Miso-Ginger Dressing Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What is miso salad dressing made of? ›

Similarly, this homemade miso dressing is made of simple Asian pantry items such as miso, rice vinegar, sesame oil, soy sauce, and fresh ginger. A little bit of grated ginger lends a refreshing zing and a kick to this savory dressing. Miso (味噌), a salty-savory Japanese condiment, is fermented soybean paste.

Directions. Put yogurt, lemon juice, rice wine vinegar, ketchup, soy sauce, onion, garlic, ginger paste, sugar, and black pepper in a blender; blend on High until smooth. Pour dressing into a sealable container, seal, and refrigerate at least 30 minute before serving.

At its most basic, miso is a fermented paste that's made by inoculating a mixture of soybeans with a mold called koji (for you science folks, that's the common name for Aspergillus oryzae) that's been cultivated from rice, barley, or soybeans.

Wafu (Japanese-Style) Dressing

Made with soy sauce, rice vinegar, roasted sesame seeds, and grated onion, this versatile wafu dressing goes well with any salad combo you can think of. You will love how it can deliver amazing flavors in such subtlety.

Miso is a rich source of vitamins and minerals, as well as probiotics, known as the gut's "good bacteria." Much of the potential health benefits of miso paste are because of the fermentation process used to make it.

The secret ingredient: Aspergillus oryzae, a grain-loving fungus that under the microscope looks like a delicate flower on stem. Fermented with soybeans, grain, and, salt, it becomes miso paste, a staple of Japanese cuisine.

I like to play around with the ratio of the ingredients to your diet and preference, but all you need is ginger, apple, carrots, onion, garlic, oil, rice vinegar, sugar, miso paste, and sesame oil. The apple and carrots give sweetness to the dressing, while the onion, garlic, and ginger provide the savory balance.

Perfect for salads, marinades, dips, and more, this creamy ginger sauce is made with authentic ingredients and blends the sharp bite of ginger with the subtle sweetness of miso.

Galangal and ginger are both common in many Southeast Asian dishes. If you've ever had Thai coconut soup, rendang, or panang curry, you've likely had galangal and ginger together. Use equal amounts of fresh galangal for fresh ginger in a recipe; this swap works best for savory recipes; sweet dishes don't love galangal.

Wealthy landowners, royalty or samurai would only eat rice miso that had been made using expensive polished white rice. It was often so expensive that it was used as gifts, or even as currency.

What is the difference between miso and miso paste? ›

Miso is so much more than the name of a delicious savory soup. You probably know umami as the incredibly delicious, savory essence in many Asian dishes; and miso is one ingredient that's the epitome of umami flavor. Miso paste serves as the base for classic miso soup, as well as an unusual (but delicious!)

As the koji incubates, it turns starches into sugar and releases glutamate to create umami flavor. Miso is made by adding koji to soybeans, rice, or barley and allowing the mixture to ferment even further to produce flavors of varying intensity.

Generally speaking, the healthiest salad dressing will be a vinaigrette like balsamic or oil and vinegar, while Caesar, ranch or anything with the word “creamy” will be the unhealthiest.

Caesar dressing. Made up of mayonnaise, cheese, salt and oil (and all too often, anchovies), Caesar tends to be one of the least healthy options out there. Those ingredients cause it to be high in both saturated fats and sodium.

Miso is the ultimate reference point for the flavor sensation known as umami. The paste and the soup have a deep savory flavor, with toasty, funky, salty-sweet richness. This umami flavor forms the base of a lot of everyday Japanese cooking.

Soy sauce is the most common substitute for miso paste. Miso is thick and creamy, whereas soy sauce is thin like water, but if texture isn't a factor, they are both made of soy and chock full of salty and savory notes.

Soybean miso is prepared from soybeans and salt, and it is fermented and aged with soybean Koji. Mixed miso can be made with a mixture of rice, barley, and/or soybean Koji or any miso made with a mixture of rice, barley, and/or soybean Koji (Kusumoto et al., ²⁰²¹).

The best miso substitute? Soy sauce. Soy sauce can stand in for the salty and savory flavor of miso in a pinch. But keep in mind: miso paste has a creamy texture and soy sauce is very thin, almost like water.