5 Minute Asian Salad Dressing (2024)

By: Denise Bustard83 Comments
Posted: 4/2/20Updated: 10/22/20

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This 5 minute Asian salad dressing is simple, tangy and so delicious! Made with sesame oil, rice vinegar, honey and soy sauce, it is great on any type of salad.

A good salad dressing is really what brings 'life' to a salad. Making your own dressing from scratch might sound like extra work, but it really only takes 5 minutes and has so much more flavor than store bought! I have seven basic vinaigrette recipes on the blog, and this Asian sesame dressing is one of our all time faves.

Tangy rice vinegar, sweet honey, savory soy sauce, and a hint of sesame oil all work together to give a distinctively Asian flavor to your salad.

This Asian sesame dressing is our go to for soba noodle salad, spinach salad, and slaw, but it is so versatile it would work well on almost any salad.

It's made from simple pantry staples, comes together in minutes, and stores well in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.

Why you’ll ♡ this Asian salad dressing

it's ready in 5 minutes or less using simple pantry ingredients
you can make it up to 2 weeks ahead
you can adjust the vinegar to make it more or less tangy

Don't forget to pin this recipe to save it for later!

Ingredients you'll need

- olive oil- a healthy and neutral oil. I opt for extra-virgin olive oil for all of my vinaigrette recipes.
- rice vinegar-I used seasoned rice vinegar in this recipe, so if you use an unseasoned rice vinegar, make sure to taste the dressing and adjust salt/sweetener to your taste.
- sesame oil-this is what brings the flavah to this dressing. I don't have access to toasted sesame oil, which I hear is more assertive in flavor. If you are using toasted sesame oil, start with 1 teaspoon, taste, and add more if you'd like.
- honey (or maple syrup)-a little sweetness is needed to tame the tanginess. Honey and maple syrup are easily interchangeable in most vinaigrettes at the same ratio. Brown sugar also works in a pinch!
- soy sauce- brings a savory twist to this vinaigrette. I always use reduced sodium soy sauce
- garlic- optional, but also brings another flavor dimension to this dressing.

The ratio

Traditional vinaigrette recipes use a 1:3 ratio of vinegar:oil. It comes down to taste preference, and I welcome you to play around with this ratio to get a tangier vinaigrette.

I prefer a 1:1 ratio for maximum flavor on my salad, and recommend starting with this ratio and adding more oil if you find this too tangy.

Storage

Homemade vinaigrettes are easy to prep ahead. You can shake this Asian salad dressing up ahead of time and store in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.

If you plan to add any fresh garlic or fresh herbs, you will want to use within 7 days.

Vinaigrette should be stored in the fridge, and will separate over time. Give it a quick shake up before serving and you are good to go!

The Salad

You can use Asian salad dressing on any salad. Here are my favorites:

soba noodle salad- we have a variation of this vinaigrette used for this Asian Chicken Soba Noodle Salad recipe
pasta salad- this meal prep sesame chicken pasta salad is a great prep ahead option
slaw- this Asian slaw recipe with sesame vinaigrette is a great side salad option
kale salad- massage kale for 5 minutes before tossing in this dressing and serving with sesame seeds and spring onions

Variations

Consider this to be a base recipe with endless possibilities. Here are some ways to level up your dressing:

peanut butter- make a creamy and thicker version by adding peanut butter or another nut butter. Start with 1-2 tablespoons and add water as needed if it is too thick.
ginger- add fresh or powdered ginger for added flavor. Start with ½ teaspoon powdered and 1 teaspoon freshly grated.
lime- add a squeeze of fresh lime juice to give this a citrussy twist
sriracha- up the spice level with ½ to 1 teaspoon of sriracha
vegan- use maple syrup in place of honey
paleo- swap the soy sauce for coconut aminos

Asian Slaw Recipe with Sesame Vinaigrette

Looking for more dressing or vinaigrette recipes?

Check out thisCreamy Cilantro Lime Dressing
ThisEasy Homemade Red Wine Vinaigrette
ThisWhite Wine Vinaigrette(my FAVORITE all purpose vinaigrette)
This 4 Ingredient Balsamic Vinaigrette
ThisFresh Rasbperry Basil Vinaigrette
ThisRoasted Strawberry Black Pepper Vinaigrette

Did you make this? Tag me on social @sweetpeasandsaffron and be sure to leave a comment and rate the recipe!

5 Minute Asian Sesame Dressing

4.99 from 151 votes

Prep Time: 5 minutes mins

Total Time: 5 minutes mins

Print Rate

This 5 minute Asian salad dressing is simple, tangy and so delicious! Made with sesame oil, rice vinegar, honey and soy sauce, it is great on any type of salad.

Ingredients

▢ ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
▢ ¼ cup seasoned rice vinegar *see note
▢ 1 ½ tablespoons honey (or maple syrup)
▢ 3 tablespoons sesame oil **see note
▢ 1 ½ teaspoons soy sauce (I use reduced sodium)
▢ pinch salt
▢ 1 -2 cloves garlic minced (optional)

Instructions

Shake together all ingredients.
Keep in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.

Tips:

Ratios:

This recipe has a 1:1 ratio of oil: vinegar as written. Adjust for the following ratio:

1:2-3 tablespoons rice vinegar + 6 tablespoons of olive oil (less tangy)
1:3- 2 tablespoons rice vinegar + 6 tablespoons olive oil (way less tangy)

* I use seasoned rice vinegar; if you use unseasoned, you may need to adjust the salt and sweetener to taste

**If you use toasted sesame oil, start with 1 teaspoon and add more as needed

Variations:

peanut butter- make a creamy and thicker version by adding peanut butter or another nut butter. Start with 1-2 tablespoons and add water as needed if it is too thick.
ginger- add fresh or powdered ginger for added flavor. Start with ½ teaspoon powdered and 1 teaspoon freshly grated.
lime- add a squeeze of fresh lime juice to give this a citrussy twist
sriracha- up the spice level with ½ to 1 teaspoon of sriracha
vegan- use maple syrup in place of honey
paleo- swap the soy sauce for coconut aminos

Storage:

Vinaigrette may be stored in the fridge for up to 2 weeks; if you add the garlic, store for up to 1 week.

Nutrition Information

Serving: 1/8 of batch, Calories: 132kcal, Carbohydrates: 6g, Fat: 12g, Saturated Fat: 1g, Sodium: 63mg, Sugar: 6g, Iron: 0.1mg

Author: Denise Bustard

Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: Chinese

© Sweet Peas & Saffron - Content and photographs are copyright protected. Sharing of this recipe is both encouraged and appreciated. Copying and/or pasting full recipes to any social media is strictly prohibited.

Meet Denise Bustard

Denise Bustard is the creator of Sweet Peas and Saffron, a meal prep-focussed food blog. With a PhD in biochemistry, Denise takes a scientific approach to perfecting her recipes. You can find Denise's work featured on Huffington Post, MSN, Self and more.

Reader Interactions

Rich L says
Posted on 7/3/22 at Posted on 7/3/22

I made this, it was vey good. I used 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil, 1/4 cup vegetable oil, and 1/2 tsp ground ginger, different from the original recipe.
Reply
- Denise Bustard says
  Posted on 7/4/22 at Posted on 7/4/22
  Glad you enjoyed, Rich! Thanks for sharing!
  Reply
Carol Galbraith says
Posted on 6/26/22 at Posted on 6/26/22

Some kind of awesomeness for an asian dressing. I added fresh grated ginger,peanut butter & garlic.
Reply
- Denise Bustard says
  Posted on 7/4/22 at Posted on 7/4/22
  Hi Carol! So happy to hear you enjoyed. Thanks for reporting back with your modifications.
  Reply
Jen McDonald says
Posted on 6/23/22 at Posted on 6/23/22

Love this recipe! Easy, but delicious! I omitted the honey, because I was out, and it was still amazing. This is definitely going to be my “go-to" recipe. Can’t wait to try out the variations next time!!
Reply
- Denise Bustard says
  Posted on 7/4/22 at Posted on 7/4/22
  Hi Jen, that's so great to hear! Thank you so much for taking the time to come back and leave a review.
  Reply
Paul says
Posted on 6/2/22 at Posted on 6/2/22

Gave this one a try as I came across it doing a search for salad dressings with rice vinegar as the acid. It's pleasant, I used the powdered ginger, toasted sesame oil, lime juice and put some black and white sesame seeds. I got it book marked and will use again for sure. It will be a great dressing for garden grown salad green mix, and chicken in an asian style marinade with steamed jasmine rice!
Reply
- Ben | Sweet Peas & Saffron says
  Posted on 6/9/22 at Posted on 6/9/22
  Hi Paul, thanks for sharing your personalizations. We are happy to hear you made our recipe and plan to make it again.
  Reply
Meldy says
Posted on 5/23/22 at Posted on 5/23/22
Can I omit the sesame oil? What can I substitute in its place?
Reply
- Denise Bustard says
  Posted on 6/15/22 at Posted on 6/15/22
  Hi Meldy. Unfortunately the sesame oil is crucial to get the right flavor in this dressing. For other dressing alternatives, check out these 7 Vinaigrette Recipes: https://sweetpeasandsaffron.com/vinaigrette-recipes/
  Reply
Sandi says
Posted on 5/20/22 at Posted on 5/20/22

This dressing was absolutely delicious and very versatile. So easy to make too.
Reply
- Ben | Sweet Peas & Saffron says
  Posted on 6/9/22 at Posted on 6/9/22
  Hi Sandi, We are really glad you enjoyed it, thank you so much for taking the time to come back to leave a rating and review!
  Reply
Holly Eitenmiller says
See Also
General Tso's Chicken (Baked!)
Posted on 5/15/22 at Posted on 5/15/22

Other than doubling the Tamari soy sauce, followed the recipe. Added ginger for that variation ... it's really great!
Reply
- Ben | Sweet Peas & Saffron says
  Posted on 6/9/22 at Posted on 6/9/22
  Hi Holly,
  Thanks for sharing your variations, and we are happy to hear you enjoyed it.
  Reply
Laura says
Posted on 4/25/22 at Posted on 4/25/22

Didn’t want to be a giant bottle of dressing for $7 so I did this and it was amazing!! Added 1tsp peanut butter for some extra richness. Paired with greens, carrots, edamame, and tofu. I let the carrots pickle a bit in the dressing first and they softened and had a little more flavor.
Reply
- Ben | Sweet Peas & Saffron says
  Posted on 5/3/22 at Posted on 5/3/22
  Hi Laura,
  We are happy to hear you enjoyed this recipe, and thank you for sharing your personalization.
  Reply
Dianne says
Posted on 4/17/22 at Posted on 4/17/22

I'm pairing this dressing with romaine strawberries and walnuts, and everybody just loved it. It was my Easter salad. Thank you for sharing.
Reply
- Ben says
  Posted on 4/20/22 at Posted on 4/20/22
  Oooh, that sounds amazing, Dianne. Sounds like you had a great Easter celebration with your family😀
  Reply
Gayle says
Posted on 4/4/22 at Posted on 4/4/22

I absolutely LOVE this recipe! It is so easy & fresh... and now a staple in my fridge. Love the 1:1 ratio of vinegar/oil. The tanginess level is perfect. Can't recommend it enough! Thank you!
Reply
- Jasmine @ Sweet Peas & Saffron says
  Posted on 4/5/22 at Posted on 4/5/22
  Hi Gayle, we are so happy to hear that you enjoyed it - it stores so well for meal prep, doesn't it?! Thanks for taking the time to leave a rating and review!
  Reply
JUdy says
Posted on 3/5/22 at Posted on 3/5/22

Easy and perfect consistency and flavor- will be my go to!
THank you!
Reply
- Jasmine @ Sweet Peas & Saffron says
  Posted on 3/7/22 at Posted on 3/7/22
  Hi Judy, really happy to hear that you found a new go-to! Thanks for leaving a rating and review 🙂
  Reply
Joy says
Posted on 3/3/22 at Posted on 3/3/22

Oh, soooooooooooooo super amazing!! I've already made it four times! Only one problem...there isn't enough praise for this recipe!! lol Thank you so much!
Reply
- Jasmine @ Sweet Peas & Saffron says
  Posted on 3/4/22 at Posted on 3/4/22
  Hi Joy, awe thank you so much for your kind words, and for leaving a rating and review! We so appreciate it, and really glad to hear that you enjoyed!
  Reply
Mary Brannigan says
Posted on 2/22/22 at Posted on 2/22/22

I could literally drink this stuff! It’s my favourite Asian dressing for salads and dips.
Reply
- Jasmine @ Sweet Peas & Saffron says
  Posted on 2/23/22 at Posted on 2/23/22
  Hi Mary, haha sounds like you enjoyed it! Thank you so much for coming back to leave a rating and review.
  Reply
Jen says
Posted on 1/26/22 at Posted on 1/26/22

So easy and delicious!!!! Definitely a keeper
Reply
- Jasmine @ Sweet Peas & Saffron says
  Posted on 1/26/22 at Posted on 1/26/22
  Hi Jen, glad you found another keeper to add into your meal prep rotation! Thank you so much for taking the time to come back to leave a rating and review!
  Reply
  - Kate says
    Posted on 1/31/22 at Posted on 1/31/22
    
    Yeah, I agree, Jen!
    Definitely worth the time
    Reply
Mary says
Posted on 10/29/21 at Posted on 10/29/21

I have made this several times. I can not use regular honey but have used sugar free honey and it works wonderfully. I have put tahini in mine and love it. It makes is more creamy. If I don't have tahini, I make it in my mini food processor and add the oil last and slowly and it will naturally thicken up. It is so good on cucumbers, green onions and red bell pepper salad.
Thanks again for the recipe.
Reply
- Jasmine @ Sweet Peas & Saffron says
  Posted on 11/1/21 at Posted on 11/1/21
  Hi Mary, we are so glad that you have enjoyed this recipe enough to make it on repeat! Thank you so much for leaving a rating and review, as well as your tips!
  Reply
Esther says
Posted on 10/25/21 at Posted on 10/25/21

Quick and easy and delicious, also love the extra ideas for other varieties of ingredients. Will be making this again
Reply
- Jasmine @ Sweet Peas & Saffron says
  Posted on 10/25/21 at Posted on 10/25/21
  Hi Esther, thank you for your feedback and review! We're glad you enjoyed this recipe, and that you found a new favorite to make again and again!
  Reply
Tanya C says
Posted on 10/11/21 at Posted on 10/11/21

It was okay. I wish it was thicker. I ate it on cucumbers.
Reply
- Jasmine @ Sweet Peas & Saffron says
  Posted on 10/12/21 at Posted on 10/12/21
  Hi Tanya, thanks for your feedback! I wonder if adding some tahini might make it thicker and more creamy to your liking? Thank you so much for taking the time to come back and leave a rating and review!
  Reply
Ilona says
Posted on 9/25/21 at Posted on 9/25/21

I just made this dressing for a crunchy Asian salad - delicious!
Reply
- Jasmine @ Sweet Peas & Saffron says
  Posted on 9/27/21 at Posted on 9/27/21
  Hi Ilona, thank you so much for taking the time to come back and leave a rating and review, we are so glad you enjoyed!
  Reply
Sherry says
Posted on 8/1/21 at Posted on 8/1/21

Yet another one of your recipes that I’m
saving and just love! Simple and declious. I ate this on this dressing for several days. My toddler also enjoyed it over cucumbers. Thank you!
Reply
- Jasmine @ Sweet Peas & Saffron says
  Posted on 8/4/21 at Posted on 8/4/21
  Hi Sherry, we're so glad that you're saving this recipe to come back to later - another one to add to your meal prep rotation! Thank you so much for taking the time to come back and leave a rating and review. 🙂
  Reply
anola saycocie says
Posted on 7/29/21 at Posted on 7/29/21
Hi Denise,
When I tasted the dressing from the jason jar, it was very tasty and delicious (and not oily tasting) but when i shook the dressing and poured it into the salad, all I could taste was the livel oil....what do you think went wrong and how can I fix it?
Thanks!
Reply
- Jasmine @ Sweet Peas & Saffron says
  Posted on 8/4/21 at Posted on 8/4/21
  Hi Anola, it really comes down to taste preference. I'd suggest playing around with the ratio of olive oil:vinegar. You are welcome to add more vinegar and less olive oil if you find the flavor to be too strong. Alternatively, you could try avocado oil for a more neutral flavor. I hope this helps! Please let us know if you have any further questions!
  Reply

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