4 Easy Japanese Salad Dressings

These homemade Japanese Salad Dressings taste a million times better than store-bought! They are delicious, easy to make, and ready in 5 minutes. Here are 4 of our favorites to dress any kind of salad. They‘re great for meal prep to use throughout the week!

If you haven’t made your own salad dressings before, today’s recipes will change your life! No, I’m really serious. Homemade salad dressings are not hard to make, and on Just One Cookbook, you will learn how to make Japanese salad dressings. What are they, you may ask? Let’s just say these dressings are about to become your everyday favorites!

Basic Salad Dressing Ingredients

Here’s what you’ll need to make the dressings:

• Olive oil or neutral oil for your base
• White wine vinegar or rice vinegar
• Sugar (read below) for a little sweetness that balances the vinegar
• Salt and black pepper

And some dressings will include:

• Garlic for oomph
• Herbs for fragrance
• Sesame seeds for crunch
• Plus, additional add-ons for variations

Vinegar-to-Oil Ratio

My basic dressing formula is 1 part vinegar for every 2 part oil. Some recipes do a 1:3 ratio (more oil), but I prefer less oil more vinegar formula, but it’s always up to you.

How to Make Salad Dressing

Option 1: You can put all your ingredients in a mason jar and shake it vigorously until everything has emulsified.

Option 2: You can whisk all the ingredients in a mixing bowl, but I highly recommend getting 8-oz mason jars or 16-oz mason jars. If you have some leftover dressing, you can store it directly in the refrigerator!

4 Easy Japanese Salad Dressings

When you’re in Japan, you will encounter these 4 salad dressings. Sometimes, you may get to choose the dressings at the ‘salad bar’ in a family restaurant, and other times, the dressing is already poured on the salad at a restaurant. Either way, you will see these salad dressings everywhere, so let’s first identify them.

1. Italian Dressing イタリアンドレッシング

This is how the Japanese make ‘Italian Dressing’ in Japan. If you’re familiar with yoshoku (Japanese-Western cuisine), the Japanese have adapted and redefined Western dishes to become uniquely Japanese. This classic recipe is a great example of how an Italian dressing becomes a daily staple.

The quality of your extra virgin olive oil can make a difference, so always invest in a good bottle for superior flavor in your food. The dressing gets its tang from the white wine vinegar and extra punch from garlic and herbs. With a subtly luxurious taste, it pairs well with simple salads that highlight a single vegetable.

Ingredients:

• Extra virgin olive oil
• White wine vinegar
• Salt and pepper
• Sugar
• Garlic
• Herbs of your choice (I use dried parsley and basil)

Make Tomato Salad with Italian Dressing: Chop fresh tomatoes and toss with the Italian Dressing. Chill for at least 1 hour before serving. Serve the simple tomato salad in nice glassware for an elegant touch.

2. French Dressing フレンチドレッシング

This French Dressing is another classic Western-influenced dressing you can find everywhere in Japan. The French excel in simplicity in almost every aspect of their life, and this salad dressing is no exception! The flavor is mild yet zippy enough to brighten up any salad. It’s hard not to adore the effortlessness of this recipe.

Ingredients: 

• Vegetable oil
• White wine vinegar
• Salt and pepper
• Sugar

Make Simple Red Leaf Salad with French Dressing: Hand tear red leaf lettuce and top with mushrooms, cherry tomatoes, and avocado slices. Drizzle French dressing for a quick easy salad for the night!

3. Shoyu Dressing (Soy Sauce Dressing) 醤油ドレッシング

Featuring the most basic pantry items from a Japanese kitchen, this Shoyu Dressing is as simple as one can get to dress your Japanese or Asian-inspired salad. The use of soy sauce delivers a blast of umami that is unmistakably Japanese.

Ingredients:

• Vegetable oil
• Rice vinegar
• Salt and pepper
• Sugar
• Soy sauce

Make Iceberg Lettuce with Shoyu Dressing: Hand-torn iceberg lettuce and top with shredded carrot, hydrated wakame seaweed, cherry tomatoes, and boiled egg. Drizzle Shoyu Dressing to enjoy!

4. Chuka Dressing (Chinese-style Dressing) 中華ドレッシング

The influence of Chinese cuisine, also known as Chuka, is ubiquitous in Japanese cooking. For this Chuka Dressing, you’ll find the ingredients very similar to the Shoyu Dressing above, but it has a distinct Chinese flair with the addition of sesame oil and sesame seeds. The flavor is more pronounced with a nutty fragrance from the sesame oil and a crunch from the sesame seeds.

Ingredients: 

• Vegetable oil
• Sesame oil
• Rice vinegar
• Salt and pepper
• Sugar
• Soy sauce
• Toasted sesame seeds

Make Cucumber Salad with Chuka Dressing: Peel the cucumber skin to create a stripe pattern and cut it half in lengthwise. Slice the cucumber into ¼ inch pieces. Toss the cucumber with Chuka Dressing and additional sesame seeds. Chill at least 1 hour before serving and enjoy!

Storage

All the homemade dressings will keep well in the refrigerator. Cover and refrigerate for 7 to 10 days. If your dressing solidifies in the refrigerator, don’t worry! Simply let it rest at room temperature for 5 to 10 minutes or microwave briefly (about 15-20 seconds) to liquefy the oil again. Whisk or shake to blend and serve!

You really can’t go wrong with these 4 easy Japanese salad dressings. They pair well with different salads that you can throw together even at the last minute, making them a great addition to your repertoire. They are my weeknight meal workhorse, and I believe they will be yours too!

More Delicious Japanese Salad Dressings

If you’re looking for more salad dressings that keep well for a long time, you’ll need to check out these popular ones too:

• Carrot Ginger Dressing
• Sesame Dressing
• Miso Dressing
• Wafu Dressing

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4 Easy Japanese Salad Dressings

4.70 from 30 votes

These homemade Japanese Salad Dressings taste a million times better than store-bought! They are delicious, easy to make, and ready in 5 minutes. Here are 4 of our favorites to dress any kind of salad. They‘re great for meal prep to use throughout the week!

Print Pin

Prep Time: 5 minutes mins

Servings: 1 cup (240 ml per batch), roughly

Ingredients

 

US CustomaryMetric

 

1x2x3x

For the Italian Dressing

• ▢ ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
• ▢ ¼ cup white wine vinegar
• ▢ ½ tsp sugar
• ▢ 1 tsp Diamond Crystal kosher salt
• ▢ ⅛ tsp freshly ground black pepper
• ▢ 1 clove garlic (crushed/minced)
• ▢ ¼ tsp dried basil (if you use fresh, triple the amount)
• ▢ ¼ tsp dried parsley (if you use fresh, triple the amount)

For the French Vinaigrette Dressing

• ▢ ½ cup neutral oil
• ▢ ¼ cup white wine vinegar
• ▢ 1 tsp Diamond Crystal kosher salt
• ▢ ⅛ tsp freshly ground black pepper
• ▢ ½ tsp sugar

For the Shoyu Dressing (Soy Sauce Dressing)

• ▢ ½ cup neutral oil
• ▢ ¼ cup rice vinegar (unseasoned)
• ▢ 2 Tbsp soy sauce
• ▢ 1 tsp Diamond Crystal kosher salt
• ▢ ⅛ tsp freshly ground black pepper
• ▢ ½ tsp sugar

For the Chuka Dressing (Chinese-style Dressing)

• ▢ 6 Tbsp neutral oil
• ▢ 2 Tbsp toasted sesame oil
• ▢ 4 Tbsp rice vinegar (unseasoned)
• ▢ 2 Tbsp soy sauce
• ▢ 1 tsp Diamond Crystal kosher salt
• ▢ ⅛ tsp freshly ground black pepper
• ▢ ½ tsp sugar
• ▢ 1 tsp toasted white sesame seeds

Japanese Ingredient Substitution: If you want substitutes for Japanese condiments and ingredients, click here.

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Instructions

 

Before You Start

• You can whisk all the ingredients in a mixing bowl, but I highly recommend getting 8-oz mason jars or 16-oz mason jars. You can put all your ingredients in a jar with a lid and shake vigorously until everything has emulsified. If you have leftover dressing, you can store it directly in the refrigerator!

To Make the Italian Dressing

• Combine all the ingredients in a mason jar: ½ cup extra virgin olive oil, ¼ cup white wine vinegar, ½ tsp sugar, 1 tsp Diamond Crystal kosher salt, ⅛ tsp freshly ground black pepper, 1 clove garlic (crushed or minced), ¼ tsp dried basil, and ¼ tsp dried parsley. Shake really well until everything has emulsified.
  

To Make the French Vinaigrette Dressing

• Combine all the ingredients in a mason jar: ½ cup neutral oil, ¼ cup white wine vinegar, 1 tsp Diamond Crystal kosher salt, ⅛ tsp freshly ground black pepper, and ½ tsp sugar. Shake really well until everything has emulsified.
  

To Make the Shoyu Dressing

• Combine all the ingredients in a mason jar: ½ cup neutral oil, ¼ cup rice vinegar (unseasoned), 2 Tbsp soy sauce, 1 tsp Diamond Crystal kosher salt, ⅛ tsp freshly ground black pepper, and ½ tsp sugar. Shake really well until everything has emulsified.
  

To Make the Chuka Dessing

• Combine all the ingredients in a mason jar: 6 Tbsp neutral oil, 2 Tbsp toasted sesame oil, 4 Tbsp rice vinegar (unseasoned), 2 Tbsp soy sauce, 1 tsp Diamond Crystal kosher salt, ⅛ tsp freshly ground black pepper, ½ tsp sugar, and1 tsp toasted white sesame seeds. Shake really well until everything has emulsified.
  

To Serve and Store

• Serve on your favorite salad and enjoy! Cover the leftovers and refrigerate for 7 to 10 days. When your dressing solidifies in the refrigerator, simply let it rest at room temperature for 5 to 10 minutes or microwave very briefly (about 15–20 seconds) to liquify the oil again. Whisk or shake well and serve!
  

Notes

Variations!

• Shoyu Dressing: grated ginger, grated daikon, yuzu kosho, and umeboshi plum.
• Chuka Dressing: grated ginger, minced garlic, Tobanjiang, red chili.

Nutrition

Calories: 980 kcal · Carbohydrates: 3 g · Protein: 1 g · Fat: 108 g · Saturated Fat: 15 g · Sodium: 1128 mg · Potassium: 47 mg · Fiber: 1 g · Sugar: 2 g · Vitamin A: 4 IU · Vitamin C: 1 mg · Calcium: 17 mg · Iron: 1 mg

Author: Namiko Hirasawa Chen

Course: Salad

Cuisine: Japanese

Keyword: condiment, dressing, salad

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