This sesame ginger miso dressing is delicious on salads, grain bowls, and more. It’s quick and easy to prepare, and packed with nutritious ingredients like white miso, tahini, and fresh ginger.

Try it with my chopped kale and salmon salad!

As a Registered Dietitian, I love to make vegetables taste amazing. One of the best ways to make vegetables more appealing is to add a delicious and healthy homemade dressing or sauce. 

This miso salad dressing is a new favorite of mine because it is incredibly versatile. You can add it to salads, grain bowls, roasted vegetables, and use it as a marinade. It’s delicious AND nutritious, because it’s filled with healthy ingredients.

This dressing recipe is vegan, nut free, and dairy free. 

More healthy homemade salad dressings to try: champagne vinaigrette, white balsamic vinaigrette, Greek yogurt salad dressing, and Greek yogurt feta dill dressing.

Ingredients in sesame ginger miso dressing 

Here is everything you need to make this miso dressing:

• White miso paste
• Reduced sodium soy sauce
• Rice vinegar
• Toasted sesame oil
• Maple syrup
• Fresh ginger
• Tahini

Ingredient and dietary restriction substitution suggestions

• Make it gluten free. Use gluten free tamari in place of soy sauce. Most miso pastes are naturally gluten free, but double check when purchasing.
• Make it spicy. If you like spicy food, you can add a few teaspoons to taste of sriracha hot sauce. 
• Swap honey for maple syrup for similar results. Note that the recipe will no longer be vegan if you use honey.
• Use dried ginger in place of fresh ginger in a pinch. Start with ½ teaspoon and add more to taste. 

Different types of miso

Miso is a fermented soybean paste used frequently in Japanese cuisine. There are three main types of miso you’ll find in your grocery store: white miso, yellow miso, and red miso. They have different flavor profiles which are based on fermentation time. 

• White miso has a shorter fermentation time. It has a light, sometimes sweet, flavor that is more delicate than other miso types. This type of miso is versatile and can be used in a variety of recipes, including this miso salad dressing. 
• Yellow miso is similar to white miso, but has been fermented for slightly longer. It still has a pretty mild flavor. If you can’t find white miso in the store, you can use yellow miso in salad dressing recipes.
• Red miso has been fermented the longest and has the strongest flavor. It’s saltier than white or yellow miso, so it can overwhelm other flavors if used in excess. 

How to make sesame ginger miso dressing

This recipe is very easy to make, and will only take you about five minutes total!

• Add all the liquid ingredients (soy sauce, rice vinegar, sesame oil, maple syrup, tahini) and the miso to a small mixing bowl.
• Grate the ginger into the bowl with a microplane zester, or finely chop it. Whisk everything up until no lumps of miso remain.
• Add one to two tablespoons of water to thin out the dressing to your desired consistency. This recipe makes a little less than 1 cup of dressing. 

Storing homemade salad dressing

Because homemade salad dressings don’t contain any preservatives, they won’t stay fresh for months like store bought ones. You can keep this sesame ginger miso dressing in a jar in your fridge for up to a week and a half. 

Miso nutrition benefits

Miso is a healthy fermented food to include in your diet. One ounce of miso provides:

• 3 grams of plant-based protein
• 8.2 mcg Vitamin K (10 percent of your daily needs)
• 0.2 mg manganese (12 percent of you daily needs)

Because miso is a fermented food, it contains probiotics. These bacteria are beneficial and help maintain a healthy gut microbiome. Gut health is very important for overall health and can affect various body processes including digestion and immunity.

Other fermented foods with probiotics to enjoy include yogurt, kefir, kombucha, tempeh, sauerkraut, and kimchi. 

Let me know if you love this recipe by leaving a comment or star rating below, and check out Instagram and Pinterest for more healthy lifestyle inspiration. Thanks for stopping by!

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