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This quick and vibrant carrot ginger dressing will jazz up any salad with its bright yellow-orange hue and zingy, fresh flavor.
Carrot ginger dressing is often served over salad at Japanese-American restaurants and is made with ingredients to elicit those distinct flavors. However, it’s unclear where it originated because this dressing isn’t served in Japan.
When dining out, this dressing typically has more texture because they grate the ingredients and stir them together. But, to make it a creamier consistency, we blend all the ingredients together until smooth.
And unlike what you’ll find at a restaurant, this dressing is soy-free, gluten-free, and naturally sweetened.
Ingredients
- carrots
- fresh ginger
- extra virgin olive oil or avocado oil
- rice vinegar (not seasoned rice vinegar as this already has sugar and salt added to it)
- fresh lime juice
- coconut aminos
- raw honey
- toasted sesame oil
- kosher salt
How to Make Carrot Ginger Dressing
This dressing comes together in about 5 minutes and has three easy steps.
1. Peel the ginger and add it to the base of a high-powered blender (see helpful tips section about an alternative method).
2. Peel the carrot, cut it into coins and add to the blender with the ginger.
3. Add the rest of the ingredients and blend on high until completely smooth. Taste and add more salt or sweetness as needed.
Make It Your Way: Ingredient Substitutions
Please remember that recipes are just a starting point.
How can you make this carrot ginger dressing using what you already have? Here are some ideas…
- No rice vinegar? ➝ other vinegars to use: raw apple cider, white wine, or champage vinegar
- Make it vegan ➝ sub organic cane sugar or maple syrup
- No coconut aminos? ➝ use tamari instead to keep it gluten-free (will no longer be soy-free) or soy sauce
- No toasted sesame oil? ➝ just omit (which will slightly alter the flavor, but still be delicious)
Helpful Recipe Tips
Best tools to use
If you don’t have a blender, you can also make this sauce in a food processor (though it may not be as smooth as it is in a blender). To make it easier to blend, grate the ginger or cut it into slices first before adding it to the base.
Ginger peeling trick
Easily remove the skin using a spoon. Turn it over so it’s facing the ginger, and scrape off the skin with the edge of the spoon. This allows you to remove the skin without losing hardly any of the flesh.
What to Use Carrot Ginger Dressing With
- massaged kale salad
- as a marinade
- dragon bowls
- noodles (swap out the sauce)
More Salad Dressings You’ll Love
Carrot Ginger Dressing
Ingredients
- 1 large carrot, peeled and cut into coins heaping ½ cup (roughly)
- 1½ inches fresh ginger, peeled
- ½ cup extra virgin olive oil or avocado oil
- ¼ cup rice vinegar or substitute
- 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
- 1 tablespoon coconut aminos or substitute
- 1 tablespoon raw honey or sub
- ½ teaspoon toasted sesame oil
- ¼ teaspoon salt, to taste
Instructions
- Peel the ginger and add it to the base of a blender.
- Peel the carrot, cut it into coins and add to the blender with the ginger.
- Add the rest of the ingredients and blend on high until completely smooth. Taste and add more salt or sweetness as needed.
Notes
- Best tools to use. You can also make this sauce in a food processor (though it may not be as smooth as it is in a blender). To make it easier to blend, grate the ginger or cut it into slices first before adding it to the base.
- Ginger peeling trick. Easily remove the skin using a spoon. Turn it over so it’s facing the ginger, and scrape off the skin with the edge of the spoon. This allows you to remove the skin without losing hardly any of the flesh.
- How can you make this carrot ginger dressing using what you already have? Here are some ideas…
- No rice vinegar? ➝ other vinegars to use: raw apple cider, white wine, or champage vinegar
- Make it vegan ➝ sub organic cane sugar or maple syrup
- No coconut aminos? ➝ use tamari instead to keep it gluten-free (will no longer be soy-free) or soy sauce
- No toasted sesame oil? ➝ just omit (which will slightly alter the flavor, but still be delicious)
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