Sesame-Ginger Sauce

This zesty sesame-ginger sauce is a versatile Asian-inspired flavor-boost that you need to make. Not only does it take just a few minutes to blend up but you can also use it as a salad dressing, dipping sauce, or a quick marinade!

If you’ve been around the blog for some time you know I’m ‘all about a sauce’. Adding sauces/dressings is an easy way to liven up your weekly meal prep/lunch/dinner routine! This sesame-ginger sauce is just one more sauce you need to add to your kitchen repertoire. It’s not only savory and refreshing – that ginger gives it some kick – but also able to transform a simple dish into a simply irresistible meal!

The ‘heat and eat’ theme is still in full effect: meal prep a few items on the weekends, then literally ‘heat and eat’ dinner when I get home after a long commute and day of work. From burrata pasta to easy taco salad to deconstructed salmon sushi bowls, these dishes not only taste great the 2nd day but also involve a ‘sauce’ that takes your meal from good to great! This sesame-ginger sauce can work as a marinade, salad dressing, dipping sauce, or even simply as a sauce to drizzle over your grain bowl. Seriously it doesn’t get any better (or simpler) than this!

Sesame-Ginger Sauce Ingredients

This sesame-ginger sauce is easy to love. Made with 8 basic ingredients, most that you’ll have on hand, feel free to double or triple and freeze any extra!

• Toasted sesame oil – It makes this sesame dressing rich, bold, and nutty. I used 3 tablespoons and while it might seem more ‘oily’, this helps if you are marinating. Feel free to use a tablespoon less if using as a dressing and/or dipping sauce.
• Rice vinegar – Provides tang and helps the oil mesh with the vinegar.
• Tamari or soy sauce – This gives the sauce that savory flavor. Use tamari if you need the dressing to be gluten-free!
• Fresh ginger – Gives that kick! Might be immune to how much ginger I add to dishes. Feel free to use a tad less (or more) to your liking.
• Garlic – also a little kick that it gives. With just one clove, again, you’ll barely be able to notice. However, it does pair nicely with ginger, so try not to leave it out.
• Honey – Just a teaspoon, this helps to balance the salt from the soy sauce and the tang from the vinegar.
• Red Pepper Flakes– Adds a little bit of heat. With just 1/4 teaspoon, you won’t be able to notice any ‘spice’. However, if you do prefer more heat, add more.
• Green Onions – are more mild than other onion varieties and will more flavor to this sauce.

How To Make Sesame-Ginger Sauce

• Combine all the ingredients in a jar.
• Blend with an immersion blender until smooth, shake vigorously until emulsified (in that moment), and/or whisk well with a hand mixer or milk frother.
• Spoon on all the things.

How to Use Sesame-Ginger Sauce

As mentioned, this sesame-ginger sauce is a super easy way to amp up the flavor to any salad or grain bowl! Most recently used to make a noodle bowl with my Air Fried Tofu, but also added to cabbage to simply make a a quick-to-eat ‘salad’ with my meals this week.

• Salmon Sushi Bowls
• Hoisin Shrimp
• Salad in a Jar – I used the sesame-ginger sauce at the bottom of the jar, added a pre-packaged marinated tofu, edamame for my protein, shredded carrots, raw mushrooms, and the cabbage/slaw mix for the ‘greens’/salad. Will need to add this to the blog for an alternative version of my salad in a jar!

Alternatively, if you have any sauce leftover, use it as a dipping sauce, or drizzle it over cooked/roasted veggies. I love it on roasted broccoli, roasted asparagus, sauteed kale, and roasted green beans. Even better? Freeze the extra (without the green onions) to have for an even quicker weeknight meal ‘heat and eat’!

More Favorite Dressings and Sauces

If you love this sesame-ginger sauce, try one of these delicious dressings or sauces next for a quick ‘heat and eat’ meal idea:

• Easy Homemade Pesto
• Chimichurri
• Easy Lemon Vinaigrette

Print