This Miso Dressing is that good you’ll want to drink it! It's full of umami flavor with a tang from the ginger to freshen it up. You can add it to salads, poke bowls, veggies, and also different proteins.
This Miso salad dressing is super easy to make in less than 5 minutes. You just add the ingredients to a bowl or mason jar, whisk together and it's done! Its also vegan and can easily be gluten free too!
The Japanese inspired dressing is also great on poke bowls, steamed or sautéed vegetables, buddha bowls and protein such as tofu, fish or chicken. It pairs so well with my chopped asian salad which I can eat on repeat!
I absolutely love this miso ginger dressing! What I love is that it's one of those dressings you can add to so many dishes. I usually make a batch and keep it in the fridge as a staple so it's ready to go when I need it.
If you love Japanese cuisine like I do, you will love this dressing. It's the perfect mix of saltines from the miso and soy, along with acidity from the citrus, and tang from the fresh ginger. The miso paste however is the star with its beautiful umami flavor that's so distinct and will make your taste buds dance!
If you love miso then you must try my delicious miso noodle soup, miso eggplant and miso pasta....everyone will be asking for the recipe!
Table of Contents
What is Miso?
Miso is a traditional Japanese paste which is made from fermented soybeans. It brings a lovely depth and umami flavor to sauces, marinades, salad dressings and soups. I can never visit a Japanese or sushi restaurant without ordering a warm bowl of miso soup yum!
Not only does miso paste taste amazing, but it's also so good for you too! It’s full of nutrients and vitamins and is contains probiotics which are great for digestion and gut health.
There are 3 different types of Miso - White Miso, Yellow Miso and Red Miso. I've used White Miso in this recipe which has a milder taste. Red Miso has been fermented longer so the taste is much stronger, the Yellow Miso is in between.
Ingredients and Substitutions
- Miso paste is the star of the dressing! Its packed with a lovely umami flavor that makes the dressing. I've used white miso paste in this recipe which has a milder taste (more information on miso paste above)
- Ginger is always the key to my heart! I love ginger and usually double the amount in this recipe. I also prefer fresh ginger for its nice fresh tang
- Soy sauce adds more depth and saltiness. You can also use tamari instead to keep the miso dressing gluten free too. I prefer using salt reduced soy sauce which has less sodium
- Rice vinegar adds a light sweet acidity. Apple cider vinegar is also a great alternative
- Lemon or lime juice adds a lovely citrusy taste. If you like it on the sour side, use lime over lemon which will be sweeter
- Sesame oil adds a lovely nuttiness. It's quite strong so you don't need to add much. I've used regular sesame oil but you can use toasted sesame oil which is made from toasted sesame seeds. This has a stronger taste though
- Extra virgin olive oil is always the base to my salad dressings as my preference. You can also substitute with your preferred oil
*If you are looking at using this miso ginger dressing for a marinade or for glazing proteins, you can reduce the amount of olive oil used which will thicken the sauce - Optional to add maple syrup, honey or agave for some sweetness. Sugar will also work too. I personally prefer the miso salad dressing on the salty side, but a touch of sweetness can balance the salt out
How to make Miso Dressing
Here is how you make this delicious Miso Dressing in a few simple steps.
- Add liquid ingredients (soy sauce, sesame oil, lemon juice, olive oil, rice wine vinegar) to a small mixing bowl
- Finely grate in some ginger and add the miso paste
- Whisk until well combined, making sure there are no clumps
- And its done! Make sure to give it taste. If its too thick for your liking, you can add a dash of water to thin it out. Or if you like it more on the sweeter side, just add some honey or maple syrup
Tips and Tricks
- Use high quality miso paste which does not have any preservatives and is GMO free
- Ensure to whisk the dressing well until there are no clumps. You can also blend in a mini food processor or use an emulsion blender but I find a whisk works fine
- Taste the dressing! We all have different taste buds so it's always best to taste dressings before adding to your salad or dish. I have some notes on the recipe where you can add some sweetness if you prefer
- If using the miso dressing for dishes other than a salad, I’d suggest to reduce the olive oil amount which will then to more of a sauce than a miso salad dressing
More Easy Sauces
- Gyoza Dipping Sauce
- Satay Sauce
- Sesame Dressing
- Caesar Salad Dressing
- Vegan Gravy
- Peanut Sauce
- Italian Tomato Sauce (Sugo)
- How to Make Pesto
- Sriracha Aioli
More Asian Recipes
- Chopped Asian Salad
- Rice Paper Dumplings
- Kani Salad
- Peanut Noodles
- Shrimp Tempura Roll
- Thai Yellow Curry
- Spicy Tuna Crispy Rice
- Kani Sushi (Spicy Crab Roll)
I love seeing your creations and remakes, so be sure to rate the recipe, comment and share your Miso Dressing photo on Instagram so I can share the love!
Recipe
Miso Dressing
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoon white miso paste
- ½ teaspoon grated ginger (or more if you love ginger like I do)
- 4 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
- 2 tablespoon soy sauce or tamari (I use salt reduced)
- ½ lemon or lime juice
- 1-2 teaspoon water (if needed)
- ***Optional add 1 teaspoon honey/maple syrup if you prefer it on the sweeter side
Instructions
- In a bowl or mason jar, add the liquids which are the olive oil, soy sauce, sesame oil, rice wine vinegar and the lime or lemon juice
- Add the miso paste, finely grate in the ginger and whisk until well combined and there are no clumps. You can also use a blender or food processor. Drizzle this Miso Dressing over a salad such as my chopped asian salad and enjoy!** Give it a taste, if its too thick for your liking, you can add a dash of water to thin it out. You can also add honey or maple syrup if you desire a sweeter taste
Lavanya says
Ayeh, I have never bought miso paste. Reading this recipe I realized tat miso is vegetarian! I am adding this to my weekly grocery shopping list and am going to try out the copped Asian salad with this dressing. OMG I am drooling thinking how yummy it's going to be!
Ayeh Manfre says
Yes!! Its also vegan too! Just check the label as always. Hope you love it dear 🙂
Alicia says
This dressing knocks my socks off it’s so good. I can eat this salad daily. Thank you once again for blowing my brain with this delicious recipe!!
Ayeh Manfre says
Hehe Love this!!! So happy you love it as much as I do 🙂
Nyleve Semken says
Thank you. This recipe sounds great ! i am looking forward to trying it.
Ayeh Manfre says
Yay enjoy!
HIlda61 says
Really tasty dressing, best miso dressing recipe I’ve ever had!
Ayeh Manfre says
Amazing to hear!
May Kalebic says
Hello
Love your recipes. Which brand of Miso do you use and where do you purchase it from?
Regards
May
Ayeh Manfre says
I buy it from the Asian supermarket dear 🙂
Mike says
Can you use dark miso paste? I have all the other ingredients except light miso.
Thanks
Ayeh Manfre says
Yes you can 🙂
Kathy says
This was perfect for our broccoli chicken and cucumber rice bowls. Yummy! Thank you!
Ayeh Manfre says
Oh yum! So glad you loved it Kathy xx
agnes says
Made this today as a sauce for my tuna mushroom stir-fry lunch. Tastes very good! Have some leftover sauce and will use it up in the next few days 🙂
Just an odd question -- if I don't have lime or lemon, can I substitute with orange juice? It is citrus so I am thinking it may work? what do you think Ayeh?
Thank you!
Agnes
Ayeh Manfre says
Oh yum sounds delish!! Orange would give it a fruity touch, would be great for a salad. You could also use a dash of vinegar also 🙂
Connie says
How long can I keep this dressing in the fridge? How many ml per serving (the recipe says 5 servings)? Possible to add some fresh garlic or should I keep it to your original recipe? Thanks in advance!
Ayeh Manfre says
Garlic would be a great addition. Keep in an airtight mason jar or container up to a week in the fridge 🙂
If needed, you can add a dash of water if it thickens too much in the fridge x
Melanie Muranaka says
Is that 1/2 teaspoon of lemon or lime juice? The measurement is missing.
Ayeh Manfre says
Half an actual lemon 🙂 Sorry for the confusion xx
Judi says
Fantastic!
Ayeh Manfre says
Yay glad you liked it Judi xx
CSF says
Love this dressing. It has become a staple in my house and I always try to have a small bottle in the fridge.
Thanks for sharing!
Ayeh Manfre says
Aww amazing to hear to love it so much too! I do the same 🙂
Bev says
Super simple and SO tasty!! I can imagine it would make a lovely stir fry sauce too. Definitely adding this to my repertoire.
Ayeh Manfre says
Wonderful to hear you loved it so much Bev 🙂
Karyn says
Definitely going to try this out. I don't have rice wine vinegar, but ibdibhave apple cider vinegar. Can I use this instead?
Ayeh Manfre says
That will be fine too 🙂
Lauren S. says
I'm confused- how much lemon juice? Half of a lemon or lime? Or is that supposed to be 1/2 TBS?
Ayeh Manfre says
Half a lemon or lime juiced 🙂
GlebeGal says
Oh my gosh, this is delicious! I didn't have sesame oil, but I had sesame seeds so I dry roasted those and added them. I drizzled this over a raw salad of broccoli, orange, raisins and sunflower seeds. Thank you for sharing 🙂
Ayeh Manfre says
Oh yummm sounds great, so happy you loved it x
Helmi S says
This was great although a little too salty--maybe using dark brown miso, not white had something to do with that? I know nothing about miso. In any case, I modified the recipe a bit: 1 heaping tsp of ginger, 2T sesame oil, 2T Rice wine vinegar, and 2 Tsp Maple syrup. When I make it again, I'll just put in less soy sauce and then taste.
Ayeh Manfre says
Hi Helmi, So glad you loved it! Dark miso is a little stronger than white miso which is what I've used in the recipe so this could be why its more salty. Also I always recommend low sodium soy sauce 🙂
Jurassic Mark says
THIS IS AWESOME !!! I did have to use a little water to thin it out and it went perfectly on a nori salad. Without thinning, I believe you could coat and bake chicken with this, or use it on Ahi.
Ayeh Manfre says
Amazing to hear! Yes you can totally use to coat fish or chicken 🙂
R Newton says
Delicious- will make again (and again)
Ayeh Manfre says
Amazing to hear!!
Donna Beck says
This is a delicious dressing. I did add a TBSP of maple syrup for a little sweetness. This mixes nicely in a 1/2 pint mason jar.
Ayeh Manfre says
Sounds great Donna 🙂
Barbara L. says
This was delicious and easy. I used red miso since that is what I had, and in retrospect, I should have correspondingly cut the soy sauce to 1 Tbsp. I'll try that next time. The saltiness was diluted by the salad, so I just had to be careful not to overdress it.
Ayeh Manfre says
So glad you loved it Barbara! Yes red miso is much stronger and saltier, so a reduction of soy would be perfect next time and/or you can add some sugar or honey to balance it 🙂