Name: Creamy Miso Dressing with Maple and Ginger
Prep time: 10 min
Total time: 10 min
Ingredients: 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice; 1 small garlic clove, (grated); 1 teaspoon grated ginger; 2 tablespoons white miso paste; 2 tablespoons maple syrup; 1 tablespoon low-sodium tamari ((gluten free, if needed)); 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil; 1/8 teaspoon gochugaru ((Korean red pepper flakes), Aleppo pepper or crushed red pepper flakes); 1/2 cup mayonnaise ((regular or vegan))

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This creamy miso dressing is way more than a dressing-it's a meal revolutionizer. The dressing has an umami backbone from white miso, sweetness from maple syrup, and a punch of flavor from ginger and garlic. It's whisked together in less than 10 minutes with no cooking at all. It's a creamy (vegan friendly) dressing rather than a thin vinaigrette, so it clings to shredded cabbage and lettuce instead of sliding to the bottom of the bowl.

A mixing bowl filled with miso dressing combined with a whisk.

Table of Contents

What Makes This Miso Dressing Work

Sometimes it's the simplest recipes that change the most about how you cook, like this miso dressing. This is one of those powerhouse back-pocket staples - the kind of thing you make once and then find yourself reaching for all week.

The dressing is incredibly versatile, and it's an easy way to turn a simple meal into something pretty damn spectacular. My favorite part is that it just takes minutes to make. Toss it with salads, slaws and noodles; drizzle it over grilled vegetables and grain bowls; or serve it with cooked fish or grilled miso chicken.

Nicki's Tip: The recipe itself is super simple, but the order matters. Dissolving the miso into the lime juice first prevents stubborn little pockets of miso from forming. The mayonnaise goes in last, ensuring a smooth texture. You can make it right in the bowl or jar you plan to store it in. No need for a blender or food processor - nothing to wash but a whisk!

Ingredient Notes

A few notes about the ingredients (check the recipe card below for a printable version with ingredients and measurements):

White miso paste. Miso is fermented soybean paste, and white (or shiro) miso is the mildest and gentlest of the bunch, but is still rich in umami flavor. It's doing all the seasoning work in this recipe, which is why there's no added salt. Quick note: be sure to buy miso from the refrigerated section of the supermarket. It's fermented, meaning it's filled with probiotics, which are nutritious and lend flavor. Shelf-stable brands have been pasteurized, which kills off the probiotics and mutes the flavor.
Tamari. Tamari makes this dressing gluten free. I recommend low-sodium here since the miso is already bringing plenty of salt.
Toasted sesame oil. Not the same thing as plain sesame oil. Toasted is dark and nutty and brings a different flavor.
Mayonnaise. This is what makes the dressing creamy instead of a thin miso vinaigrette, and it's why it clings to shredded cabbage and lettuce instead of sliding to the bottom of the bowl. Regular or vegan both work.

A salad tossed with miso salad dressing.

Recipe Variations

Miso ginger dressing. There's a full teaspoon of grated fresh ginger in the base recipe, so it's front and center here. Want it gingery-er? Grate in more and taste as you go.
Make it spicier. More gochugaru can be added if you want more heat. If you don't have it, Aleppo pepper or crushed red pepper flakes both work as good swaps.
Make it vegan. Use vegan mayonnaise. The maple syrup is already vegan, so no need to change anything else.

My chili lime dressing is another one I reach for all the time. It's another good option if you're not in a miso mood.

How to Make Miso Dressing

Step 1: Start with the lime juice, garlic and ginger. Combine them in a jar or bowl. If you have the time, let this sit for 5 to 10 minutes to infuse - the garlic and ginger soften their edges and lend their flavor to the juice.

Step 2: Whisk in the miso paste, maple syrup, tamari, toasted sesame oil and gochugaru. Keep whisking until there isn't a single lump of miso left and the mixture looks glossy and combined. This is the step that decides whether your dressing is silky or grainy, so give it an extra few seconds.

Step 3: Add the mayonnaise and whisk until smooth. It'll go from streaky to pale and creamy and pourable. Taste it, and adjust seasonings as you wish.

How to Fix a Miso Dressing That Tastes Off

A super important note here: a dressing recipe is a ratio, and a ratio has to bend to the miso you actually bought. Two tubs both labeled white miso can be quite different in salt, which is why the same recipe can taste just right in one kitchen and off in another.
So taste before you serve, and correct it with these tips:

Too salty or too sharp? Add a little more maple syrup or water.
Not enough miso flavor? Add a little more miso paste.
Too thick to drizzle? Thin it out with water until it pours the way you want.

Trust me, this one-minute taste-and-adjust will make this a dressing you keep making.

Grilled chicken marinated with creamy miso dressing.

Ways to Use It

Here are some of my favorite ways to use this miso dressing:

Drizzle it over platters of roasted or grilled vegetables. I love it on grilled eggplant, summer squash and zucchini, showered with chopped scallions, basil, mint and sesame seeds.
Toss it with slaws and salads. A good one: lettuce, cucumbers, red bell peppers, julienned carrots, snap peas and avocado, finished with mint and peanuts. You could even just toss it with a bag of slaw mix! It's also a great way to dress up a broccoli crunch salad when you want something with more crunch than a soft green salad.
Drizzle it over fish, chicken and grain bowls. I serve it over roasted salmon bowls with easy sushi rice, grilled vegetables and cucumbers.
Toss it with cooked soba noodles or spaghetti for a cold pasta salad. If you're already a fan of my peanut soba noodle salad, this has similar vibes
Drizzle it over shredded rotisserie chicken with scallions, cilantro, and finely diced red bell pepper, for a miso chicken salad.
Use it as a marinade on this grilled miso chicken (SO good).

A bowl of miso dressing with a whisk resting on the side.

Recipe Tips

Grate, don't mince, the garlic and ginger. Grated disperses through the dressing instead of clumping into bites of raw garlic.
Garnish generously. Scallions and tender herbs - mint, cilantro, basil - all go well with the dressing.
Don't waste the rest of the tub. Leftover miso paste is very happy in this miso glazed salmon.
Do Ahead: The dressing can be refrigerated for up to 1 week in an airtight container or sealed jar.

P.S. More Asian-Inspired Recipes:

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