This sesame ginger dressing is an easy way to jazz up any salad or bowl! It's nutty, savory, and a little sweet, with a delicious smooth and creamy texture.
If you’re looking for an easy way to liven up your weekly meal prep or lunch routine, this sesame ginger dressing is exactly what you need! It’s nutty, savory, and a little sweet, with a refreshing kick from the ginger. Versatile and delicious, it’s the sort of sauce I love to keep on hand in the fridge. It lasts for days, and it will transform the simplest green salad into an irresistible meal.
Sesame Ginger Dressing Recipe Ingredients
Another thing I love about this sesame ginger dressing? You can make it with 7 basic ingredients:
- Tahini – Made from ground sesame seeds, tahini gives the dressing a lightly creamy texture and nutty flavor. Be sure to use really smooth, runny tahini for this recipe, and to avoid the dry, stiff stuff you might find at the bottom of a jar. You don’t want your dressing to be chunky!
- Toasted sesame oil – It makes this sesame dressing rich, bold, and nutty.
- Rice vinegar – For tang.
- Tamari or soy sauce – It gives the dressing a deep savory flavor. Make sure to use tamari if you need the dressing to be gluten-free!
- Fresh ginger – For kick! I love the ginger’s refreshing flavor in this recipe.
- Maple syrup or honey – To balance the salty tamari and punchy vinegar.
- And a little water – Add a tablespoon at a time, as needed, to reach your desired consistency.
Find the complete recipe with measurements below.
In a small bowl, combine the dressing ingredients, and whisk until smooth. It’ll take some stirring for the tahini to fully incorporate with the oil, vinegar, and tamari, but just keep going! You’ll have a creamy, nutty sesame ginger dressing in no time.
If your dressing is too thick, add a little water to thin it to your desired consistency. Enjoy!
How to Use Sesame Ginger Dressing
This sesame ginger dressing is a super easy way to amp up the flavor in any salad or bowl! Try tossing it with my Sweet Potato Salad, Kale Salad, Asian Slaw, or Citrus Cabbage Salad. It would also be fantastic on any of these bowl recipes:
- Sesame Soba Noodles
- Adzuki Bean Bowls
- Mango Ginger Rice Bowl
- Kimchi Brown Rice Bliss Bowl
- Sesame Noodle Bowl
Alternatively, make your own bowl! Start with a cooked grain. White rice, brown rice, black rice, and quinoa would all be excellent with this dressing. Then, add a protein like baked tofu, tempeh, or roasted chickpeas. Pile on veggies like fresh greens, radishes, or carrots, roasted broccoli, or butternut squash, and tie it all together with the sesame ginger dressing!
If you have any sauce leftover, use it on another salad or bowl, or drizzle it over simply cooked veggies. We love it on sautéed broccoli, roasted Brussels sprouts, roasted asparagus, sautéed kale, and roasted sweet potatoes.
More Favorite Dressings and Sauces
If you love this sesame ginger dressing recipe, try one of these delicious dressings or sauces next:
- Gochujang Sauce
- Peanut Sauce
- Tahini Dressing
- Cilantro Lime Dressing
- Green Goddess Dressing
- Greek Salad Dressing
- Homemade Italian Dressing
- Lemon Vinaigrette
Sesame Ginger Dressing
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons smooth tahini*
- 2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
- 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
- 1 tablespoon tamari
- 1 heaping teaspoon grated ginger
- 1 teaspoon maple syrup or honey
- 1 to 3 tablespoons water, more if needed
Instructions
- In a small bowl, whisk together the tahini, sesame oil, vinegar, tamari, ginger, maple syrup, and 1 tablespoon water until smooth.
- If the dressing is too thick, add an additional 1 to 2 tablespoons water until it’s a drizzleable consistency.
Love this recipe! It had more of a peanut taste than sesame ginger, but I still loved it! I may need to adjust the Tahini.
I just made this along with the squash, and it was fantastic. Great recipe(s)!!
We’re so glad you enjoyed them!
Quick, easy and delicious! Tastes just like my favourite restaurant’s dressing. Thank you…
I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
Hi Jeanine,
I’d like to try this….sounds great! Would it be possible for you to post the nutrition info per tablespoon: fat, carbs and protein mainly?
Thanks very much!
Cary
Hi Cary, I’m sorry, we don’t calculate nutrition info but you can plug the ingredients into a site like my fitness pal.
Delish and simple. Made it for a salad I topped with grilled jumbo shrimp. Perfect!
I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
Very interesting dressing to go over baked winter squash. Simple to make and flavor that balances the sweet squash perfectly. I made it a day ahead to let the ginger flavor blend well. Much improved after a sit. I see much more of this dressing in my future. Thanks
I’m so glad you enjoyed it.
I just made this and it is way too thick. I guess after stirring the tahini it got to thick. Organics brand at Vons… I’ll try adding more water…
Hi Julie, brands can vary, just stir in some water until you reach your desired consistency.
I found a trick for tahini. When I open a fresh container I put it in food processor and process until it is smooth. . Pour into the container and store in fridge. Keeps it smooth for a very long time.
I made this, and really like it.
I feel bad for anyone/everyone that has the ‘hard dried bits at the bottom’ of their jars of tahini😞. I have never experienced that malady, I can only imagine that it’s awful.
I made it again with some variations:
-Organic apple cider vinegar instead of rice vinegar.
-Bragg’s Liquid Aminos instead of tamari
-1 Tablespoon of fresh grated ginger instead of 1 teaspoon.
And
-1 heaping teaspoon of zest of lemon.
ha, well it sounds like you get really good tahini! :). I’m glad you enjoyed the dressing.
This was really good! I wanted to try a new sesame sauce for noodles and this recipe worked perfectly. I just used 1 tablespoon of water and added a little more maple syrup because it was a tad too bitter/sour for me… which I know can vary depending on brands of ingredients used. I tossed about half of the sauce with soba noodles along with steamed broccoli, edamame, grated raw carrot, diced red bell pepper, fresh mixed greens, chopped chives, seasoned sesame seeds and red pepper flakes. It was great! I might use the rest of the sauce as a salad dressing with similar ingredients, swapping in avocado for the noodles. Thanks for the tasty recipe!
Any way to make it without the oil? Thanks
You can add water in it’s place.
Could you make a bigger batch and freeze some of it?
Hi Alexis, I haven’t tried freezing it, I think it would be fine.
Hello! My I ask,,,Where is your clear cup from? Thanks for the recipe!!
It’s a tulip Weck jar – you can find them on amazon (and other places).
I’ve been making this style of dressing for years and it’s always a hit! I also love putting in fresh lime juice and carrots then putting it in the food processor… it makes a nice think sauce or dressing without adding more fat.
LOVE you LOVE and Lemons!!!
Xo Day
Could you use peanut butter or almond butter instead of tahini?
Yep, I think that would be great! Depending on your nut butter’s consistency you may have to stir in extra water.
Absolutely! I’ve used cashew butter before and it was delicious. Almond butter might be a bit gritty but still super tasty.
Thanks ladies! I’ve tried, but just don’t care for Tahini. Will try the cashew butter.