Name: Carrot Ginger Dressing
Prep time: 10 min
Total time: 10 min
Cuisine: Japanese
Ingredients: 2/3 cup white miso paste - See Note 1 for red miso; 1/4 freshly squeezed lemon juice (about 2 medium-size lemons); 1/4 cup rice vinegar; 3 tbsp toasted sesame oil; 1/2 cup orange juice, freshly squeezed or store-bought; 3" peeled fresh ginger, chopped; 1/4 cup maple syrup or agave; 3 large carrots, chopped

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A carrot ginger salad dressing is one you walk away craving when you leave your favorite Japanese restaurant. With our carrot ginger dressing recipe, we tried to re-create the same flavor profile. If you like a strong assertive salad dressing that will make any salad pop this is exactly the recipe you are looking for.

A glass bottle with carrot ginger dressing in it with a salad in the background

Bound to become a family favorite, this Asian ginger salad dressing is fast to make and tastes incredible. It complements perfectly your Asian salad or any salad for that matter. You can even have your tweens or teens make the dressing while you prepare the salad ingredients.

How to Make Carrot Ginger Dressing

Once you realize how simple it is to make your own fresh, delicious salad dressing, you will never want to pay for store-bought dressing again. You can make this carrot ginger dressing recipe simply by throwing all of the ingredients into a high-speed blender and blending it all until smooth. That's it!

overhead view of the ingredients needed for carrot ginger dressing: carrots, ginger, miso, orange juice, sesame oil and maple syrup

Ingredients for Carrot Ginger Dressing

White Miso Paste: You may use red miso paste, but expect some flavor variation. For this carrot ginger miso dressing I do recommend white if you can find it.
Freshly Squeezed Lemon Juice: fresly squeezed is best, avoid the bottled stuff to acheive the best flavor.
Rice Vinegar: It's a mild vinegar that complememts the Asian flavors of this salad dressing
Toasted Sesame Oil: the strong flavor of sesame oil makes this dressing taste fantastic.
Orange Juice: Freshly squeezed or store-bought, either one will work for this recipe.
Fresh Ginger: Good ginger is firm and dry. Do not buy ginger that is soft and can be bent. It should also be free of dark spots on the skin. Are you in a pinch get those cute little frozen ginger cubes.
Maple Syrup: Adds sweetnes to the carrot ginger dressing. Agave syup will also work.
Large Carrots. Peeled and chopped small, so they can easily be blended.

A blender with the ingredients to make carrot ginger dressing blended together

Tips for Perfect Ginger Dressing

If you are using red miso paste the carrot ginger dressing will have a stronger flavor
A high-speed blender or smoothie maker works best for this recipe. If you just have a regular blender cut the ginger and carrots into smaller pieces so they can get easily pureed.
When you taste the carrot ginger salad dressing you will notice it is pretty strong. It doesn't feel as strong when tossed and eaten with a salad.
If you find that your blender can't quite handle the dressing recipe as is, you can steam the carrots to soften them. This will also bring out the natural sugars of the carrot so you may have to reduce the amount of maple syrup or agave.
The recipe calls for large carrots, chopped up. Full-size carrots have the best flavor. However, if you only have baby carrots in the refrigerator, by all means, use those instead.
If you do not have rice vinegar, use white wine vinegar.

FAQ

Can you freeze carrot ginger dressing?

Yes. It is best fresh, but extra can be frozen if needed. It will last for up to two months in the freezer in an airtight container.

How do I store carrot ginger dressing?

Make extra and save it in a bottle or glass jar in the fridge. Technically you can store it in any container with a lid. It will keep for several weeks.

What can I eat with carrot ginger dressing?

Serve this ginger dressing recipe on a salad, a buddha bowl, or a veggie stir fry for fantastic Asian flavors. You can also use the dressing with avocado toast. If you are making a salad, you can add lettuce, carrots, toasted cashews or almonds, onion, shredded cabbage, and mandarin oranges for a great salad.

How to thicken carrot ginger dressing?

I think our carrot ginger dressing has the perfect ratio of liquids to solid for a nice thick dressing that still tosses with your salad and clings to your food instead of ending up in the bottom of the bowl. If your dressing ends up too thick, try adding a little more orange juice.

Is carrot ginger dressing gluten-free?

Maybe. The only ingredient in this dressing recipe that may contain gluten is the Miso. Miso can be made with all kinds of grains, so you just need to find one that wasn't made with one of these: wheat (including spelt, Kamut, triticale, and all varieties of wheat), barley, and rye. Read the label for the Miso before you purchase it to make sure your dressing is gluten-free.

Side view of a salad with carrot ginger dressing being poured over

More Homemade Salad Dressing Recipes

Creamy Balsamic Dressing

Spicy Tahini Dressing

Avocado Cilantro Dressing

Miso Dressing

Pomegranate Vinaigrette

If you enjoyed this recipe, it would help us tremendously if you left us a star rating in the comments below or on the recipe card. Do you have any questions about the recipe? Do you need a swap for any of the ingredients? We are here to help, just leave us a question in the comments below.