrette.
• Ginger & Garlic – Start with ½ tsp minced ginger and garlic. This is especially perfect for warm salads as the garlic & ginger get cooking time with the warm veggies! 
• Creamy – Replace the olive oil with the same amount of sushi mayonnaise or creamy mayo of your choice. Add a small splash of water to loosen the vinaigrette mixture to your desired consistency. 
• Put it in a blender – This method will make for temporarily creamy mayonnaise as the vinegar emulsifies with the oil to give a unique creamy mouthfeel!

Types of Salad Dressing

The two most common types of salad dressings are:

• Vinaigrettes are based on a combination of salad oil and vinegar.
• Creamy dressings are typically made with mayonnaise or fermented dairy products like yogurt, sour cream or buttermilk.

According to the American Association for Dressing and Sauces (I did NOT know this association existed!), the most popular salad sauce in the US is ranch dressing, while Asian sauces tend to be more popular on the West coast.

Try this Asian Salad Dressing with these dishes

Simply replace the sauces with this vinaigrette and you have a whole new dish on your hands! 

• Oriental Coleslaw With Asian Dressing
• Air Fryer Roasted Asian Broccoli
• Asian Instant Pot Pork Tenderloin

Recipe

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