This Asian Sesame Dressing is one of my all time most-used salad dressings, because it keeps for weeks and it’s so easy to make – just soy sauce, sesame oil, olive oil, vinegar and sugar.
Use this Asian dressing for leafy green salads, Asian slaws, noodle salads and chopped salads. It’s also a terrific dressing to make steamed vegetables so much tastier. Finish with a sprinkle of fresh sesame seeds and sliced greens onions!
Instant Asian Sesame Dressing
This Asian Sesame Dressing is one of eight ready-to-use salad dressing recipes that I shared in this post: Ready To Use Salad Dressings. I’ve been wanting to share a bunch of long shelf life salad dressings for ages and was so glad to finally have an excuse to!
This Asian Sesame Dressing is fantastic. It was originally off the back of a packet that I’ve adapted slightly to my taste. The reason it’s one of my most used dressings is because it literally takes 30 seconds to make – grab a few bottles, eye ball the measurements, shake and you’re done.
No need to mince garlic, grate ginger of chop fresh herbs. This Sesame Dressing is simple and it’s perfect just as it is. However, you can of course doll it up as you wish! It’s a fantastic base recipe. 🙂
I literally use this dressing for all things Asian and Asian-esque. But one of my favourite ways to use this dressing is with shredded cabbage and carrots. So an Asian slaw, if you will. 🙂 Especially if you grab a bag of pre shredded cabbage, as I did for these photos (I used a Crunchy Slaw pre cut mix from David Jones, I ❤️the DJ’s Food Hall!!).
The other thing I use it for is sashimi salads. Leafy greens, cherry tomatoes and some store bought fresh sashimi, topped with crunchy fried shallots and this dressing. It’s a 1 minute dinner assembly!
Because this Asian Sesame Dressing doesn’t use any fresh ingredients that go off, it has a very long shelf life. I keep it for 3 weeks. I like to keep it in the fridge, just to be safe (and also because I keep my soy sauce refrigerated, and this has soy sauce in it).
SUCH a fantastic standby dressing! Nagi xx
PS Pictured below is an Asian Slaw made using the David Jones Crunchy Slaw mix (green and red cabbage, carrots), a sprinkle of store bought fried shallots, tossed with this Asian Sesame Dressing.
PPS In the recipe below, I’ve shared a big batch (1 cup) to make and keep, and single batch too (i.e. enough for one side salad for 3-4 people).
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Asian Sesame Dressing
Ingredients
Big batch to keep (makes 1 cup)
- 1/4 cup soy sauce
- 2 tbsp toasted sesame oil
- 1/4 cup white vinegar (adjust to taste for sharpness)
- 1/4 cup olive oil (Note 1)
- 1 tbsp sugar (any type) or 1 1/2 tbsp honey
Single serving batch
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- 2 tsp toasted sesame oil
- 1 tbsp white vinegar
- 1 tbsp olive oil (Note 1)
- 1 tsp sugar (any type) or 1 1/2 tsp honey
Instructions
- Place ingredients in a jar and shake well until sugar is dissolved. Adjust saltiness with salt and sweetness with sugar to taste.
- Keep for up to 3 weeks, in the fridge (to be safe). Bring to room temp and shake well before use.
- Single serving batch is enough for 3 – 4 cups of shredded cabbage / leafy greens i.e. a side salad for 4 people.
- Big batch – my rule of thumb for how much dressing to use is generally 1 tbsp of dressing per 1 packed cup of shredded vegetables and 2 tsp per handful of leafy greens.
Recipe Notes:
Nutrition Information:
Don’t miss all the other Ready To Use Dressings I shared! These all last for 2+ weeks, most for 3 weeks.Find them all here.
From previous brands that I have tried for this dressing, especially the Wafu one, I am used to a slightly creamier texture where the color of the sauce is a light beige. Therefore, I was just wondering how you would feel about the use of sesame paste (the Lebanese tahini) instead of oil. Have you ever tried, and if so what were your thoughts on it?
Hi Cynthia, you could use sesame paste however the flavour isn’t as concentrate as the oil so will be more subtle 🙂
Pier o
World market has it. So do a lot of the largest supermarkets nowdays. Look for the Asian section and you can save time looking by asking where the Asian section of the store is located. hope this helps!
Hi Nagi, sorry if you’ve been asked this before – can you tell me where you get your toasted sesame oil as I can only seem to find regular sesame oil at all places I try. Thanks
Hi Bron, I buy mine from the local Asian supermarket, but you can use untoasted – it will be fine!
Hi Nagi,
Recipe calls for white vinegar… Is this white wine vinegar or just regular vinegar?? Want to be sure before I poison my date, cheers
Hi Eoin, just regular white vinegar – although you could use white wine/apple cider or even rice wine vinegar 🙂 Enjoy!
Hi Nagi, as yet I haven’t tried any of the recipes, but the ease of putting together ingredients etc had me hooked! Photography & presentation of course plays a part, but I am a big fan of Vietnamese food, so I will have no hesitation in trying some of these recipes. Plus, your cheerful face is so very inviting….it’s hard to go past your website! Lyn
Followed the recipe. Loved it !
GREAT dressing! Guests loved my cabbage, napa cabbage, red cabbage, carrot, celery, cilantro, green onion salad with white&black sesame seeds, cashews and almonds.
Thanks!!!
Excellent Cuci!
Hi ! May i just ask what i can sub the toasted sesame oil with ? Would regular sesame oil work ? Really excited to try this. Thanks
Yes, just regular will be fine Cuci – enjoy!
Thanks for the prompt reply .
I made it to serve tonight for friends coming over. Tastes great ! Hope my friends love it too 🙂
Made this dressing tonight. Added about a tsp of finely grated ginger. Yum!
Hi Nagi…thanks for your recipes.All turn out to be great.Looming forward to making salads with this recipe now.Will it work well with a warm salad?
Tried this dressing today and it was very delicious. Thank you for sharing. I added ground ginger to taste. My go-to seasoning lately has been the everything bagel seasoning (minus salt) and added some of that as well.
Perfect Kathy!!
Absolutely delicious! It’s perfect over slaw mixes. I also added a teaspoon of ground ginger for a little zing.
Perfect Laura!
Wonderful and simple. This is my ‘go to’ dressing for slaw. If I have it, minced ginger is tasty in this dressing. I do not store in the fridge as a large batch only lasts a couple days.
Sounds great Janaan!
Phenomenal ! I used rice vinegar instead of regular. I made this before with Apple cider vinegar and grilled a steak with some Wonton strips, almonds and carrots.. My roommate ate it in one fell swoop. Definitely a keeper!
Sounds like you nailed it Steven!
I thought the taste was very oil heavy. I salvaged it by adding a bit more honey and some minced fresh ginger.
Sorry you thought it was too oily, you could always reduce the amount if you preferred – N x
Looks great but when I put into fit put the single serving is 2x what you state.
Hi Jalene, this recipe makes 1 cup – I’m not sure I understand what you mean – N x
Great dressing! I used honey and personally I’d reduce the amount of honey. 1:1:1 ratio for soy sauce, vinegar and sugar (honey) was a bit too sweet for me. I also added fresh grated garlic and ginger as well as crushed sesame seeds
Sounds great Kyu, yes just adjust to your taste!
Awesome dressing we use all the time especially with Asian food
Since I discovered your recipes it’s always my first choice. Have shared so many recipes with friends and family Just love your flavors
Thanks so much Mike, that’s great to hear!
Love this dressing! Thanks so much for sharing the recipe.
Did anyone try this with apple cider vinegar instead?
I did use apple cider vinegar instead. And honey, but just a teaspoon of that one and works great. Nice dressing
Excellent dressing!!
Thanks so much Lloyd!
if Kewpie Japanese mayonnaise were to be used, i bet it would be delicious!
I recently had a salad dressing that sounds a lot like this but it was more of a creamy mayonnaise based dressing. Can you use mayonnaise instead of the olive oil?
I haven’t tried to be honest Jana!
if Kewpie Japanese mayonnaise were to be used, i bet it would be delicious!
Fantastic and simple to make, thank you so much for sharing!
You’re so welcome Stella!