Spicy-sweet wasabi dressing is your 5-ingredient healthy, no added oil, inspiration for invigorated salads, dressed up roasted veggies, and dipping nirvana. And it takes just minutes to make – winner!
healthy and happy
I'm always up for another tasty dressing that can be made in minutes without added oil. And if it's made with just a few ingredients that I usually have on hand, well, that's just happy all over.
5-ingredients
Soy sauce – Use a high-quality soy sauce or Tamari if you want it gluten-free. I have not tried this dressing with lite 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. If you need a substitute, use 1 ½ tablespoon of apple cider vinegar. Cider vinegar tastes stronger than rice vinegar, so start with less.
Date paste – Not only is date paste a whole food, plant-based sweetener, it also helps to thicken the dressing. Making date paste is super easy, but it’s also readily available. Sometimes, it’s called date syrup, but you want to check the ingredients to ensure that it isn’t loaded with sugar.
Garlic – I recommend 2 plump cloves of garlic, but you may want to experiment on the amount depending on your preferences. I’ve not made this with garlic powder, but you would likely get a similar flavor.
Wasabi paste – Wasabi, a green root known as rhizome, is similar to horseradish. It can range from seriously spicy to milder (for wasabi). True, 100% wasabi paste can be difficult to find.
Many pastes you run across will also contain horseradish and a few other ingredients. Some may contain small amounts of oil. Another option is to look for wasabi powder which is usually a combination of wasabi, horseradish, ginger, or mustard powder.
how to make this dressing
Honestly, it’s 5 minutes! The most time-consuming process is peeling and pressing the garlic. I’ll go for that!
Although you could technically classify this dressing as vinaigrette (although without oil), the very fact we aren't using oil means that a temporary emulsion doesn't occur. That's when salad dressings tend to separate, and you discover a big clump of oil on the top. That said, if you leave the dressing sitting (or overnight), it's a good idea to give it a quick stir.
common questions
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 wasabi paste, not wasabi sauce or wasabi mayo. Those are not a substitute 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.
salad dressings we love
spicy-sweet wasabi dressing
Spicy-sweet wasabi dressing is your 5-ingredient healthy, no added oil, inspiration for invigorated salads, dressed-up veggies, and dipping nirvana.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Total Time: 10 minutes
- Yield: 4 1x
- Category: dressings
- Method: blend
- Cuisine: Asian
- Diet: Vegan
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons of soy sauce or Tamari
- 3 tablespoons rice vinegar
- 3 tablespoons date paste or another liquid sweetener such as maple syrup or brown rice syrup.
- 3 cloves of garlic, minced or pressed
- 2 teaspoons of wasabi paste
Instructions
- Combine the ingredients. In a small bowl, whisk all the ingredients until they are combined.
- Taste and adjust. Taste the dressing. Adjust any of the ingredients to make it spicier, sweeter, saltier, or sourer.
- Store wasabi dressing. Place any unused dressing in a sealed jar or container. Store it in the refrigerator for up to a week.
Notes
- Some wasabi pastes contain extra ingredients such as traces of oil. If you want your dressing totally oil-free dressing, use wasabi powder.
- If you aren’t sure about the spiciness of your wasabi paste, start by adding it a little at a time.
- Wasabi dressing goes well with peppery greens such as watercress, arugula (rocket), or radicchio. It is also great for massaging kale or over lightly steamed Bok Choy. Try it with your favorite veggies such as broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, and more.
Keywords: wasabi, oil-free dressing, vegan dressing, wasabi vinaigrette
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