Sesame Dressing (Japanese-style Japanese Sesame Dressing)

This creamy Japanese-style sesame dressing is loaded with flavor. Made with toasted and ground sesame seeds, mayonnaise, soy sauce, sugar, vinegar and sesame oil. It is perfect with salads, noodles and meat.

This recipe for Japanese-style sesame dressing beats the bottled sauce. It is easy to make with familiar kitchen staples which is good news. Ready in 5 minutes to use as a dressing sauce for salads, noodles and dipping sauce for meat.

Are you looking for a dressing that works well with salad greens, noodles and vegetables?

Here comes roasted sesame dressing. 

I am not a big fan of salad greens that has lettuce in it.

Vegetables like rocket, spinach, cabbage and carrots do wonder. And I add this creamy sesame dressing to help me eat them.

Do you avoid the salad bar like I used to?

Well, growing up in a Filipino household the salads that I used to eat were blanched vegetables with soy sauce and vinegar dip or radish salad or grilled eggplant salad.

Salads are not my thing. It is just not in my DNA. I have learned to try them now though after years of living in England. 

I guess one of the reasons is that I experiment with more dressings now.

Japanese-style homemade sesame dressing

No, I haven’t been to Japan to try this dressing where it originated.

I have been to Japanese restaurants like Hanaya in Bangkok which is my basis for this recipe.

Put a plateful of vegetables and egg in front of me with Japanese-style sesame dressing and we are good. I do not need anything else to order.

I make this salad dressing because I find it more time-consuming to buy a bottle than make it from scratch.

Sometimes, I call this a Kewpie salad dressing copycat because it tastes like the bottled one.

Hope you give it a try. And if you do please leave a comment or tell us how it went down.

Ingredients to make sesame dressing

Toasted and ground white sesame seeds – Freshly toasted and ground sesame seeds is the best choice. Do not fret if you are pressed on time store-bought ground sesame seeds will work.

Mayonnaise – I used the brand Kewpie to make the dressing as close to the Japanese dressing as possible. Provides rich, creamy texture and flavor.

Light soy sauce – The Japanese brand Kikkoman was used to make this dressing. This is added for savory and saltiness.

Rice vinegar – Added for tanginess

Sugar – any type of sugar was tried for this recipe, go for granulated white, brown, muscovado and taste as you go along

Sesame oil – it is added to give that burst of sesame nutty aroma

How to make sesame dressing

For maximum flavor toast your own sesame seeds and ground them.

Pre-prepared sesame seeds will work just bear in mind that the flavor will not be as intense as when the seeds are freshly made.

Follow these steps if you are going to make it all from scratch.

Place the sesame seeds in a dry pan. Toast them on medium heat until deep golden brown. Stir constantly as they will stick and burn.

Next, grind the toasted sesame seeds using a mortar and pestle until smooth.

If making with pre-toasted and ground sesame seeds, combine all ingredients in a jar. Use a whisk to mix them all together. Make sure to taste and adjust the seasoning to your taste.

Altenatively, place all the ingredients in a food processor to mix.

Try it with a salad leaf to be able to test the right flavors.

Recipe notes and suggestions

1. Add more mayonnaise to make it thicker.
2. Add more vinegar if you want the dressing to be tangier.
3. Sesame dressing is easy to make but make sure to taste test.

More homemade dressing recipes

Here are a few dressings to try:

Homemade vinaigrette

Nuoc Cham

Cold sesame noodle dressing

Watch this short cooking video showing how to put together this dressing.

If you make this, please leave a comment and a review to let us know how you liked this recipe.

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Let’s get cooking!

Sesame Dressing (Japanese-style Sesame Dressing)

This creamy Japanese-style sesame dressing is loaded with flavor. It is perfect with salads, noodles and meat. 

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 5 minutes mins

Total Time 5 minutes mins

Course condiment, condiments, sauces

Cuisine Japanese

Servings 3

Ingredients

  

• 3 tbsp white sesame seeds toasted and ground
• 3 tbsp Japanese Kewpie mayonnaise
• 3 tbsp rice vinegar unseasoned
• 2 tbsp light soy sauce
• 1 1/2 tsp sugar
• 1/2 tsp toasted sesame oil

Instructions

 

• Combine all ingredients in a jar. Use a whisk to mix them all together. Make sure to taste and adjust the seasoning to your taste.

Video

Notes

Please see recipe instructions if you want to make this dressing from scratch.

Add more mayonnaise to make it thicker.

Add more vinegar if you want the dressing to be tangier.

Sesame dressing is easy to make but make sure to taste test.

Keyword Japanese sesame dressing, sesame dressing