Easy Sesame Ginger Dressing is a flavorful, sweet and savory addition to salads or for marinades. It’s made from healthy, simple ingredients and can be prepared in just minutes. Try this delicious keto and low-FODMAP salad dressing on Asian noodle salad, roasted vegetables, stir frys and more!
What’s your favorite way to dress a salad? With Creamy Blue Cheese Dressing? Or with Cilantro and Lime? Get ready for your next salad adventure by switching things up a bit with an Asian sesame dressing with zesty ginger and toasted sesame oil. No more boring salads! For other festive ways to dress up salads, check out my Sauces and Dressings category page.
Homemade salad dressing is so much better than bottled. You have the luxury of altering the recipe any way you please, by adding more spice, less vinegar or creating a multitude of other variations.
This sesame ginger dressing is so versatile and can be used in a variety of ways. Top a salad with this dressing and add some Asian Tuna Salad (without mayo). It’s a wonder for easy meal prep and will liven up your weekly menu, guaranteed!
Why you’ll love this recipe
- This healthy salad dressing can be made in a matter of minutes
- It’s keto-friendly, low-carb, gluten-free, paleo and Whole30 (when using coconut aminos in place of tamari or soy sauce). And good news, it's also a low-FODMAP salad dressing.
- You can customize to fit your taste: if you like a spicier dressing, add more ginger and chili. Or, if you want more bite from vinegar, add a touch more. You’re in total control!
- Make this a creamy tahini dressing by adding a tablespoon of tahini. So good!
- It’s simply, so, so good! Savory and satisfying with fresh, bright flavors!
Ingredients
Homemade dressings come together so easily with a handful of ingredients you may just have on hand!
- Toasted sesame oil – Nutty, rich, with a distinctive, bold flavor
- Tamari, soy sauce or coconut aminos – For a gluten-free dressing, use tamari. Never heard of it? It’s gluten-free soy sauce, with all of the traditional flavor of regular soy sauce. It adds a nice, rich, savory, salty flavor.
- Salad oil – you have options here. For a low-FODMAP dressing, I recommend garlic infused olive oil. Avocado oil or extra-virgin olive oil are also perfect choices. Avocado oil has the most neutral flavor and I use it most often.
- Vinegar – use rice wine vinegar, apple cider vinegar, white wine vinegar or champagne vinegar. Rice wine vinegar is my favorite to use.
- Fresh squeezed lime juice – this really adds a light, bright flavor
- Fresh ginger – finely chopped or grated is best. If you don’t have fresh ginger, you can use powdered ginger or another favorite of mine, ginger juice. I like to use a zester to get the ginger root finely grated.
- Sweetener of choice – I like to use stevia, but you can use any alternative sweetener. Not following a keto diet? Regular sugar or honey works brilliantly.
- Chili paste – My favorite is Sambal Oelek chili paste, but sriracha sauce is also a perfect addition
- Optional tahini (which I used for these photos) – Adding tahini creates the creamy sesame dressing of your dreams. If you prefer a sesame ginger vinaigrette, then leave this out.
Instructions
Add all ingredients to a medium bowl.
Whisk together until thoroughly combined.
There are a few alternate and super easy ways to assemble your dressing:
- Combine ingredients in a mason jar or salad dressing shaker and shake well
- Blend all of the ingredients in a blender (I like to use my Nutribullet here) until smooth and emulsified. Or, use an immersion blender.
It doesn’t get easier than that!
How to store
Store in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to a week. I like to store all of my dressings in mason jars.
How to serve
- Use this sesame ginger dressing on any tossed salad
- Dress an Asian cold noodle salad, spiralized cucumber or zucchini noodles
- Make Asian coleslaw – simply shred cabbage and top with this amazing dressing
- Top roasted vegetables or meats
- Add to any rice, noodle or Buddha bowl
Variations
- Make a thicker dip or sauce by adding extra tahini. If it gets too thick, add a tablespoon or two of water
- Instead of adding tahini, add peanut butter for a spicy peanut sauce
- Use as a marinade for chicken, fish or pork
- This makes a wonderful stir fry sauce! Add it to your stir fry during the last minute of cooking.
- Add some orange peel for an orange sesame dressing. Use either fresh or powdered orange peel. I absolutely ADORE this variation. ¼ teaspoon will do the trick.
- Add garlic – If you aren’t following a low-FODMAP diet, add one finely diced garlic clove or ¼ teaspoon of garlic powder
FAQ
Yes! Most oils are considered low-FODMAP because they are fats, rather than fermentable carbohydrates. Sesame oil is FODMAP-friendly.
Tahini is believed to have anti-cancer and anti-inflammatory properties. It is highly nutritious, antioxidant-rich and contains compounds that protect the liver and kidneys from damage.
Yes - tahini (ground sesame paste) is a FODMAP-friendly condiment in servings up to two tablespoons.
Coconut aminos is a dark colored sauce that has a flavor that is very similar to soy sauce, but is made from the sap of the coconut palm (not the actual coconuts). It's gluten-free and soy-free and tastes a little milder than soy sauce.
Both soy sauce and tamari are low-FODMAP in servings of up to two tablespoons, making either a delicious low-FODMAP condiment.
Other recipes you might like
- Asian Tuna Salad without Mayo
- Asian Cabbage Rolls
- Keto Lo Mein with Low Carb Noodles
- Indian Spiced Salmon
- Bamboo Leaf Tea
Looking for more healthy salad dressings? Stop by my Sauces, Dressings and Dips category!
Did you make this recipe? Post a photo to Instagram and tag @rad_foodie – I’d love to see your creations!
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📖 Recipe
Sesame Ginger Dressing
Ingredients
- ½ cup avocado oil (can use olive oil or garlic infused olive oil)
- 2 tablespoons tamari (or use soy sauce or coconut aminos)
- 2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar (apple cider, champagne or white wine vinegars can also be used)
- 2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
- 2 tablespoons lime juice (fresh)
- 2 tablespoons powdered stevia (or sweetener of choice)
- 1 tablespoon tahini (optional, but recommended for a creamier dressing)
- 1 tablespoon ginger root (fresh grated or powdered ginger)
- 1 teaspoon chili paste (I like Sambal Oelek or sriracha)
- 2 teaspoons sesame seeds
Instructions
- Combine all ingredients in a medium bowl and whisk together until thoroughly combined (see notes for additional methods).
Notes
Optional mixing instructions
- Combine ingredients in a mason jar or salad dressing shaker and shake well
- Blend all of the ingredients in a blender (I like to use my Nutribullet here) until smooth and emulsified. Or, use an immersion blender.
Grating ginger
I find that using a zester to grate the ginger root creates super finely grated ginger that distributes really well throughout the dressing.Variations
- Make a thicker dip or sauce by adding extra tahini. If it gets too thick, add a tablespoon or two of water
- Instead of adding tahini, add peanut butter for a spicy peanut sauce
- Use as a marinade for chicken, fish or pork
- This makes a wonderful stir fry sauce! Add it to your stir fry during the last minute of cooking.
- Add some orange peel for an orange sesame dressing. Use either fresh or powdered orange peel. I absolutely ADORE this variation. ¼ teaspoon will do the trick.
- Add garlic – If you aren’t following a low-FODMAP diet, add one finely diced garlic clove or ¼ teaspoon of garlic powder
How to store
Store in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to a week. I like to store all of my dressings in mason jars.Nutrition
*Net carbs = carbohydrates - fiber
Nutritional information is an estimate, calculated using online tools and does not include optional ingredients unless otherwise indicated.
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