Miso Sesame Dressing (Easy Asian Vinaigrette)
on Jul 09, 2024, Updated May 13, 2026
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This miso sesame dressing is a quick, umami-rich Asian-inspired vinaigrette made with simple pantry ingredients. It’s salty, slightly sweet, nutty, and works across salads, grain bowls, noodles, and roasted vegetables.
Miso gives it depth and savouriness, while sesame adds warmth and a slightly toasted flavour. It comes together in a few minutes and keeps well in the fridge, making it a staple for easy meals during the week.
Use it as a salad dressing, dipping sauce, drizzle it over rice or quinoa bowls, or toss it through noodles with vegetables and protein for a quick, balanced meal.
Why You’ll Love Miso Sesame Dressing
Here’s why we love this recipe:
- Vegan and can easily be gluten-free (use tamari, not soy sauce).
- 5-Minute recipe.
- Most of the ingredients are likely already in your pantry!
- The miso adds a savory depth, while the other ingredients create a balance of sweet, tangy, and salty.
- Use it on a variety of proteins, roasted vegetables and salads.
- Made with simple ingredients and minimal sugar.
- Whether you prefer it sweeter, tangier or spicier, the dressing can be easily adjusted to suit your taste.
- Good for Meal Prep: Make a batch and store it in the fridge for up to a week.
Miso is a wonderful ingredient to add depth of flavour to sauces and dressings. You can also try it in this Miso Tahini Dressing.
Ingredient Notes
This list is not complete. Please see the recipe card at the end of the post for the complete ingredient list with measurements and detailed instructions.
- Miso Paste: Look for white miso paste for the mildest flavor. You can also substitute with yellow miso, but the flavor will be slightly stronger.
- Rice Vinegar: I used unseasoned rice vinegar but if you only have seasoned rice vinegar that works.
- Soy Sauce or Tamari: Use a low-sodium soy sauce or tamari to control the saltiness. Tamari is a gluten-free alternative to soy sauce.
- Sesame Oil: Sesame oil adds a nutty aroma. Look for toasted sesame oil for a more intense flavor.
- Sweetener: Maple syrup adds a touch of sweetness that complements the miso. Honey can be used for a non-vegan option, but it will have a slightly different flavor profile.
- Fresh Ginger: Freshly grated ginger adds a lovely zing but you cou can omit it if you don’t have any on hand.
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil: Adds a richness and helps emulsify the dressing. I would recommend keeping it in the recipe.
- Lemon: You can substitute lime juice here.
Variations
Here are a few ways to customize this recipe:
- Creamy Miso Sesame Dressing: Add 1-2 tbsp tahini to the dressing.
- Spicy Dressing: Add up to 1 tbsp sriracha or chili garlic paste.
How to Make Miso Sesame Dressing
Step 1: Add the miso paste, rice vinegar, soy sauce or tamari, sesame oil, maple syrup and water to a bowl or container and whisk or seal and shake until smooth and no clumps of miso remain.
Step 2: Add the garlic and ginger and stir, then add the lemon and oil and whisk until dressing is fully emulsified. Season with salt and pepper.
Step 3: If using, sprinkle with sesame seeds before serving.
FAQs
Stored in an airtight container in the fridge, this dressing will keep for up to 1 week. Stir or shake well before serving.
Yes, you can use yellow or red miso but the flavour will be stronger than white miso paste.
This dressing works well with any salad, especially ingredients like mixed greens, carrots, cucumber and avocado. You can use it in grain bowls with rice, quinoa and farro. It works well tossed with roasted vegetables like sweet potatoes, asparagus, Brussels sprouts and broccoli.
It can be used as a marinade for tofu or tempeh, a dipping sauce for spring rolls or dumplings and in noodle salads like soba noodle salad or rice noodle salad.
This dressing contains about 123 calories per 2 tbsp serving.
How to Use this Dressing
Try miso sesame dressing drizzled over cooked mushrooms, cucumbers, grated carrots, iceberg lettuce, rice or quinoa or mixed salad greens to add a pop of flavour or use it as a marinade for tofu or tempeh before cooking.
This dressing would also work well as an alternative dressing to these recipes:
If you make this recipe, please consider leaving a comment and a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating in the comment section below. It helps others who are thinking of making the recipe, and I love to hear from you. Thanks for trying my recipes! – Deryn
Miso Sesame Dressing
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp white miso paste
- 2 tbsp rice vinegar
- 1 tbsp low-sodium soy sauce or tamari
- 1 tbsp sesame oil
- 1 tbsp maple syrup
- 3 tbsp water
- 2 cloves garlic, grated or crushed
- 2 tsp fresh ginger, grated
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 2-3 tbsp sesame seeds, optional
Instructions
- Add the miso paste, rice vinegar, soy sauce, tamari, sesame oil, maple syrup and water to a bowl or sealable container. Whisk or seal and shake until smooth and no clumps of miso remain.
- Stir in the garlic and ginger.
- Add the lemon juice and olive oil and whisk until fully emulsified. If you need to adjust the thickness, you can mix in additional 1-2 tbsp of water.
- Taste and season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle with sesame seeds, if using.
Delicious ! Used this dressing for a spinach, rice and cranberry salad. Easy to follow and came out great.
Thank you so much, Mary!
Miso is one of my favourite ingredients and is perfect in this dressing. Love this dressing with bowls, soba noodles, rice, roasted veggies, it’s super yummy with all the sweet and umami goodness. I hope you enjoy it too! If you try it be sure to leave me a comment and star rating and let me know how you liked it.