Miso Sesame Dressing
With over 100K page views, this 6 ingredient Miso Dressing recipe has livened up countless salads, veggies and bowls with sweet and tangy umami-packed flavor.
“I made this tonight and my daughters were amazed by the flavor of this dressing. So flavorful with a few simple ingredients.”
—Jill
This Miso Sesame Dressing Is Irresistible
With over 100,000 page views and counting, this six ingredient miso dressing has earned its place as a must-try Foxes Love Lemons recipe. The best part? It’s a cinch to make and uses ingredients you might already have in your pantry.
Use this umami-packed flavor booster of a condiment to elevate a simple bowl of mixed greens, or spoon it over roasted vegetables, a grain bowl, or a piece of fish or chicken.
Honestly, it’s just never a bad idea to have a jar of this in your fridge. I make a triple or quadruple batch whenever I make it, because I know every drop of it will go to good use, and quickly.
Be prepared for this miso salad dressing to steal the show when you make it.
Heads up! The dressing recipe below does NOT include ginger, but if you’re a ginger lover, you might like the ginger-added version even more:
Why You Will Love This Miso Dressing Recipe
- No blender, food processor, or any other fancy equipment needed. Just a bowl and a whisk!
- You don’t really even need to get out your measuring spoons, honestly – just eyeball everything and it will turn out great.
- Lasts up to a week (and probably even longer) in the fridge.
What is Miso Dressing?
Miso dressing is a flavorful and versatile condiment that originates from Japanese cuisine. It is made with miso paste, which is made from fermented soybeans and has a unique, umami-rich flavor profile.
It is used to flavor simple salads, as well as used as a dipping sauce for vegetables and proteins.
Miso Salad Dressing Ingredients
A full recipe card, including exact ingredient amounts, appears at the bottom of this post.
- extra virgin olive oil – you’ll taste the oil quite a bit in this miso dressing recipe, so be sure it’s a good quality EVOO.
- rice vinegar – this mild Asian white vinegar is my first choice, but white wine vinegar is a good sub.
- white miso – my go to brand is Miso Masters, and I use their Organic Mellow White Miso. Bon Appetit has a nice article where you can learn about the different types of miso, if you’re curious. This ingredient can be expensive, but can also often last up to 2 years in the fridge, adding flavor to so many future meals.
- honey – to add a bit of sweetness to this miso salad dressing recipe. Agave nectar is a great sub.
- sesame oil – adds nuttiness and big flavor!
- soy sauce – this seasons the dressing, no additional salt needed.
How to Make Miso Dressing
1. WHISK. Add all of the ingredients to a bowl and whisk until smooth. The more you whisk it, the lighter and “creamier” it will get.
How To Serve Miso Dressing
Build a salad like the one shown below with butter lettuce, napa cabbage, edamame, cucumbers, green onion and fried wonton strips. Tofu, broccoli and sesame seeds would also be great additions. Or, drizzle this miso vinaigrette over ANY bowl of greens you happen to have.
It’s also great spooned over steak lettuce wraps or roasted vegetables, and can also be used as a peanut-free alternative for dressing for an Asian noodle salad.
Miso Salad Dressing Recipe Home Chef Tips
- It takes a good bit of whisking to get all the lumps out of miso sometimes. Don’t give up, just keep whisking until it’s smooth.
- Taste and adjust the flavor and seasoning of your dressing to suit your personal preferences. Want it sweeter? Add a bit more honey. Like it extra tangy? Go heavier on the vinegar.
Is This Miso Dressing Recipe Vegan?
This particular miso salad dressing recipe is NOT vegan because it contains honey. However, if you sub agave nectar or maple syrup for honey, this miso sesame dressing would be completely vegan!
WANT TO SAVE THIS RECIPE?
Enter your email below and we'll send it to your inbox.
How To Store Miso Vinaigrette: How Long Does Vinaigrette Last?
This miso salad dressing will last up to a week when kept in a sealed container in the fridge.
The miso vinaigrette may separate when it’s chilled. It’s no big deal. Allow it to come to room temperature for 15 minutes before shaking or whisking and serving.
Miso Salad Dressing FAQs
Yes, miso can be considered a nutritious ingredient because it is a fermented food containing probiotics, which support gut health. However, it is also high in sodium, so those on a low-sodium diet need to be mindful of that.
While both miso and tahini are flavorful ingredients, they have very unique tastes and textures. Tahini is a sesame seed paste that is nutty and creamy, while miso is made with fermented soybeans and has a rich umami flavor. They generally aren’t good swaps for one another because they are so different.
Always refer to the “best by” label on the package, but miso generally has a long shelf life when stored properly in the refrigerator. When I buy it, the expiration date is typically at least 1.5 to 2 years away!
More Foxes Love Lemons Favorites
Miso Vinaigrette
Ingredients
- 4 ½ tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 3 tablespoons rice vinegar
- 1 tablespoon white miso
- 1 ½ teaspoons honey
- ¾ teaspoon sesame oil
- ¾ teaspoon soy sauce
Instructions
- In medium bowl, whisk olive oil, vinegar, miso, honey, sesame oil and soy sauce until smooth. Makes about 1/2 cup dressing.
- Dressing can be made in advance and refrigerated for up to 1 week.
hi… I have been searching for a great Miso dressing.. There was a cool health food spot that used to make the best veggie wraps, served with miso dressing that was so good, it was drinkable. LOL
is the rice vinegar in this recipe seasoned or not seasoned? it’s not mentioned in what I read…thx a lot.
Gotta love a dressing so good it’s drinkable! I totally know what you mean, Jessica. The vinegar here is unseasoned!
Am I missing something? I scrolled through the entire post twice and can’t find the actual recipe with ingredient quantities.
Ack! You’re totally right – the recipe card seemed to have gone MIA for some reason. It’s restored at the bottom of the page now. Thank you so much for bringing this to my attention, Sherry!
Thank you!! I can’t wait to try this – it looks delicious!
What can be used in place of fresh ginger?
Hi Roaslyn – there is no fresh ginger (or any ginger at all) in this recipe.
Best salad dressing, try so many many recipee online, but ur is the best taste, thx
Lori, this recipe is awesome. I made it for a quick lunch the other day and it really hit the spot. I love how simple it is to mix it up quick. Thanks for sharing this with us!
I’m so glad you liked it, Veronica. Thanks for stopping by!
I must be a strange one, because at a party I would (and do) eat salad. It helps me to limit my intake of things I don’t need, plus it tastes good, and I tend to crave salad. This recipe sounds wonderful.
I’m right there with you at the salad bowl, Susan! I eat a lot of salad, but I’ve noticed that not everybody does. Oh well, more for us 🙂
I actually made this twice last week, and loved it. The second time I forgot both the snow peas and sesame seeds, but it was still wonderful. I did it for lunch, as a sub for my usual slaw, so I would get less tired of the slaw. This one’s a definite keeper.
Hi Susan! I know what you mean about changing up the lunch routine. I have kale salad all the time, but I definitely need to change it up once in awhile.
I’m so glad you like this recipe. I know you’ve been a long time reader, and you may notice that I am republishing some content that you’ve already seen. A lot of the older posts I am updating simply to make them better resources for people – more info, tips, techniques, etc. And by republishing them with a new date, a lot of newer readers will be introduced to them for the first time. But, I hope this isn’t a bother for you. I love having you here!
No, it’s not a bother to see republishing. If I read the posts I am likely to learn something new, even if I’ve made the recipe. This time it meant I didn’t have to go looking for the recipe to make a comment… I like knowing why you are republishing – understanding is always helpful.
Thank, Susan! Have a lovely weekend.