Name: Easy Miso Dressing
Prep time: 15 min
Total time: 15 min
Yield: 4
Cuisine: Japanese
Ingredients: 1/4 cup rice vinegar; 3 tablespoons white miso paste; 1 tablespoon sesame oil; 1 tablespoons canola oil; 1 tablespoon organic maple syrup; 1 teaspoon water; 1 garlic clove, crushed

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Whisk up this flavor-packed, Easy Miso Dressing to toss into your favorite salads, or use it as a marinade for your favorite proteins. It’s so much better and fresher than store-bought miso dressings!

A woman's hand holding a spoon over a white bowl of homemade miso dressing with a bowl of greens and a blue napkin in the background on a white board.

Japanese miso dressing is traditionally tossed into salads. But there are no limits to how you can use this savory, umami dressing! Spoon it over meats and seafood. Marinate it with shrimp. Drizzle it into a poke bowl. Endless possibilities!

A spoon inserted into a white bowl of homemade miso dressing with a bowl of greens in the background on a white board.

How do you make miso dressing?

This salad dressing is so easy to make — just 6 ingredients. Pulse all of the ingredients in a food processor, or whisk it together by hand. It’s just that easy! You’ll want to use this dressing on other salads, or as a yummy marinade for proteins!

Ingredients for making miso dressing on a white board including rice vinegar, maple syrup, garlic, miso paste, sesame oil, and canola oil.

Just 6 ingredients in this easy miso dressing

Miso paste — I used white miso paste, but you can use yellow as well.
Sesame oil — For it’s nutty aroma and taste.
Rice vinegar — For it’s mild, slightly sweet flavor.
Canola oil — Blends very well with the rice vinegar.
Garlic — Because everything needs garlic!
Organic maple syrup — Adds that extra touch of sweetness to this dressingl

A small food processor with the lid filled with miso dressing that's been puréed.

Pulse all of the ingredients in a mini food processor, or whisk it together by hand. It’s just that easy!

Different types of miso

Miso paste is made with fermented soy beans, rice barley, and wheat. It has a rich taste that’s salty, savory, earthy, and mildly sweet. There are different types of miso paste, but these are the most popular:

White Miso Paste — The smooth flavor of white miso makes it a popular choice in Japan, and is perfect for soups, dressings, and marinades for fish.
Red Miso Paste — The flavor of red miso paste is more intense yet perfect for hearty soups and marinades for meat and poultry.
Yellow Miso Paste — This miso paste has a mild, earthy flavor and is better for general use like as a condiment, in soup, marinades, and glazes.

Serve this miso dressing with:

This vibrant and healthy Lobster Cobb Salad will transport you to the shores of New England! I gave it my Asian twist, of course, with the addition of Japanese miso dressing. The flavor combos in this salad are to die for!

A person pouring miso dressing on top of a vibrant lobster cobb salad with lots of greens.

Tips and tricks

I used white miso paste, but feel free to use yellow or red miso paste as well.
A mini food processor works great for making this dressing creamy, but you can also whisk all of the ingredients in a bowl.
I like to use organic maple syrup in this dressing. You can always substitute the maple syrup with honey.
You can also add in 1/2 teaspoon of fresh grated ginger for a different twist on this dressing!
This miso dressing will last up to a week in a tight container in the fridge. Simply whisk the dressing or shake it in the container before using.

Want more recipes like this?

If you like this Miso Dressing recipe, you’re going to want these miso recipes too!