Japanese Roasted Sesame Dressing

Spoonful of creamy roasted sesame dressing showing its texture

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This Japanese Roasted Sesame Dressing is creamy, nutty, and tangy. It's packed with toasted sesame seeds, egg-free Kewpie mayo, rice vinegar, soy sauce, sugar, and sesame oil for a rich dressing that's perfect over salads, rice bowls, crispy fried dishes, vegetables, and more.

I made this dressing to use for my warm mushroom salad and Japanese potato salad, and it adds the perfect creamy, savory, and lightly sweet finish. The roasted sesame seeds give the dressing a deep nuttiness, while the rice vinegar keeps it bright.

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Prep Time 15

Cook Time 5

Total Time 20

Course Condiments, Dips, Salads, Sauces

Cuisine Asian, East Asian, Japanese

Servings cup (200 ml)

Calories 531 kcal

Ingredients

DRESSING

3 tbsp raw sesame seeds
3 tbsp Kewpie mayo or egg-free Kewpie mayo
1 1/2 tbsp rice vinegar adjust to desired acidity
1 tbsp white sugar
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp water plus more to loosen as needed
1/2 tbsp sesame oil

TO SERVE

Warm mushroom salad see recipe here
Japanese potato salad
Green salads or slaws
Rice bowls
Cold noodles
Roasted vegetables

Instructions

TOAST THE SESAME SEEDS

If starting with raw sesame seeds, add them to a dry pan over medium heat. Toast for 3-5 minutes, shaking or stirring often, until lightly golden and fragrant.
Transfer the warm sesame seeds to a mortar and pestle.
Crush them until mostly broken down, leaving some texture. A suribachi or Japanese mortar and pestle would be best if you have one, but a small mortar and pestle works too.

MIX THE DRESSING

In a bowl, add the crushed sesame seeds. Mix in the Kewpie mayo, rice vinegar, white sugar, soy sauce, water, and sesame oil.
Mix til well combined. The dressing should be creamy with little bits of toasted sesame throughout.

ADJUST TO TASTE

Taste the dressing and feel free to adjust with more rice vinegar for acidity, sugar for sweetness, soy sauce for saltiness, or sesame oil for extra aroma.
Add more water, 1 tsp at a time, to loosen the dressing as needed. Keep it thicker for hearty salads or add a bit more water if you want it easier to drizzle.

SERVE AND ENJOY

Use the dressing right away or chill until ready to serve.
Spoon or drizzle over warm mushroom salad, greens, tofu bowls, cold noodles, roasted vegetables, or anything of your choice.
Mix everything together and enjoy!

TO STORE

Keep in an air-tight container in the refrigerator. This can keep for up to 2 weeks.
Note that the dressing can thicken when refrigerated so you can add more water then mix it to loosen it as needed.

NUTRITIONAL INFO

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