This carrot ginger dressing is bold, punchy, and incredibly versatile. You’ll love it on salads, roasted veggies, grilled meats, and more! This recipe is inspired by the gingery dressings found in Japanese steakhouses (especially in the US) but with an extra gingery kick. It’s so easy to make at home. Just toss everything into a blender and blend until smooth.
Key Ingredients
Ginger: I love the fresh ginger punch in this dressing. Scrub your ginger to clean it, then use a spoon to scrape away most of the skin. If you’re sensitive to raw ginger, you can reduce the amount in the recipe slightly. If you love ginger as much as I do, you might also like one of these ginger recipes: lemon ginger shots, spicy garlic ginger edamame, or this ginger shrimp marinade. Carrot: I use raw carrots for this dressing. Chop them into small chunks, and they will blend nicely. They give the dressing its beautiful orange color and mellow out the ginger’s heat. Shallot and garlic: I use a little shallot and one small garlic clove (more would be overpowering). If your garlic cloves are large, cut one in half. Rice wine vinegar: This makes the dressing zesty and deliciously tangy. Use unseasoned rice wine vinegar, as the seasoned kind has added sugar. Mustard: I sneak a bit of mustard into most of my salad dressings. It adds flavor and helps the oil and vinegar blend smoothly. Honey: Raw ginger and vinegar can be intense, so a touch of sweetness is a good idea for balance. The carrots already help, but the dressing needs a bit of extra sweetness. I love honey for its flavor, but maple syrup works as a substitute. Avocado oil: Any light flavored oil is fine, but avocado oil is my go-to for this recipe.
How to Make Carrot Ginger Dressing
This ginger carrot dressing is my new favorite salad dressing. It’s made with raw ginger and carrots and is easy to make, especially if you have a high-powered blender (most are these days). First, you’ll chop up your ginger, carrots, and shallot into small pieces. Toss those into your blender with a small garlic clove, rice wine vinegar, mustard, a bit of honey, and some salt. Blend everything on high until pureed. It won’t be smooth yet (you need the oil for that). Add the oil (there is no need to pour it in slowly) and blend on high until the dressing is super smooth. Taste and adjust with salt. Depending on how hot and spicy your ginger tastes, you might need an extra drizzle of honey, too.
Storing Carrot Ginger Dressing
Store this dressing in an airtight container or jar in the fridge for up to 1 week. Give your dressing a good shake or stir before using, as some separation might occur. Taste the dressing before using, as the ginger flavor can change over time.
What to Serve with Carrot Ginger Dressing
I love how zesty this carrot ginger dressing is! It’s fantastic on salads (especially those with a crunchy iceberg or cabbage base), but that’s just the beginning. It’s also delicious on grilled chicken, baked tofu, or even steak. I love tossing it with quinoa for a little extra zing, and it’s the perfect topping for brown sugar baked salmon. You can even dip your favorite veggies into it (raw or roasted)! It also livens up soup like lentil soup or black bean soup. This dressing is so versatile that you’ll want to use it on everything. 1 cup (140g) chopped carrots, 3 small carrots Half of a small shallot 1 small garlic clove 6 tablespoons (85ml) rice wine vinegar 1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard 2 tablespoons honey 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt 1/2 cup (118ml) avocado oil 2Chop the ginger, carrots, and shallot into 1/2-inch pieces, then add to a blender. 3Add the garlic, rice wine vinegar, mustard, honey, and salt to the blender and puree. It will not puree to be smooth, but it will once you add the oil. 4Add the oil and blend on high until smooth. 5Taste and adjust with salt and more honey. 6Store in an airtight container or jar in the fridge for up to 1 week.
