Easy 5-Minute Carrot Miso Ginger Dressing

Say goodbye to the days of undressed salads for the sake of health. It’s 2023, and salads are meant to have dressing… especially when they’re this good. My Easy 5-Minute Carrot Miso Ginger Dressing is sweet, tangy, and delicious, and is perfect for serving on top of your favorite salads or eating with sliced veggies. Plus, it’s gluten-free, vegan-friendly, and loaded with veggies, making it the easiest (and most delicious) way to get more veggies in!

Friends, who remember the days of going to Benihana as a kid? I certainly do. Growing up, my family didn’t have much, but on special occasions my dad always made a point to take us to Benihana. The famous hibachi-style restaurant always amazed me as a kid. I loved watching the chefs flip different ingredients and cook right in front of my eyes. It was one of the first times I remember falling in-love with cooking!

And one of my favorite parts of the Benihana experience? Call me crazy, but it was the salad. There’s something about the crisp iceberg lettuce topped with with this creamy dressing that is absolutely to die for. I went crazy for it as a kid, and I knew I needed to recreate it.

Which is why, when I was developing and testing recipes for my cookbook, LOVE TO EAT, I knew that I needed to create my own version of this dressing, but made with better-for-you ingredients. In this recipe, we’re using healthier oils and packing it full of veggies to make it the ultimate salad dressing.

Whether you serve this over a salad (I highly recommend eating it with my Cucumber Sweet Pepper salad) or eat it as a dip with veggies, you truly cannot go wrong with this delicious and nostalgic dressing.

What You Need to Make This Crave-Worthy Salad Dressing

• White Miso: Of course, to make a miso dressing you’ll need white miso! If you are gluten-free, be sure that you are using gluten-free miso. This one is my favorite!
• Avocado Oil: A touch of avocado oil provides a dose of healthy fats and helps this dressing come together! You can also use olive oil, if you prefer.
• Grated Carrots: Of course, this wouldn’t be a Carrot Miso Ginger Dressing without the carrots! You’ll need grated carrots for this recipe, and a lot of them.
• Rice Vinegar: Rice vinegar adds the perfect amount of acidity to bring this dressing together.
• Toasted Sesame Oil: Toasted sesame oil really helps to give this dressing its signature toasty, savory flavor. Don’t skip this!
• Maple Syrup or Honey: To add just a touch of sweetness, you can use either maple syrup or honey. Both of them work just as well here, and tastes absolutely delicious in this recipe.
• Water: A little water helps to thin out the dressing, so that it reaches the perfect consistency.
• Sea Salt & Black Pepper: A touch of sea salt and black pepper adds the perfect flavor to this recipe!
• Sesame Seeds: These are optional, but highly recommended! I love the toasty, nuttiness that sesame seeds add to this dressing. It truly helps to take it to the next level!

How to Make This Tangy, Creamy, Delicious Dressing

To make this dressing start by adding all of your ingredients to a high-speed blender (minus the sesame seeds) and blend until your desired consistency is reached. I like mine really smooth, but if you like some more texture, you can blend it for a shorter amount of time. Taste and adjust the salt and pepper as needed. Then, if you’re using sesame seeds, stir them in by-hand.

Once done, transfer your dressing to a jar and store in the fridge for up to one week. Put it on your favorite salads, eat it with veggies, or even eat it by the spoon – enjoy!

If you make this recipe, please be sure to leave a review and rating below! To see more recipes and behind the scenes, follow along on Instagram, TikTok, and Youtube! I’m also now on Pinterest, so stop by and take a look at what’s new.

** Photography by Tanya Pilgrim