Japanese Green Salad with Carrot-Ginger Dressing

Japanese Restaurant-Style Salad with Fresh Carrot Dressing

Serves 4 · Prep: 15 minutes · Cook: 0 minutes · Total: 15 minutes

Japanese green salad with mixed lettuce, red cabbage, shredded carrot, and carrot-ginger dressing in a black bowl

I know this is usually the little salad you eat while you are waiting for the sushi, but I would make it just for the dressing! The lettuce is COLD and crisp, and the carrot-ginger dressing has enough texture to cling to every leaf. Plus, it is sweet and sharp at the same time, with just enough ginger to wake up a bowl of otherwise very plain greens.

Use romaine, iceberg, or green leaf lettuce, and dry it really well. Oh! Make extra dressing. It is excellent on rice bowls, cold tofu, and any leftover chicken hanging around in the fridge.

Ingredients

For the carrot-ginger dressing

2 small carrots, peeled and roughly chopped, about 1 cup
¼ small yellow onion, roughly chopped, about ⅓ cup
1 tablespoon peeled and chopped fresh ginger
1 small garlic clove
¼ cup unseasoned rice vinegar
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon sugar or honey
2 tablespoons water, plus more as needed
½ cup neutral oil, such as avocado, grapeseed, or canola oil
1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
¼ teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste

For the salad

6 cups crisp mixed lettuce, torn into bite-size pieces
½ cup very thinly sliced red cabbage
½ cup shredded carrot

Instructions

1
Dry and chill the lettuce
Wash the lettuce and dry it very well. Put it in the refrigerator while you make the dressing. The cold matters here, and so does getting rid of every last puddle of water hiding between the leaves.
2
Blend the dressing base
Put the carrots, onion, ginger, garlic, rice vinegar, soy sauce, sugar, and water in a blender. Blend until the vegetables are very finely chopped, scraping down the sides once or twice. Do not chase a perfectly smooth dressing. A little texture is what makes it so good on the lettuce.
3
Add the oil
With the blender running, pour in the neutral oil in a slow stream. Add the sesame oil and salt, then blend for another 15 to 20 seconds. It should be thick enough to cling to a leaf but loose enough to fall from a spoon. Add another tablespoon of water if it just sits there. Taste before adding anything else. If the carrots are especially sweet, it may need another splash of rice vinegar. If the ginger is sharp, let the dressing sit for 10 minutes and taste it again before adjusting.
4
Assemble the salad
Put the chilled lettuce, red cabbage, and shredded carrot in a wide serving bowl. Toss them together with your hands so the cabbage does not end up in one determined pile at the bottom.
5
Dress and serve
Spoon about ½ cup of dressing over the salad and toss gently. Add more only if the leaves look dry. This is not a salad that improves while it waits, so bring it to the table right away with the extra dressing alongside.

Shortcuts and substitutions

Bagged salad mix

Use one 10- to 12-ounce bag of crisp mixed greens. A romaine-heavy mix holds up better than delicate spring mix once the thick dressing goes on.

Pre-shredded vegetables

Bagged shredded carrot and red cabbage are completely fine here. If the cabbage pieces are long, cut through the pile a few times so they are easier to eat.

No rice vinegar

Use apple cider vinegar. Start with 3 tablespoons, blend the dressing, and add the final tablespoon only if it needs more acidity.

No soy sauce

Use tamari in the same amount. Coconut aminos also works, but it is sweeter, so leave out the sugar at first and add it only after tasting.

No blender

Finely grate the carrot, onion, ginger, and garlic on a Microplane or the smallest holes of a box grater. Whisk them with the vinegar, soy sauce, sugar, and water, then slowly whisk in both oils. The dressing will be rougher. That is fine.

Bottled dressing

Use a refrigerated carrot-ginger dressing and add a teaspoon of fresh grated ginger plus a splash of rice vinegar. It will taste less like it came straight from the bottle.

Recipe notes

The dressing should have texture

Japanese carrot-ginger dressing is not supposed to be as smooth as bottled ranch. Tiny pieces of carrot and onion give it body. Stop blending once it pours easily and looks evenly combined.

Keep the salad crisp

Water is the problem, not the dressing. Dry the lettuce thoroughly and wait until the last minute to toss everything together. If you are serving the salad later, refrigerate the vegetables and dressing separately.

Make it ahead

The dressing keeps for up to 5 days in a covered jar in the refrigerator. It will thicken and separate as it sits. Shake it hard, or blend it again for a few seconds, before serving.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Japanese carrot-ginger dressing made of?

Japanese carrot-ginger dressing is usually made with fresh carrots, onion, ginger, rice vinegar, soy sauce, and neutral oil. This version also uses a small amount of garlic, sesame oil, and sugar for the savory-sweet flavor served with many Japanese restaurant salads.

What lettuce is best for Japanese restaurant-style salad?

Crisp lettuce works best. Use romaine, iceberg, green leaf lettuce, or a sturdy mixed-green blend. Delicate spring mix can wilt quickly under the thick carrot dressing.

Why is my carrot-ginger dressing too thick?

Carrots vary in size and moisture. Blend in water, 1 tablespoon at a time, until the dressing pours from a spoon. Do not add extra oil to thin it; that can make the dressing greasy and mute the ginger.

Can I make Japanese carrot dressing without onion?

Yes. Leave out the onion and add another ¼ cup chopped carrot. The dressing will be sweeter and a little less savory, so you may want an extra teaspoon of soy sauce or rice vinegar after tasting.

Can I use this dressing for anything besides salad?

Yes. Spoon it over a rice bowl, grilled chicken, roasted salmon, chilled tofu, or steamed vegetables. It also works as a dip for cucumbers, though you may want to blend it with a spoonful of mayonnaise first.

How long does homemade carrot-ginger dressing last?

Keep it covered in the refrigerator and use it within 5 days. Because it contains fresh vegetables and no commercial preservatives, do not leave it at room temperature for extended periods.

More recipes to try

Japanese-American · Sandwiches