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.
Love this recipe. For a number of years I’ve been buying the packaged salads w/dressing but have gotten tired of paying so much, especially since the main draw has been the dressing. Now I can have this salad whenever I want without feeling guilty about the expense! Many thanks!
You’ll never need to buy store bought dressing again!!
Hi Nagi, I want to thank you for your wonderfull recipes. In recent years I have become a rather lazy cook – buying a lot if store bought sauces etc but reading your blog has inspired me once again to get cooking. I have already tried some of your beautiful salads, we particularly love the roast pumpkin with pine nuts and fetta in a balsamic dressing yum. Thank you once again you have inspired me.
I’m so pleased to hear that Sandra! I think everyone goes through lazy phases and that’s totally ok 🙂 I certainly do too! Don’t think I’m “holier than thou / make everything from scratch ALL the time” 🙂 Glad you love that pumpkin salad, I love it too! N x
My go to salad dressing this summer!
Awesome Nicole, it’s so versatile!
Yummmmmmm! This was just what i needed to dress our side salad we had tonight to go with our Asian inspired slow cooker chicken and rice, just gorgeous flavour, it made the salad. Thank you xo
Great Jessie!
I like the Asian twist to your recipes but could you do more simple, vegan, Asian dishes. I make vegan tacos using TVP and garbanzo bean flour. My brother likes anything I cook but I’m looking for that umami deliciousness factor in the food I serve. Hoping you have some creative suggestions.
Hi Nagi,
Sorry but is this plain sesame oil or toasted?
I’ve read that if it is not specified in recipes it means regular and then others say it always means toasted unless otherwise specified.
Thank You
Toasted! Sorry Karen, I should have specified. I’ve updated! N x
Hi can you please tell me where to buy the toasted version? Thanks
Hi Ree, Asian grocery stores usually sell it ☺️
Great recipe! I love this kind of dressing but I have never made it at home before. Just needed to get some sesame oil but had everything else on hand. I added a couple more tablespoons of honey because I wanted sweeter. So good! Thanks.
Hi Nagi, thank you for the recipe. I’m wondering for the vinegar, is it 1/3 c or 4 Tbsp? (4 Tbsp would be 1/4 cup,).
Thank you.
HI Nancy! Thanks for the question I have simplified it 🙂 1/4 cup please!
Hi Nagi
Can you please tell me what type of soy sauce you recommend for this dressing? I just made a single batch using Kikkoman All Purpose, but it seems way too salty and the soy sauce is overpowering.
Hi Nagi, would you recommend light soy sauce in this recipe? I used an all purpose soy sauce and found it very salty. Thanks in advance
Great recipe, I tried it with some ginger powder and it was delicious.
Love that you enjoyed this Andy! Thanks for letting me know – N x
Lovely! A little bit too much vinegar for my liking though.
Just add a touch more oil! 🙂 N x
Hi! I found a recipe calling for Amy’s Organic Asian Sesame Dressing. Do you think I can substitute your sauce for that?
I’m sure you can! 🙂
I used this dressing with broccoli slaw and chicken, and it’s amazing!!!
OMG we’re in sync, I literally made an Asian slaw with chicken with this dressing yesterday!
Thanks for the recipe, I made it this evening and it complemented our salad wonderfully!
It is delicious and so easy to make
Love hearing that Kelly! So pleased you enjoyed this 🙂 N x
Wonderful! Loved it and that you included a single batch recipe.
Love hearing that Susan! So pleased you enjoyed this 🙂 N x
Your calorie count I way off! 1Tbsp of oil on its own has 120 calories. The recipe sounds delicious, though 🙂
Hi MD! It assumes a Single Batch is used for a salad that serves 4 as a side 🙂 Glad you enjoyed it though! N xx
I just wanna thank you for this recipe. I’ve been looking for an asian dressing recipe that is east to make and at the same time it tastes good. And yours fits my criteria well! Thanks so much again!
FANTASTIC to hear Vanessa!! Thanks so much for letting me know you enjoyed this 🙂 N xx
Is It toasted sesame oil?
Yep!
I can’t find toasted sesame oil anywhere. I ask at the Asian markets and they just look at me like I’m dinky dau. Any suggestions?
Whatever you can get your hands on is still going to taste terrific in this Doug! 🙂 N x
For the big batch, are you using 1/3 cup white vinegar which is actually 5 Tbl. + 1 tsp. or are you using 1/4 cup which is 4 Tbl?
Hi Tess! I use 3 tbsp = 1/4 cup 🙂 N x
https://www.tablespoon.com/posts/tablespoon-conversions
Are you ignoring this question?
Hi Tess! I’m so sorry, I searched but can’t find the question! 🙁 N x