This spicy-sweet wasabi vinaigrette dressing recipe is oil-free and takes 5 minutes to make with five simple ingredients you can get at the grocery store.
It's another dipping option beyond sweet sriracha dipping sauce for your healthy vegan lettuce wraps or that salt and pepper tofu appetizer you've been craving.
Try this nut-free, low-fat wasabi salad dressing to add healthy, zesty flavor to Asian-inspired rice noodle salad, chopped kale salad with beans, or drizzle dressing over noodle bowls with tofu.
Table of Contents
Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Grab a mixing bowl or glass jar - no blender is required unless you need to make a quick and easy date paste.
- Adjust the spiciness depending on the amount of wasabi you add. That's the beauty of homemade dressing!
- Delicious vegan salad dressings don't require olive oil. Let the fresh flavor of the food shine!
- Wisk up this dressing often -wasabi paste lasts a long time.
Recipe Ingredients
Wasabi paste. Wasabi, a green root known as rhizome, is Japanese horseradish and can range from seriously spicy to milder (for fresh wasabi root). Many pastes you run across will also contain horseradish and a few other ingredients. That's ok. Read the label; some may contain a bit of oil. Substitute with wasabi powder, often a combination of wasabi, horseradish, ginger, or mustard powder.
Soy sauce. Use a high-quality soy sauce or Tamari if you want it gluten-free. I have not tried this dressing with light soy sauce, but the amount can always be adjusted if you want more soy sauce flavor.
Rice vinegar. Rice vinegar, also known as rice wine vinegar, is mellow and slightly sweet. Use 1 ½ tablespoons of apple cider vinegar if you need a substitute. If you don't use vinegar, fresh lime juice, or lemon juice with added sweetener, that works, too.
Date paste. A whole food, plant-based sweetener, date paste, thickens the dressing. Making date paste is super easy, but it’s also readily available. Maple syrup or brown rice syrup are the best substitutes.
Garlic. I recommend garlic cloves for fresh flavor and texture. Add 1 teaspoon of garlic powder if that's all you have on hand.
Please see the recipe card at the bottom of this post for the complete list of ingredients with measurements plus recipe instructions.
Recipe Variations
A combination of five-spice powder and a tablespoon of sesame seeds is another twist on this recipe.
How To Make Wasabi Dressing
A wasabi vinaigrette recipe that's ridiculously easy to make - that's what we have here. Add the ingredients to a bowl and whisk. Job done!
Pro Tips
It's a good idea to whisk wasabi, a teaspoon or less at a time. Then taste and keep adjusting.
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Serving Suggestions
This is a great salad dressing for a quick side of baby salad greens and sliced green onion or grain salads with quinoa and mandarin oranges. I used this dressing with a little added orange juice to modify my favorite three-bean salad with oranges, and it was delicious!
Frequently Asked Questions
Store wasabi salad dressing in an airtight container or glass jar in the refrigerator for 2 weeks. Shake or stir before reserving.
The spiciness of wasabi paste depends on the kind you use, and of course, the amount. The flavor is similar to horseradish, and in fact, wasabi is often referred to as Japanese wasabi.
Wasabi is often found in larger supermarkets or Asian markets. Be sure to look for real wasabi paste, not wasabi sauce or wasabi mayo. Those are not substitutes for actual wasabi paste. You can also use wasabi power, usually a combination of wasabi, horseradish, ginger, or mustard, that can be found in the same places or ordered online.
Peppery greens such as watercress, arugula (rocket), or radicchio go well with wasabi dressing. Try massaging kale in wasabi to soften it up or smothering lightly steamed Bok Choy. Pare wasabi dressing with veggies such as broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, and more.
If you want to use this wasabi dressing to make wasabi ginger dressing, add 2 teaspoons of grated or minced fresh ginger root or pickled ginger.
More Vegan Salad Dressings
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👩🏻🍳 Recipe
Wasabi Vinaigrette Dressing Recipe (Oil-Free)
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Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons soy sauce - use tamari for gluten-free
- 3 tablespoons rice vinegar
- 3 tablespoons date paste - maple syrup or brown rice syrup
- 3 cloves garlic - minced or pressed
- 2 teaspoons wasabi paste - see notes
Instructions
- In a small bowl, whisk all the ingredients until they are combined.
- Taste the dressing. Adjust any of the ingredients to make it spicier, sweeter, saltier, or sourer.
- Makes about ½ a cup.
Notes
- Place any unused dressing in a sealed jar or container. Store it in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.
- Look for real wasabi paste. Wasabi sauce and wasabi mayo are not the same. Some wasabi paste can contain a little oil. Wasabi powder is another option if you can find real wasabi paste.
If you aren’t sure about the spiciness of your wasabi paste, start by adding it a little at a time.
Nutrition
Nutritional information is an estimation only.
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