A popular dressing called “Asian” or “Japanese” is assumed to be made of soy sauce and toasted sesame oil, and maybe with rice vinegar.
Adding toasted sesame seeds changes the dressing to “the sesame dressing”, and it’ll be called “Japanese ginger dressing” when adding freshly grated ginger.
What I want to say, anyway, Asian dressing should be made of soy sauce, toasted sesame oil, and other “Asian” items.
It’s so simple and the recipe for Asian dressing can’t be much different.
So, I call my dressing “the basic Asian dressing” which is absolutely versatile dressing more than just drizzling on Salad.
So, why you should take my recipe?
Why Should You Make My Asian Sesame Dressing?
- Since it is made of simple ingredients, I recommend high-quality sesame oil.
- Adding chicken bouillon powder can bring the authentic rich Asian flavor instantly.
- It’s an all-purpose dressing, you can use this dressing for salad, stir-fry, marinating, and use this dressing as a dipping sauce.
- When you add fresh ginger, it’ll turn to ginger dressing, and when you add wasabi, it’ll turn to Wasabi dressing. (no surprise.)
The Best Toasted Sesame Oil For Asian Sesame Dressing
For this simple basic Asian dressing, the quality of toasted sesame oil is the key to making the savory dressing.
Nutty and rich aroma, good-quality toasted sesame oil can enhance the simple dressing and make your salad upgraded.
These toasted sesame oils are worth buying because I have quilt-long “Asian cooking” experiences.
This is my favorite toasted sesame oil so far, traditional Korean rich toasted sesame oil.
Since Ottogi toasted sesame oil is so flavorful and rich strong aroma, it is the best sesame oil for fresh food dishes.
Contrary, this sesame oil maybe not be for those who don’t want the rich sesame flavor and aroma.
Kadoya pure sesame oil is a Japanese product and has been a long-selling in Japan and other countries.
If you like a little milder sesame oil, this is the one.
Kadoya Sesame oil is carefully pressed oil from roasting high-quality sesame seeds at a high temperature.
Gentle nice but flavourful sesame aroma.
Despite I mentioned two of my best sesame oil, selecting the sesame oil is totally up to your liked.
Originally, I prefer rich dark toasted sesame oil like Ottogi, you may prefer milder or lighter sesame oil.
Indeed, there are mainly three types of sesame oil for cooking, and they are relatively different flavors and aromas.
This page will help you how to choose sesame oil for your cooking.
The Secret Ingredient For Asian Sesame Dressing
Chicken Bouillon Powder is a soup stock powder made of concentrated chicken broth.
It is a very common pantry condiment in Japan, as in China and other Asian countries I believe.
Chinese-style chicken bouillon powder can quickly bring Asian flavors to any dish as well as Japanese dashi powder can bring Japanese authentic dahi flavor.
This is the must-item when you often cook Asian dishes at home since it is used not only for making this dressing, but you can also make for soup, stir-frying, and stuffing for dumplings.
Asian chicken bouillon powder often contains MSG, so you can substitute your non-MSG chicken soup powder if considered.
It’s Versatile Asian Dressing
This simple Asian dressing packed with sweet, savory, tangy, nutty flavor is perfect for using over not only fresh green salads and slaw, but also, as a marinade, or as a dipping sauce like Japanese gyoza dumplings, lettuce wraps, homemade sushi, and even Japanese Karaage chicken.
Iconic golden crispy on the bottom, pretty pleats on the top, moreover, savory juicy inside. This classic Japanese pan-fried dumpling called Gyoza recipe serves up a popular weekend meal as well as a great appetizer for the party! No way you can compare homemade gyoza dumplings with take-out Gyoza from Japanese-like oriental restaurants or frozen chicken potstickers!
You can use Asian dressing as seasoning for the Gyoza filling and also as a dipping sauce. (*Recipe)
EASY SAVORY GROUND MEAT LETTUCE WRAPS
Craving Asian Chicken Lettuce Wraps for dinner? This easy and delicious lettuce wrap can make with your choice of ground meat like chicken, turkey, pork, and beef.
Lots of veggies, (actually, half of the ingredients are vegetables!), and the sauce is absolutely addictive.
(*Recipe)
Pressed Sushi With Misozuke Avocado
“Pressed sushi” called Oshizushi is a traditional type of sushi, which literally made by pressing sushi rice and ingredients in a container. Aesthetic, this block-shaped sushi can be an eye-catching dish at a party. Moreover, it is effortless, and super-easy to make even if you’ve never tried making sushi. Since this recipe used Misozuke avocado and cream cheese, so I skip seasoning the sushi rice. You can make 8 cubed pressed sushi.
(*Recipe)
It’s time to tuck into some serious Japanese-style soul food. You’re going to love how crispy and flavorful Japanese KARAAGE CHICKEN is! Marinate chicken in soy sauce-based seasonings, and coat them with rice flour. Fry coated chicken at 320F, and double-dry them at 350F.
You can use this Asian dressing for marinating chicken as a substitute for dark soy sauce and sesame oil.
(*Recipe)
DO YOU KNOW?
Homemade dressings, unfortunately, don’t last long in a fridge once you make: Likely, 1-2 days to 2 weeks depending on ingredients.
In this post, I will discuss how long our homemade dressing will last and how to use up the leftover.
How Long Does Homemade Salad Dressing Last In The Fridge? Recipe Ideas To Use Up Homemade Dressings
Twist Asian Dressing Adding Asian Items
Adding these ingredients transforms the basic Asian dressing into another flavored dressing.
- Ginger
- Wasabi
- Gochujang
- Sweet sauteed onion
- Carrot
- Peanut butter
Ginger
Add 1/2 tsp of grated fresh ginger to the basic Asian sesame dressing.
Wasabi Paste/ Wasabi Powder
Add 1/2 tbsp of Wasabi paste/ wasabi powder to the basic sesame dressing.
S & B Wasabi Powder is made of all-natural ingredients without any chemical additives.
The pale green color comes naturally from horseradish and wasabi japonica, and can bring naturally authentic flavor and color.
Many restaurants and diners in Japan use this product, ( I worked at several diners in Japan, and used it.).
It’s enough hot to kick your nose.
Unlike wasabi paste, wasabi powder is handy to store once opened.
It never gets dried out in your refrigerator!
However, try to consume it within the year once opened.
To make Wasabi dressing from the basic Asian sesame dressing, you can do it either way by adding it as a powder or as a paste.
Gochujang (Spicy Korean Miso)
Add 1 tsp of Gochujang, 1 clove of grated fresh garlic, and 1 tbsp of honey.
Gochujang originated in Korean Peninsula and is a sticky fermented soybean paste with spicy, sweet, and more complex flavors.
It can be used for any kind of dish including as the dipping sauce when you want to add spicy, sweet, and rich Umami flavor to the dish.
Sauteed Onion Dressing
One of the typical Japanese dressings is “Onion dressing”, and you can make easily this savory-sweet Japanese dressing while using the basic Asian sesame dressing.
You can add either way between sauteed and fresh minced onion.
Saute 1/4 minced onion with olive oil and add to the basic Asian sesame dressing.
Another way to use fresh onion is grated onion can also add a rich tangy flavor to the dressing.
This onion dressing also goes well with grilled meat.
Since onion has tenderizing meat effect, it’s great to marinate the meat.
Try these mouth-watering meat recipes using Onion dressing instead of the sauce in the recipes.
Pork Shoulder Steak With Japanese Cooking Tips
This pan-fired pork shoulder steak is a juicy, tender, moist steak that has been marinated in *Japanese BBQ sauce often called YAKINIKU sauce! This easy and delicious dinner is perfect for especially weekdays when you don’t have much time to make dinner or are not mood for grilling outside! Store the steak marinated in sauce in a freezer, it becomes further easier recipe. Tender, moist, delicious pork shoulder steak is made by marinating the pork in my *Japanese BBQ sauce. Cook the steak with a non-stick skillet on the stovetop for an easy quick, less-messy dinner. Cook the steak covered with a lid so that the steak never dries out and is cooked effectively.
*Simply, substitute the Asian dressing for Japanese BBQ sauce in this recipe.
LEARN HOW TO MAKE AUTHENTIC JAPANESE-STYLE KALBI SHORT RIBS ON THE GRILL! This iconic beef short rib cut called “kalbi” in Korea and Japan is one of the popular menus in Korean and Japanese barbecue. Tangy, sweet, and savory flavor with tender meaty short ribs! The short ribs are quickly grilled over high heat. (Grilling is my husband’s job, )and then served with staples like steamed rice, or lettuce wraps.
*Simply, substitute the Asian dressing for Japanese BBQ sauce in this recipe.
Super Crispy Asian Fried Chicken Breast
Fried Chicken Breasts – crispy, tender thin-sliced chicken breasts coated in rice flour and potato starch mixture with the secret tip to make them super crunchy and crispy ever. Happy about pan-fry with a little oil.
*Simply, substitute the Asian dressing for the marinade sauce in this recipe.
Carrot Dressing
Grate 1/2 carrot or use a food processor, and add to the onion dressing. This carrot & onion Asian dressing will help you with nutrition.
Peanut Butter Dressing
Add 2 tbsp of your favorite peanut butter to the basic Asian dressing. Add additional honey if needed.
This dressing goes really well with my BBQ beef salad bowl!
Japanese BBQ Beef Steak Salad Bowl
This Japanese-YAKINIKU-style BBQ steak salad is loaded with thinly-sliced beef steak (made on the grill or stovetop), glass noodles, cucumbers, carrots, and your choice of leafy greens. Topped with my homemade Yakiniku sauce and Asian sweet chili sauce to add extra Asian flavors. The beef steak is super tender by marinating with also Yakiniku sauce! This meal salad recipe is definitely flavorful and filling.
(*RECIPE)
All-Purpose Basic Asian Sesame Dressing
Ingredients
- ¼ cup Japanese Dark Soy sauce
- ¼ cup Rice vinegar/ apple cider vinegar/ White wine vinegar
- 2 tbsp Korean/ Japanese Toasted Sesame oil
- 1 tbsp Salad oil/ Olive oil *Salad oil will not solidify like other oils. (But, it may still be solidified.) I don't recommend using extra virgin olive oil for this recipe.
- 1 tbsp Sugar
- 2 tbsp Honey
- ¼ TSP Chinese Chicken Bouillon Powder
- 2 tbsp Toasted Sesame Seeds
- Grated Garlic & Ginger *optional
- Wasabi paste/ powder *optional
Instructions
- Shake together all ingredients.
- You can make ¾ US cup of the dressing in this recipe.
- Keep in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.
Video
Notes
MORE IDEAS: How To Use Asian Sesame Dressing
Harusame Salad
Japanese Glass Noodle “Harusame” Salad With Savory Sesame Dressing
Japanese Glass Noodle Salad (Harusame Salad) is a simple, vinegary, savory fresh noodle dish that can bring an unusual international side dish to your kitchen. Quick-cooking of glass noodles, soaking glass noodles in boiled water for 4 minutes, draining, rinsing, and cutting. Add your favorite protein and vegetables. Great served chilled.
Go With Homemade Natto
This basic Asian dressing definitely goes well with homemade Natto.
My homemade Japanese Natto is super easy to make.
For the recipe, click here.