This ginger salad dressing tastes just like what you get at the hibachi restaurant, like Benihana! Quick and easy to make in the blender, my whole family loves this delicious Asian salad dressing alongside our favorite Japanese recipes… even the kids!
What Makes Ginger Salad Dressing So Good
- You might recognize ginger salad dressing from Japanese steakhouses, hibachi restaurants, or sushi restaurants. I always look forward to it – the rich color, the bold flavors, the creamy texture. Imagine how happy I was when I realized I could make it at home and have it whenever I wanted! (Bonus, it’s also cheaper than buying the dressing from Benihana directly whenever the craving strikes.)
- This recipe is so easy, there’s only one step. Blend! Everything goes straight into the blender, and you just blend it until you’ve got a smooth, liquidy, creamy ginger salad dressing. Perfect for drizzling over a variety of salads.
- If you’re a meal prepper, throw the ingredients for this dressing in your cart. As long as you store ginger salad dressing in an airtight container in the fridge, it’ll keep for a week, minimum.
Key Ingredients for Ginger Salad Dressing
Rice Vinegar – Use a rice vinegar that’s unsweetened and unseasoned. You don’t want it to throw off the other ingredients! No rice vinegar handy? You can try apple cider vinegar instead.
Ginger – Ginger has a strong, spicy flavor, and it’s delicious. If you’re new to ginger or if 2 tablespoons is just too much for you, dial it back at first. Taste the dressing and gradually blend in more ginger until you reach your perfect level.
Soy Sauce – Low-sodium soy sauce works really well here. If you don’t use a low-sodium version, you might add a fraction of the soy sauce at first, then taste and add more if needed. If you need a gluten free dressing, use a gluten-free soy sauce or substitute with coconut aminos or tamari.
Ketchup – Benihana’s ginger salad dressing uses tomato paste, so you could use that instead of ketchup if you’d rather. You only need a small amount, though, so ketchup gets the job done without leaving you with a lot of leftover tomato paste.
Maple Syrup – The sweetness of the maple syrup offsets the tangy, salty flavors of the vinegar and soy sauce. If you’re not a fan of maple syrup, you can also use honey or another liquid sweetener. Watching your added sugar? Try Lakanto’s maple syrup substitute. It’s sweetened with monk fruit and it’s so good!
Chef’s Tips
- Since the ginger salad dressing needs to be refrigerated, odds are good the oil will solidify. No worries! Just set it out at room temperature prior to eating, so it has time to liquify. You can also portion out a small amount and warm it for a 15 seconds or so in the microwave. Just enough that it’s liquid again.
- Chill the dressing prior to serving. This gives all the flavors time to mingle and amplify, so you’ve got a really bright, tangy dressing when it’s time to eat your salad.
- You can absolutely adjust the ingredients in this recipe to suit your preferences! To make this even more like Benihana’s ginger salad dressing, use peanut oil for your neutral oil and add a little chopped celery.
- If you’d like an even thinner consistency, blend in a small amount of water until the dressing is as thin as you like it. For a thicker dressing, blend in more onion.
More Dressings and Condiments You’ll Love
- Tangy Buttermilk Blue Cheese Dressing
- Avocado Dressing
- 5-Ingredient Spicy Mayo
- Japanese Salad Dressing
- Whole30 Ranch Dressing (“Dump Ranch,” Paleo, Dairy-Free)
- Whole30 Coconut Oil Mayonnaise
- Creamy Sriracha Mayo (Only 2 Ingredients!)
- Homemade Taco Sauce
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Ginger Salad Dressing
Equipment
- blender
Ingredients
- ½ cup chopped onion
- ⅓ cup rice vinegar
- ½ cup neutral oil
- 2 tablespoons ginger minced
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons ketchup
- 2 teaspoons lemon juice
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup or 2 teaspoons sugar
Instructions
- Add all ingredients to blender. Cover with lid and blend on high speed until completely smooth. Serve immediately or chill until ready to serve.
Notes
- Make it Gluten Free: Use gluten free soy sauce or coconut aminos.
- Make it Added Sugar Free: Use a store-bought ketchup with no added sugar, or make your own keto ketchup. Replace the maple syrup with sugar free maple syrup (like Lakanto) or use 2 teaspoons granular Swerve.
Nutrition
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Cheryl Malik is the recipe developer, writer, and photographer behind the healthy, flavorful, family friendly recipes at 40 Aprons. She’s been a blogger for 10+ years and is known for her delicious recipes and detailed recipe instructions. Cheryl is a mom of three who lives in Memphis, TN.
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