This carrot and ginger dressing is based on the Japanese salad dressing from teppanyaki restaurants, like Benihana. So simple and healthy, you won’t believe how easy it is to make. Jump straight to the recipe.
Carrot and Ginger Gluten Free, Vegan, Japanese Salad Dressing
Somewhere between celebrating my birthday at Farrell’s Ice Cream Parlour and celebrating in a night club, there was a magical period where birthdays only meant one thing…. Japanese food at Benihana. From the ages of 11 to 17, my birthday dinner with family always meant going to the famous Japanese-influenced steakhouse. There, we watched chefs throw their sharp knives in the air, ate food that had been cooked right in front of us, and posed for cheesy polaroids with men in tall toques long before the era of the celebrity chef. At the end of the night, I often left with a container of my favorite thing: the carrot and ginger Japanese salad dressing.
I haven’t been to a Benihana or any other teppanyaki place for many years, but sometimes when we’re out to sushi, I’ll have a salad topped with that beautiful, bright orange, Japanese salad dressing.
After picking up a ton of carrots at the local farmers market, I decided I would match a batch (or three) of this carrot ginger dressing for myself. The results are too good not to share. The dressing is gluten free, vegan, and I’ve included paleo options too. Try this dressing on a fresh green salad or drizzled on top of cooked fish, veggies or meat.
Rating
Prep time:
Total time:
- ½ lb
carrots, tops removed and peeled - ¼ of a small red onion
- 2 tablespoons freshly gated ginger
- 1 clove garlic (optional)
- ¼ cup rice vinegar (coconut vinegar for paleo)
- 2 tablespoons tamari/gluten free soy sauce (use coconut
aminos for paleo) - 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
- ½ cup neutral flavored oil like avocado or expeller pressed grape seed
- salt and pepper to taste.
- Add carrots, onion, ginger, garlic, vinegar, soy sauce, and oils to a blender or food processor and blend until mostly smooth. Small bits of carrot and ginger are good and add to the texture. Taste and add salt and pepper if needed.
CHECK OUT THESE CARROT AND GINGER RECIPES!
Carrot Ginger Soup from Simply Recipes
Gluten Free Carrot Ginger Muffins
Ginger and Tamarind Glazed Carrots
Linguine with tofu, carrots, and ginger
This is my all time favorite dressing. And I’ve been using the lightly dried ginger in everrrrrything lately. So in love. 🙂
Yum! This is a dynamite dressing!
Farrells that brings back a bunch of memories
I’m obsessed with Benihana’s salad dressing. Once I got the chef to give me a huge container of it, since he wouldn’t tell me the recipe! I’ll be making this for sure! Thanks for sharing!
this sounds drinkable. and thank you for giving the paleo options! i have everything to make this and am looking forward to making it.
I love this kind of dressing and I’ve never tried to recreate it at home. I must make this!
ahh, birthdays at Farrell’s! great memories…
I so love these flavors, I absolutely cannot wait to make this dressing! I think I will be having salad tomorrow… at least once!
YES. This is going to be made- I’ve been dying to recreate the infamous dressing which let’s be honest here- is the best part of the damn salad.
A favorite dressing when I go out…thanks for sharing!
This is beautiful, the color is amazing, and the ginger, love. I have the dried herbs in my freezer at all times!
You bring back similar memories of Farrell’s and Benihana’s. It’s been a long time since we’ve visited a long time fav restaurant…and I’ve always loved that salad dressing (I could drink it like soup, it’s so good!) Fantastic how you’ve incorporated GG ginger. Pinning and looking forward to making this all-time favorite. 🙂
This dressing is THE BEST – and one of the reasons we go out for sushi. Thanks for the copycat recipe!
My pleasure Steph! Since I’ve had to be gluten free, I’ve rarely trusted any dressings in Asian restaurants since so many have soy sauce. It’s really nice to be able to taste it again!
This dressing sounds KILLER. Definitely making!!
I LOVE Gourmet Gardens products. I tried their lightly dried basil before and it was perfect. Love your version of this dressing. It’s my favorite 🙂
I love them too- like so much. It’s funny, when I first met the folks from Gourmet Garden, I was like “well… I like you guys so much, but honestly, I can’t ever see myself using herbs from a tube”. They asked if they could just send me some, and after I got them, I said “Okay, I eat my words”. I love love love their products and I’m never without them in my fridge now.
I bet this is a punch in the face flavor! I live ginger and carrot together.
I love punch in the face flavors! How did you know? I like to tell the sommelier that I want a red wine that tastes like I got socked in the mouth. LOL
Such a bright and fresh addition to a salad! I am adding it to my must-try soon list!
Thanks Lori. I love salads so much. While omelettes were the first thing I ever obsessed over in the cooking world, vinaigrettes were the second. It was so nice to spend time with you in Chicago. Let’s try to do it again soon. We’re only 2 hours away from each other. Xo
I have never been to a Benihana but all the Japanese restaurants and Sushi joints in NY serve this dressing. I pretty much have to get a salad when I’m there because the dressing is the best part. I love how vibrant the color is too and that light dried ginger is the best!
Apologies if this is already stated above, but I missed it if so. Any idea how long this dressing lasts in the fridge? Sounds awesome – going to make it today!
Hi Justine,
I would guess it’s about 2 weeks if kept in an airtight container like a mason jar, but it’s never lasted that long in our house 😉
To be on the extra safe side you could say 5 days.
Would this dressing be as tasty with fresh ginger?
I too, would love to know!!
Absolutely! It is fantastic with fresh ginger as well!
Yes! I have made it with fresh, grated ginger and dried ginger and it is delicious both ways. With fresh ginger, there’s a bit more zest, and a textural bonus. I love this dressing!
I’m so glad you love it! We do too. I’ve even used it for a quick marinade for cooked veggies, shrimp, and chicken. 🙂
Would this recipe work with olive or canola oil? I have big tub of each one lol.
Absolutely. The olive oil may have a more pronounced flavor, but it could be good. I hope you enjoy!
I LOVE this dressing – and never thought there was carrot in it! Definitely going to give this a try – it’s already a family favorite. Thanks for sharing 🙂
Thanks you so much for this recipe. I’ve had this out, more then once & always say to myself…I need to make this. Now I have a recipe!
Oooh fab, I really enjoy Japanese style salad dressings so shall bookmark this!
I love this! They serve a dressing like this at our favorite restaurant and I never could figure out how to recreate it!
One of my favorite dressings! Our Seattle Benihana sadly closed last year…but now, I have this and can pretend I’m there! Lovely photo’s!
What an amazing dressing, it looks so delicious and I am sure its really versatile. Maybe spoon it on some pasta???
Carrot and ginger just go so well together don’t they and this dressing sounds divine. Yum!
That dried ginger sounds seriously useful – I have a tub full of bits of fresh ginger in the freezer, that I never use as I can never find.
This is just the type of dressing, and flavour profile I love, I serve in a bowl with some lightly steamed veggies and rice maybe?
YUM! This look tasty.
Homemade salad dressings are always so good. This sounds like it has lots of flavour. I’m sure it can be used in lots of other areas too.