Ingredients & Substitutions
Here I explain the ingredients for the best Asian salad dressing, what each one does in my recipe, and substitution options. For measurements, see the recipe card.
Sesame Oil – This is the base of the dressing, and provides the rich, nutty taste. Feel free to use olive oil or avocado oil if you don’t have any or like it more mild. I stick to regular sesame oil, but you can mix 3 tablespoons regular (or any neutral oil) with 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil for a stronger flavor—just avoid using only toasted sesame oil as it can be too intense. Lime Juice – For tang. Freshly squeezed lime juice is going to give you the best flavor, but I was in a hurry, so I just used bottled lime juice instead. Rice vinegar (or rice wine vinegar) would make a good substitute if you need one. Coconut Aminos – For umami. I try to avoid soy, so coconut aminos is my go-to soy sauce substitute. Plus, it’s a little sweet. If you prefer soy sauce or tamari, feel free to use that instead! Honey – For natural sweetness. I use my natural sugar-free honey, which tastes just like the real thing without the sugar! Of course, regular works in this Asian salad dressing, too. Aromatics – Including garlic and ginger. You can substitute 1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon of garlic powder and a pinch of ground ginger if those are what you have on hand. Sea Salt – And an optional pinch of crushed red pepper flakes if you want a kick.
How To Make Asian Salad Dressing
Storage Instructions
Keep your Asian salad dressing in an airtight jar in the fridge for up 2 weeks. It tends to separate as it sits, so just whisk or shake to freshen it up. It’s a nice way to add a little crunch and extra nutty flavor to this Asian sesame dressing. That way, you’re ready to store in the same container. I like to store this dressing in a mason jar for easy mixing, but you can also use a glass salad dressing bottle or a plastic squeeze bottle.
Ways To Use it
This dressing particularly shines in Asian slaws, like my Asian salad (pictured above), but it also works well as a swap in my Ahi tuna salad and cabbage salad. Plus, it can double as a marinade for baked chicken breast, pan seared pork chops, or air fryer salmon. You can even toss vegetables in Asian dressing before roasting. Just make sure to use only sesame oil that’s not toasted if you’ll be heating it.
More Easy Dressing Recipes
If you enjoyed this Asian salad dressing recipe, you’ll love my other easy dressings made with real food ingredients. A couple of these are Asian-inspired, and the other 2 are just my faves: Please enter your first name for your account. Your saved recipe will also be sent to your email. Nutrition info uses sugar free honey. This is another favorite part from one of our hikes. The entire hike reminded me of A Midsummer Night’s Dream, with beautiful trees and curvy branches to climb. But then we came to this clearing with the sun visibly shining through the trees. I felt like I was in a fairytale!
