What is Jojoen’s Salad Dressing?
Have you ever had a salad so good that even picky kids will eat it? That’s the magic of Jojoen (叙々苑)’s signature salad, a must-order at this prestigious yakiniku chain found throughout Japan’s major cities.
What’s their secret? It’s a unique dressing that doesn’t have vinegar, so it doesn’t have that sharp taste. Instead, it makes the fresh vegetables taste even better. I’ve never actually been to Jojoen, but I’ve had their bottled dressing countless times. It was first released in 1994 for home cooks craving that restaurant experience.
Yes, it’s pricier than standard dressings, but once you try it, you’ll see why people keep coming back for more.
Today, I’m sharing how to recreate this beloved Jojoen dressing in your own kitchen—a recipe that transforms ordinary salads into something truly special!
Key Ingredients & Substitution Ideas
- Oils: A mix of toasted sesame oil and neutral cooking oil creates the perfect base. I used rice bran oil, but you can use whatever you like and have on hand.
- Soy sauce: Japanese soy sauce (koikuchi shoyu) is ideal for authenticity.
- Garlic paste: Store-bought garlic paste is convenient and has consistent flavor intensity. Freshly grated garlic is another option, but it can sometimes be too strong and unpredictable. If you’re using fresh garlic, just cut the amount in half.
- Other seasonings: Sesame seeds, sea salt, and Asian-style chicken bouillon powder.
Visual Walkthrough & Tips
Here are my step-by-step instructions for how to recreate Jojoen’s salad 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.
Before you get started, make sure all your ingredients are at room temperature if you keep soy sauce in the fridge. This seemingly minor detail makes a significant difference in emulsification success.
Mix the soy sauce, chicken bouillon powder, salt, garlic paste, and sesame seeds in a medium bowl.
Chicken bouillon powder is key to getting that classic Jojoen taste. It not only acts as a flavor enhancer but also “rounds out” the sharp edges of soy sauce, creating that smooth, restaurant-quality taste.
Now, the most important step is making a stable emulsion. Put your bowl on a slightly damp kitchen towel to stop it from sliding around when you’re whisking. If you’re using an electric mixer, start on the lowest setting.
Then, slowly drizzle in the oils while whisking continuously. For the first 30 seconds, add oil drop by drop, making sure to fully incorporate each addition before adding more.
This slow addition is the foundation for a stable emulsion. Then, when that’s set, you can go to a thin stream of oil.
Oil and soy sauce naturally resist mixing. When you add oil too quickly, large droplets form that quickly separate. Starting with tiny droplets creates a more stable mixture where oil particles remain suspended longer.
As you can see from this comparison photo, the store-bought dressing (right) has separated a lot even after shaking, while my freshly made version (left) has stayed well-blended.
When it’s fully emulsified, your dressing should look a bit thicker and more uniform, with a light amber-brown color.
Then, put the finished dressing in a clean glass container. Avoid using plastic, since it can absorb flavors and odors. Since this dressing has fresh garlic and oil (no vinegar to keep it fresh), put it in the fridge right away and use it within a week.
Jump to Full Recipe MeasurementsI hope you enjoy this 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
- Carrot Dressing
- Sesame Dressing (Goma Salad Dressing)
- Wafu Dressing (Soy Based Salad Dressing)
- Miso Salad Dressing with Yuzu Juice
Hungry for more? Explore my salad dressing recipe collection to find your next favorite dishes!
Yakiniku Restaurant Style Salad Dressing (Jojoen Copycat)
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp Japanese soy sauce (koikuchi shoyu)
- ½ tbsp toasted white sesame seeds
- 1 tsp garlic paste or half the amount of freshly grated garlic
- ¼ tsp sea salt
- ¼ tsp Chinese-style chicken bouillon powder or other type of bouillon powder
- 3 tbsp toasted sesame oil
- 2 tbsp cooking oil neutral flavor, I used rice bran
Instructions
- Take a mixing bowl and add 2 tbsp Japanese soy sauce (koikuchi shoyu), ½ tbsp toasted white sesame seeds, 1 tsp garlic paste, ¼ tsp sea salt, and ¼ tsp Chinese-style chicken bouillon powder. Mix until evenly distributed.
- Slowly drizzle the sesame oil and cooking oil into the bowl while whisking continuously. I use a milk frother for this small batch, but larger batches can be mixed with an electric whisk.
- Use immediately or store in a clean, airtight glass container in the fridge. Shake well before pouring. Enjoy!
Notes
- Bring all ingredients to room temperature beforehand for smoother emulsification.
- Store the dressing in a sterilized glass container in the fridge up to 1 week.
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