How I Developed This Carrot Dressing
Did you know that carrot and ginger dressing isn’t really a thing in Japan? I’ve heard it’s popular in Japanese restaurants in the US, but here in Japan, carrot dressing is a little more simple and sweet. That got me thinking: could I create a tasty Japanese-inspired carrot dressing without using ginger?
So, I rolled up my sleeves and started experimenting. Eventually, I ended up not using ginger at all and found a delicious mixture that is perfectly smooth, fruity and flavorful.
It was all about finding the right way to highlight those naturally sweet carrots whilst achieving that silky smooth texture. Ready to give it a go? I hope you’ll love it as much as I do!
Key Ingredients & Substitution Ideas
- Carrot & Onion: These are the star ingredients in my dressing. I used yellow onions, but white onions work well too.
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil: After trying out different oils, I’ve found that extra virgin olive oil is the best for bringing out a rich, fruity flavor with added depth.
- Soy Sauce: Just a heads-up: You’ll want to use dark soy sauce (not light) for this dressing.
- Apple Cider Vinegar: While a lot of Japanese dressings use rice vinegar, I’ve found that apple cider vinegar strikes the perfect balance for this adding a punchy flavor with a nice amount of fruitiness.
- Honey: Your everyday honey works wonderfully here. Maple syrup or agave syrup are good substitutes for plant-based diets.
- Apple Juice: Any 100% apple juice will do nicely.
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Jump to Full Recipe MeasurementsVisual Walkthrough & Tips
Here are my step-by-step instructions for how to make Japanese Style Carrot Dressing at home. For ingredient quantities and simplified instructions, scroll down for the Printable Recipe Card below.
This section aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the cooking steps and techniques with visuals. It also includes more in-depth tips and tricks and explains why I do what I do.
Peel the onion and carrot, then cut them into rough pieces.
Put the chopped vegetables in a microwave-safe bowl, add a tablespoon of water, and cover with plastic wrap.
Alternatively, you can steam the vegetables on the stove if you don’t have a microwave. Either way, cooking this way will bring out some natural sweetness and help the dressing stay silky smooth after blending.
Microwave the vegetables for about 2-3 minutes or until they’re soft when pierced with a fork. The timing might vary depending on your microwave, so check after 2 minutes and adjust as needed. Steaming will take longer, so check occasionally and steam until fork tender.
Once cooked, set aside to cool slightly.
You might be wondering, why pre-cook the vegetables?
While I was developing the recipe, I did a few tests to figure out the best way to prepare the vegetables. I tried three different techniques: raw, pan-fried, and steamed.
The results were pretty interesting:
- Raw vegetables: The taste was fine, but the texture and consistency could have been a lot better. The blended mixture still had bits of vegetable in it and was very fibrous, which made it feel unpleasant in the mouth and not visually appealing once on salad.
- Pre-fried vegetables: This method improved the texture, but I wasn’t happy with the appearance. The color wasn’t quite right for carrot dressing. I decided against this approach because the frying process affected the color. The dressing also came out surprisingly sweet even though I used the same ingredients.
- Steamed vegetables: This technique really stood out as the best of the bunch. It nailed that perfect balance of smooth texture and vibrant flavor. The steaming process softens the vegetables just enough to blend smoothly while keeping their bright color and brings out some natural sweetness.
In a food processor or blender, mix the cooled vegetables with all the other ingredients.
A small, personal-sized blender like this works well for this recipe, making it easy to blend and keeping cleanup simple.
Transfer the blended dressing to an airtight container and let it chill.
I hope you enjoy this Japanese Carrot Dressing recipe! If you try it out, I’d really appreciate it if you could spare a moment to let me know what you thought by giving a review and star rating in the comments below. It’s also helpful to share any adjustments you made to the recipe with our other readers. Thank you!
More Dressing Recipes
Japanese Carrot Salad Dressing
Ingredients
- 1 carrot small
- ¼ yellow onion small-medium
- 1 tbsp water
- 3 tbsp soy sauce
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 3 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 2 tbsp honey or maple syrup/agave syrup for plant-based diets
- 2 tbsp apple juice
Instructions
- Peel 1 carrot and ¼ yellow onion, cut them into bitesize pieces and place them in a microwavable bowl. Alternatively, boil water in a steamer ready for steaming.
- Sprinkle with 1 tbsp water and cover with plastic wrap. Microwave at 600W for 2-3 minutes or until fork tender. If steaming, steam on high for 6-8 minutes.
- Set aside to cool slightly. Add 3 tbsp soy sauce, 3 tbsp olive oil, 3 tbsp apple cider vinegar, 2 tbsp honey and 2 tbsp apple juice to a food processor, then add the carrot and onions.
- Blitz the mixture until smooth, then transfer to an airtight container and chill in the refrigerator until serving. (I recommend at least 20-30 minutes.)
- Enjoy drizzled over your favorite salad vegetables!
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