Carrot Ginger Miso Dressing
This vibrant carrot ginger miso dressing will jazz up any salad with its bright yellow-orange hue and zingy, fresh flavor. This homemade dressing recipe is gluten-free and naturally sweetened with a soy-free miso option.
Carrot ginger dressing is often served over salad at Japanese restaurants in the U.S. However, it’s unclear where it originated because this dressing isn’t served in authentic Japanese cuisine. The addition of mellow white miso adds a subtle umami flavor and adds more dimension to the dressing.
When dining out, this dressing typically has more texture because they grate the ingredients and stir them together. But, to make it a creamy dressing, I recommend using a high-speed blender for the smoothest texture.
Ingredients
- Fresh carrots – this is what gives the dressing a vibrant orange color.
- Fresh ginger – adds a zing and compliments the carrots well.
- Extra virgin olive oil or avocado oil – helps add creaminess.
- Rice vinegar/rice wine vinegar – tang. Just make sure it’s not seasoned rice vinegar as this already has sugar and salt added to it.
- Fresh lime juice – adds tanginess and brightness.
- Coconut aminos – flavor.
- White miso paste – salty, umami flavor.
- Raw honey – a little sweetness to balance out the salty and spicy flavors, while bringing out the natural sweetness in the carrots.
- Toasted sesame oil – nuttiness.
- Kosher salt – to taste.
How To Make Carrot Ginger Miso Dressing
Step 1. Add all the ingredients to a high-speed blender. Blend until completely smooth, taste, and add more salt or honey as needed.
Step 2. Store in an airtight container or jar in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
Make It Your Way: Ingredient Substitutions
Please remember that recipes are just a starting point.
How can you make this carrot ginger miso salad dressing using what you already have? Here are some ideas…
- No rice vinegar? – use white wine vinegar or champagne vinegar (or apple cider vinegar as a last resort).
- No coconut aminos? – use reduced-sodium tamari or gluten-free soy sauce to keep it gluten-free, but you’ll want to increase the honey to 2 tablespoons since it’s not as sweet as coconut aminos.
- Make it vegan – you can also use organic cane sugar or maple syrup for the honey.
- Make it soy-free – use coconut aminos and chickpea miso or omit the miso altogether.
- No toasted sesame oil? – just omit (which will slightly alter the flavor, but still be delicious).
Helpful Recipe Tips
Depending on the strength of your blender, you may need to let the machine run for a couple of minutes to get it really smooth.
No blender? You can make it in a food processor, but it won’t be nearly as smooth as a blender. To make it easier to blend, grate the ginger and the carrots first before adding them to the base.
Easily remove the skin of ginger 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 To Use
There are many different ways to use this carrot miso ginger dressing.
You can use it for a side salad or simple green salad, massaged kale salad, or bok choy salad, as a dip for sushi burritos, raw vegetables, fresh spring rolls, poured over roasted root vegetables, dragon bowls, cold noodle salad, or shrimp poke bowl.
More Salad Dressing Recipes
Carrot Ginger Miso Dressing
Ingredients
- 1 large carrot, peeled and cut into coins roughly ½ cup
- 1 ½ inches fresh ginger peeled
- ½ cup extra virgin olive oil or avocado oil
- ¼ cup rice vinegar
- 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
- 1 tablespoon coconut aminos
- 1 tablespoon mellow white miso
- 1 tablespoon raw honey
- ½ teaspoon toasted sesame oil
- diamond crystal kosher salt to taste
Instructions
- Add all the ingredients to a high-speed blender. Blend until completely smooth, taste, and add more salt or honey as needed.
- Store in an airtight container or jar in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.