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    Home » All Recipes » Salad and Vegetables » Sesame Salad Dressing

    Sesame Salad Dressing

    Published: Jun 19, 2020 Updated: Aug 17, 2022 by Sophie 2 Comments

    2.4K shares
    Jump to Recipe

    Creamy and nutty sesame dressing that takes just a few minutes to make and goes great with green salad. It will brighten your salad and add a pleasant nutty aroma.

    a jar with sesame salad dressing

    This Asian sesame salad dressing is a favorite in our family, especially in summer. My mom and I used to go to a local Japanese restaurant every other week and always ordered their green salad with toasted sesame dressing. This recipe is my homemade version of it.

    The dressing is creamy since it is mayo-based, but it doesn’t feel heavy because the tanginess from rice vinegar brightens it up. It will make your bowl of green salad refreshing with a rich and nutty flavor and aroma from sesame seeds.

    Ingredients

    small bowls with ingredients for sesame dressing: mayonnaise, sesame seeds, honey, soy sauce, sesame oil and rice vinegar

    To make this tasty Japanese dressing, you will need the following ingredients:

    • toasted sesame seeds: I use unhulled sesame seeds and toast them myself. They provide much more flavor and texture than hulled white sesame seeds.
    • mayonnaise: I have made this dressing with both Western mayonnaise and Japanese mayonnaise (like Kewpie brand), and I personally prefer Western mayonnaise for this recipe. 
    • toasted sesame oil: the oil plays an important role in this recipe since it gives the dressing a distinctive nutty aroma. You can find it at Asian grocery stores or on Amazon (I use Kadoya brand).
    • rice vinegar
    • soy sauce: I use Kikkoman.
    • honey

    I once made a sesame dipping sauce with tahini for my lobster fresh spring rolls recipe, and it tasted great. So I think you can experiment and use tahini in place of sesame seeds.

    Preparation

    If you start with raw seeds like me, dry roast them in a skillet over medium heat for several minutes. Then use a pestle and mortar to crush and grind them. It’s okay if there are some intact seeds here and there.

    crushed sesame seeds

    The next step is just putting all ingredients in a mixing bowl and giving them a stir to combine. Very easy!

    How to Serve Sesame Dressing on Salad

    The green salad I often serve with this sesame mayo dressing consists of lettuce, cherry tomato, cucumber and boiled eggs. It’s fine if you don’t want to bother with boiling eggs. The salad will still taste great.

    You can prepare the dressing ahead and keep it refrigerated for a couple of days. Since it’s quick to make, I usually make a small batch and use it right away or the next day.

    a plate of green salad with sesame dressing being drizzled on top

    Related Recipes

    Other easy Asian vegetable recipes you may want to try:

    • Avocado Tuna Salad with Soy Sauce Dressing (Mayo-Free)
    • Iceberg Lettuce Salad with Ginger Dressing
    • Seasoned Water Spinach Side Dish (Asian-style)
    • Green Mango Salad with Seafood

    ⭐️ I’d love to hear what you think about the dish, so please feel free to leave a comment and a rating if you have tried it. New recipes are added every week so let’s connect on Facebook, Youtube, Pinterest and Instagram for the latest updates. You can find my collection of Vietnamese recipes here.

    a spoon of sesame dressing being drizzled over green salad

    Sesame Salad Dressing

    Creamy and nutty sesame dressing that takes just a few minutes to make and goes great with green salad. It will brighten your salad and give it a pleasant nutty aroma.
    5 from 2 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Appetizer, Salad
    Cuisine: Japanese
    Keyword: easy, Japanese sesame dressing, quick, sesame mayo dressing
    Prep Time: 5 minutes
    Cook Time: 5 minutes
    Total Time: 10 minutes
    Servings: 3 people
    Calories: 191kcal
    Author: Sophie

    Ingredients

    US Customary – Grams
    • 2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds
    • 1/4 cup mayonnaise
    • 1-2 teaspoons rice vinegar
    • 2 teaspoons soy sauce
    • 1 teaspoon honey
    • 2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil

    Instructions

    • Use a pestle and mortar to crush and grind the toasted sesame seeds. It is fine to have some intact seeds here and there.
    • Add sesame seeds, mayonnaise, rice vinegar, soy sauce and honey to a mixing bowl. Stir to combine. Drizzle in sesame oil and stir to combine.
      a bowl with sesame dressing that has just been mixed
    • Taste the dressing and adjust to your liking. Once you are happy with how it tastes, check the consistency. If it is too thick, you can add in just a bit of water (1/2 – 1 teaspoon) to adjust the consistency.

    Notes

    It is best to serve this dressing with a green salad consisting of: 3-4 cups of lettuce (around 120g), a medium cucumber, cherry tomatoes and 1-2 hard boiled eggs. The salad can serve 3-4 people.
    I use raw unhulled sesame seeds and toast them in a skillet over medium heat for a few minutes. They provide much more flavor and texture than hulled white sesame seeds.
    I personally prefer Western mayo over Japanese mayo (Kewpie) for this recipe. If you want to use Japanese mayo, you may need to use more rice vinegar.
    I think you can replace the sesame seeds with tahini. Just add it gradually and experiment with the taste.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 191kcal | Carbohydrates: 4g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 19g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 8mg | Sodium: 343mg | Potassium: 25mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 2g | Calcium: 52mg | Iron: 1mg
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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Huong Vu

      September 18, 2021 at 1:03 am

      5 stars
      This is my first time making this, and it is so good. I will make it again this Sunday for my family, and friends. Thank you so much.

      Reply
      • Sophie

        September 19, 2021 at 3:34 am

        Hi Huong,
        That is so great to hear! Thanks for letting me know. I hope your family and friends will also like it :).

        Reply

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    Hi, I'm Sophie! Delightful Plate is where I share authentic Vietnamese recipes that have been cooked in my family for years, as well as other Asian recipes and recipes inspired by ingredients and flavors from other cuisines. Read More…

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