Carrot Ginger Dressing
This carrot-ginger salad dressing recipe tastes remarkably fresh, creamy and light. It would pair nicely with other recipes with Asian flavors. Delicious!
Updated by Kathryne Taylor on August 27, 2024
I’m slowly working my way through the veggie options at the sushi restaurant that opened near me. The other day, I ordered a side salad to accompany my sushi. I was intrigued by the dressing—carrot ginger. How had I not tasted carrot-ginger dressing? The dressing was a little more lumpy than smooth, but the flavor was amazing.
I added it to my list to recreate, and I’ve enjoyed every rendition so far, but this final version is my favorite. It’s bright and zingy and fresh, and I want to drizzle it on everything. Homemade dressings always taste a million times better than store-bought.
It’s easy to whip up in a blender—my Vitamix (affiliate link) churns right through the carrots and ginger. I suspect that less expensive blenders are up for the job, too.
Since you’re going to the trouble of peeling and chopping veggies, and blenders require a certain level of volume to gain traction, the full batch yields about 1 1/3 cups. It’s so good that I don’t think you’ll have trouble finishing it off within a week or two.
Create a side salad using any combination of the ideas listed below. It’ll be the perfect accompaniment to main dishes with Asian flavors, and it’s spectacular on my Buddha Bowl recipe. The carrot-ginger combo might play nicely with many Indian entrées as well, although you may want to omit the sesame oil. It’s also great drizzled over cooked rice, tofu, steamed veggies, and more.
Watch How to Make Carrot Ginger Dressing
Looking for more irresistible homemade salad dressings? Here are a few more for you:
- Basic Vinaigrette
- Fresh Mint Dressing
- Sunshine Salad Dressing (healthier honey-mustard)
- Creamy Tahini Dressing
- Green Goddess Dressing
Please let me know how you like this dressing in the comments! I’m always so eager to hear from you.
Carrot Ginger Dressing
This salad dressing tastes remarkably fresh, creamy and light. It would pair nicely with other recipes with Asian flavors. Recipe yields about 1 ⅓ cups salad dressing.
Ingredients
Dressing
- ⅓ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- ⅓ cup rice vinegar
- 2 large carrots, peeled and roughly chopped (about ⅔ cup)
- 2 tablespoons peeled and roughly chopped fresh ginger
- 2 tablespoons lime juice
- 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon honey
- 1 ½ teaspoons toasted sesame oil
- ¼ teaspoon salt, more to taste
Suggested side salad components
- Fresh greens of choice
- Red onion
- Cucumber
- Carrot
- Cherry tomatoes
- Red cabbage
Instructions
- In a blender, combine all of the salad dressing ingredients as listed. Bend until completely smooth. Taste, and add additional salt if the dressing doesn’t make your eyes light up. If it’s too sour (it should have some zing to it), blend in a bit more honey.
- Serve over greens and any other ingredients you’d like (I offered a few more suggestions in the post). Recipe keeps well in the refrigerator, covered, for 1 to 2 weeks.
Notes
Make it vegan: Substitute maple syrup or agave nectar for the honey.
Nutrition
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice. See our full nutrition disclosure here.
I have made many, many, many of your recipes and love them all. This recipe I followed to the letter and my dressing is not creamy and looks nothing like yours. This was not a success
I’m so sorry you’re disappointed by this salad dressing, Stephanie. I suspect it has to do with your blender being underpowered for the job.
I thought my blender would be good enough for the dressing, but it wasn’t. Any suggestions on swapping carrot juice into the recipe for those of us with a crummy blender? I wouldn’t have any idea how much to use if I were to try it out. The flavour is sooo amazing and vibrant I just love it. I still have lots left, I think I will try putting it through a nut milk bag for this batch – but there will definitely be more batches!!
I’m sorry to hear that, Hilary! Some other commenters have suggested lightly steaming the carrot first, so that might be worth a try. Carrot juice is a good idea; your dressing just won’t be as thick as mine. I’d try whisking in 1/3 cup carrot juice and adding more to taste.
Hello! I loved this dressing, but I made some modifications. I don’t use oil, so I used 1/3 c cashews! And instead of sesame oil, 1 1/2 tsp tahini! I don’t use vinegar, and I didn’t have lime, so I used 3 Tbsp lemon juice. Next time I’ll try lime juice. I used braggs liquid Aminos for the salt. I put 2/3 c water in total. Everything else was the same. It was sooo good!
Hi Katie!
I tried this dressing, but it is normal that the texture is a bit “purée” instead of smooth, is it ok or did i miss something? I used nutribullet blender which should be fine.
Thank you!
It should be fine if you followed all the steps! It could be the power of the blender. Does it appear thick?
“It’s so good that I don’t think you’ll have trouble finishing it off within a week or two.” Oh my gosh, you know me.
This is an amazing dressing and is making me eat salad like ice cream. After dinner I’m like, “should I have some salad? I think I’ll have some salad” and then I eat two damn bowls. Awesome dressing Kate, I feel like it’s unlocked the secret of salads for me. Your recipes always inspire beyond one meal!
Ha! That’s great and makes my day to hear that. It’s a good one. If you would want to leave a star review, I would appreciate it!
Making this again and I see I neglected to rate! Hoping my five stars goes through with this reply :)
DELISH!!!!! I’m obsessed. I followed the recipe exactly and have been eating it day and night for the past few days.
That’s wonderful!
Shall we peel the skin from the ginger?
We made this to top the Sunshine slaw. The color is lovely and it tastes even better. Mine was a bit curdled looking because I use a Ninja rather than a Vitamix. Next time I’ll try it with soaked cashews rather than olive oil.
Thanks for trying it, Frances! I appreciate the review.
Hi Kate! If I have an allergy to sesame oil, would you recommend another oil to substitute for this recipe?
Hi Darrien! I think you’ll just need to omit sesame oil from recipes. Most of the time it’s just used in small amounts for flavoring.
At first I made this, tasted it, and thought oh man that’s way too much vinegar… Then found myself completely unable to keep my spool out of the blender while I made the Buddha bowl recipe that led me here! Haha!
I saw another comment that said it was created strong because in a salad it’s not nearly as strong, and that’s absolutely true! It’s perfect on the Buddha bowl! Definitely pinning this for next time!
I’m glad you thought it was great on the buddha bowl! Thanks for the review, Stezy.
Thank you Kate. This dressing is amazing. I always like the combination of sweet and sour and the ginger makes it even more interesting. I ate it with an arugula,avocado and coriander salad. Beautiful!
Delicious combination, Sophia! Thanks for the review.
Thanks for this amazing recipe. It’s the best no-fuss bass that I’ve found. Anyone should be able to take this recipe and tweak it to their liking or use it as is. :) I decided to use a little less vinegar and honey and add a little bit of soy sauce for a more interesting salty add-in. I love that you everything in your recipe are pantry staples. Also, I had to transfer the mix from my food processor to a blender the first time I made it – it was too gritty. This is definitely a blender recipe. Again, thanks!
Thank you, for sharing! Love to hear what you did. I appreciate the review.
Kate. My girl. This dressing is banging. I recently tried a carrot ginger dressing at a sushi restaurant and loved it there. I was super excited to find this on your blog tonight while looking for a dressing to spice up my salad. Keep doing what you’re doing, girl.
Ha, thank you! I’m glad you enjoyed it.
Wow, what a fantastic dressing! The color is so vibrant and the flavors are fresh & bold. I changed it a little by adding the juice of 1 orange (reduced rice vinegar to 1/4c) and used 2 Tbsp walnut oil plus 5 Tbsp avocado oil (instead of olive oil). Only used 2 tsp maple since the carrot contributed its own sweetness and increased sesame oil to 2 tsp.
Can’t wait to use this on lots of things this coming week!
Thanks for sharing your variation, Kristen. I appreciate it!
I love it that there are kindred spirits here re the sweetness intruding on savory food issue! I despise it. Great ideas here. I’ll delete the honey, throw in some garlic and miso and tahini and green onion, and steam the carrots in Instant Pot for 1 minute. Can’t wait.
Your book is in my cart, and I’m tantalized by the reports of an IP blender with glass jar for $99 to replace my very noisy (need earplugs) but quite good enough Cuisinart blender (also glass jar) that a friend gave me when she got her Vitamix!
LOL at using this fabulous dressing on oatmeal! I’m with you!!
Thank you, Marge!
hi kate, i just made this and it was delicious. but it was a large yield and am wondering how long the dressing will keep? apologies if i missed this information elsewhere on the page.
Hi Jonno! Recipe keeps well in the refrigerator, covered, for 1 to 2 weeks.
This is fantastic! It reminds me of my favorite ginger dressing I get at a sushi restaurant. I never thought I’d be able to replicate it. I stumbled across this while checking out how to make a homemade vinaigrette and this is just as good if not better! Thank you so much for sharing, this will definitely become my go to dressing!
Love that, Sharon!
I’m a bit in awe whenever I eat a salad or Buddha bowl with this dressing, thinking “I actually made this?!?” It makes the dish rise to the level of fancy, restaurant food to me, and I love being able to make such delightfully flavorful food with the help of C&K.
Love it!
I’ve just made a big jar of this and god it is delicious!
Great! Thank you for your review, Rachel!
Hi Kate
I tried your dressing, it was very flavourful but when I put the dressing on the salad it seemed like the dressing solidified on the salad,,,
Delicious, thank you!!! I didn’t have rice vinegar so I used apple cider, still yummy!
Thanks for sharing, Gerry!
Amazing dressing! My kids love it to which is a plus. Keeps well in the fridge and I have used it on all sorts of greens. My kids even love it to dip broiled chicken tenders in!
How long does this stay in fridge?
The flavours are great but the texture is just to thick and not smooth enough. And I didn’t pay little money for my blender.
I’m sorry you didn’t love this one, but I appreciate the feedback!
Made this dressing today it was awesome. I did not any sesame oil. Love the tangy sweetness. Nutrabullet created a wonderful smooth texture.
Thanks for the review, Jeannye!
I just made this, unusual (in that I have never blended a carrot before) but incredible. The colour is beautiful and I have just made batch to add to any Budda bowl salad this week. Thanks
You’re welcome, Donna!
Delicious!
Made modifications based on what I had: used a lemon, a dash of tahini instead of the sesame oil, apple cider vinegar instead or rice. Put it in the Bullet and left it a bit chunky! Yum!
Made this tonight – so much flavour! That combined with the visual impact it added to salad, makes this a new favourite I’ll make often. Thank you! (Added an extra teaspoon of honey to tone the tangy-ness for my husband; either way was a winner for me).
Great to hear, Tracy! Thanks for your review.
I am new to your blog. I stumbled across this site because I have been on the hunt for a good carrot ginger dressing. Something that I did not initially think was going to be difficult. But oh boy, I have made some pretty horrific versions that have been touted by other food blogs as an amazing version of this type of dressing…..and uh not so much. FINALLLLLLLY, a good, well actually GREAT, version of this treasured japanese dressing that I now get to enjoy at home, not just at a restaurant. I followed the steps to a tee b/c that is what I believe should be done before actually commenting on a recipe. I have seen comments on making this a little more authentic (i.e., white miso, green onions) and may try to experiment to see if I notice any differences. But this is already great as is.
Welcome, Janine! I’m glad you tried it as it. I’d love to hear what you try out!
So, so flavorful! Excited to find a dressing that can be used so many different dishes! Amazing.
I used an immersion blender and had a really difficult time emulsifying the dressing. When I poured it out the liquid immediately separated from the pulp. Would I have been better off using a blender? Maybe drizzled the oil in as I blended?
Anyone have any thoughts what I could do to bind the dressing together a bit more?
I find a blender or food processor really works best to get everything smoother. If you don’t have those, then maybe slowly blend the oil in once things are more combined, if that makes sense?
Absolutely divine! I ate it on brown rice noodles with roasted broccoli and sesame seeds.
Thanks for sharing, Jamie!
This dressing is amazing. I was hesitant at first but I love it. It tastes fresh with a good amount of zing and sweetness. Thank you for this recipe.
You’re welcome, Vivian!
I don’t have a super great blender. Would you recommend I chop the carrots and ginger up pretty small to help them blend easier?
That might help you consistency. It would be worth a shot!
I love this dressing! But I need to avoid vinegar and citrus. Do you have any suggestions?
Hi Lisa, both those really make this dressing. I would recommend trying a different dressing. Maybe my sunshine dressing!
The sunshine dressing looks really good!
I wish I could eat it but mustard and honey aren’t on my diet.
My mother cannot tolerate olive oil. What substitute oil can you recommend? Thanks. Maxie
Can she do avocado oil?
This dressing is AMAZING! Didn’t have any honey on hand and it still turned out fabulous – IMO, it doesn’t need the extra sweetness. Served it with quickly sauteed bok choy, crispy baked tofu, and fresh snap peas, radishes, cukes and scallions. Can’t wait to make this dressing again and toss it on cold soba noodles!
Love to hear you liked it even without the honey. Thanks for your review, Connie!
I just made this dressing for my Buddha bowls.. going. On a diet for three weeks while y son goes on vacation with his father and HOLY MOLY YOU GUYS I DONT THINK ITS GONNA MAKE IT TO THE BOWLS. I have a strong urge to just eat it straight and can’t stop licking the spoon I used to scrape it out! Thick, rich, delicious, tangy, just a touch sweet… It’s AMAZING. IM NEVER EVER EVER GOING BACK TO STORE BOUGHT DRESSING. EVER. Thank you so much!!!!
You’re welcome! Thanks for sharing, Heather!
This dressing is INSANE! Totally in love! Having it with your Buddha bowl recipe. In heaven. Thank you!!
I’m so happy you love it, Chloe! Thank you for your review.
Oh my gosh! Delish! This will be served often!
Great to hear, Michelle! Thank you for your review.
Amazing!! Thank you for sharing this recipe. I really had to pulverize in my food processor for 5 minutes. The consistency may be off just a tad but it is so delicious!
I followed the recipe exactly and the texture came out much thicker than a dressing and even though I blended it smooth it still had an unpleasant, fiber-y texture. I added more oil and some tahini and with these changes it came out well, though it was still thicker than what I think of as a dressing. I wish more commenters actually made the recipe as opposed to just commenting “that looks good!”. I’ve noticed this tends to be the case on a lot of cooking blogs, whereas for some reason on actual cooking websites there are more helpful comments for those who are actually trying to make the recipe.
I’m sorry to hear this didn’t turn out great for you! This one can be a little thicker than just a vinaigrette dressing. I appreciate your feedback, Tatiana!
This sounds delicious! Will make this soon. (I’m changing my eating habits and this will help keep me honest)!
Wow, this is fantastic dressing! I used pre-minced ginger to make it easy. I briefly mircrowaved my chopped carrots, too, to make in my blender. Yum!!!
Hello! I was at a dinner party last night and the hostess made this dressing- WOW! It is amazing! I am wanting to make this as a salad dressing for Thanksgiving though I do have some vegan family members. Would switching the honey out for agave nectar be a good substitute?
You could try maple syrup! Thanks for letting me know you loved it.
Home made dressings are so easy and people probably already have all of the ingredients in the cupboard. Makes no sense to buy store bought dressings. We just made this and changed nothing and it needs nothing. This turned out really good and it’s a great healthy way to put an Asian flare to a salad.
Absolutely spot on!! I did add a *teeny*bit of extra ginger at the end but that’s just for personal taste. I will be making this over and over again!! Thank you for nailing this recipe!!
Thanks for sharing, Meredith! I’m happy you enjoyed it.
I finally got around to trying this recipe to accompany a Buddha bowl I made for my family. It’s delicious! We ran right through it so I whipped up a double batch just to keep in the fridge. It brightens up the dish in taste, texture and in beautiful color. Thanks!
I’m happy to hear that, Holly! Thanks for sharing.
Love this dressing!! Made this for the Buddha bowl salad and dipping veggie sticks in, yum!! My 9 yr old loved it too. Made this a second time in a week :) I put maple syrup in for the honey and added a little more to take a little zing from the ginger to appease my daughter. Either way, it’s definitely a winner!! Best way to get a bunch of veggies in your/kids diet is a yummy and healthy dressing. Definitely a keeper!! Thank you!!
You’re welcome! I’m glad your kids loved this one too.
This dressing is amazing! Not only is it refreshing but it has a nice punch with the ginger! The color is a nice touch for presenting a salad too!
Thank you, Teri!
Tried this right away! Wasn’t sure because two large carrots came to way more than 2/3 of a cup. I have always used the Buddha bowl dressing from Whitewater cooks, so was excited to try this. I did end up adding some tahini and Brewers yeast, The original version was good, I just wanted minute bit creamier…
So enjoy your posts, thanks from Kelowna BC
Thank you for sharing, Amanda!
We’re making this again right nowand we LOVE it. This is what we serve with our budha bowls, or hippie bowls, (an everything salad with nuts and meat options) I came to this site because you kindly showed the ingredients in the preview. Thank you.
I’ve made this countless times. Absolutely delicious. I puree the carrots before adding the other ingredients just to get it super smooth.
Great to hear, Lauren!