Ditch the bottled dressing in favor of this fresh, flavor-packed homemade carrot-ginger dressing. Ready in just 10 minutes, it’s delicious on salads, grain bowls, grilled chicken and more.
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If you’ve ever found yourself scraping every last drop of that bright orange dressing from the bottom of a salad bowl at your favorite Japanese restaurant… same.
Sweet, tangy, packed with fresh ginger and just the right amount of onion, carrot-ginger dressing has always been one of my favorite restaurant dressings. After recreating it at home more times than I can count, I finally landed on the version I can’t stop making.
It’s incredibly easy, comes together in about 10 minutes in a blender or food processor and tastes just as good (if not better!) than the restaurant version.
- Carrot: The star of the show! One medium carrot gives the dressing its signature sweetness, vibrant color and body. No need to grate it first; just peel it, chop it into rough pieces and let the blender do the work.
- Ginger: For that bright, zippy flavor, fresh ginger is non-negotiable here. Skip the ground ginger for this one.
- White onion: Gives the dressing a savory bite. Yellow onion works in a pinch, but I prefer white onion for its milder flavor.
- Low-sodium soy sauce: Adds savory depth and umami. Just like in many of my homemade takeout-inspired recipes, I use low-sodium soy sauce so I can better control the saltiness.
- Sugar: Just enough to balance the acidity of the vinegar and the sharpness of the ginger and onion. I recommend starting with the amount listed, then tasting and adding more if you’d like a sweeter dressing.
- Sesame oil: Just a teaspoon adds rich, nutty flavor. Look for a dark amber sesame oil, which is often labeled toasted or roasted, and may also be labeled pure sesame oil. Trust me, it won’t go to waste! You’ll find yourself reaching for it in recipes like my shrimp fried rice and beef lo mein.
- Rice vinegar: Adds bright, tangy flavor. Don’t substitute distilled white vinegar here, which is much harsher. If needed, apple cider vinegar is the closest substitute.
- Oil: I prefer avocado oil because it has a clean, neutral flavor, but vegetable, grapeseed or canola oil all work well. I’d skip olive oil here, since its flavor can overpower the dressing.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
This carrot-ginger dressing is nearly impossible to mess up. Beyond a rough chop on the carrot and onion, the whole recipe comes together in a blender or food processor.
Add everything except the oil and pulse until mostly smooth. Then, with the motor running, slowly stream in the oil, just like you would when making a homemade lemon vinaigrette or basil pesto.
That’s it!
2 Tricks for the Best Texture
- Slowly stream in the oil while blending. Instead of pouring it in all at once, slowly stream the oil into the blender or food processor with the motor running. This creates a stable emulsion, giving the dressing a creamy, cohesive texture instead of one that quickly separates.
- Leave a little texture. I like leaving the dressing just slightly textured because it gives it more body, helping it coat salads, grain bowls and vegetables beautifully. If your dressing is thicker than you’d like, blend in 1 tablespoon of water at a time until it reaches your desired consistency.
Ways to Use It
I originally developed this dressing for the crunchy cabbage salad that tops my chicken katsu, but it didn’t stay exclusive to that recipe for long.
It’s just as delicious tossed with crisp greens as it is spooned over juicy stovetop chicken breasts, pan-seared salmon, rice bowls, roasted vegetables or crunchy cabbage slaw. It even doubles as a dip for raw veggies.
I almost always make a double batch because while it’ll keep for up to a week in the refrigerator, it never lasts that long at my house!
Ingredients
- 1 medium carrot, peeled and roughly chopped
- 1/4 medium white onion, peeled and roughly chopped
- 2 Tablespoons minced fresh ginger root
- 2 Tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
- 1 1/2 Tablespoons sugar
- 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
- 1/4 cup rice wine vinegar
- 1/4 cup neutral oil, such as avocado or vegetable oil
Instructions
- In the bowl of a food processor (or blender), combine the carrots, white onion, ginger, soy sauce, sugar, sesame oil and rice wine vinegar. Pulse until well combined.
- With the motor running, stream in the oil until it is emulsified. Taste and season with salt and sugar, as desired. Serve immediately or store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 week.
Kelly’s Notes
- Oil: I prefer avocado oil because of its neutral flavor, but vegetable or another neutral oil works just as well. Avoid olive oil, which can overpower the dressing.
- Texture: I like this dressing with just a little texture rather than blending it completely smooth. If you’d like a thinner consistency, blend in 1 to 2 tablespoons of water.
- Make it ahead: This dressing tastes even better after a few hours in the refrigerator, once the flavors have had time to meld.
- Storage: Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. The dressing may separate slightly as it sits; simply shake or whisk before serving.
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