Easy 5-Minute Sesame Dressing

This 5-minute sesame dressing comes together with just 7 simple ingredients and one bowl! It’s nutty, tangy, a touch sweet, and about to become your new go-to for every salad in your rotation.

The little black dress(ing) of your salad rotation.

Friends. This is the dressing I make on repeat. It’s the one I whisk together almost every Sunday afternoon and reach for all week long. Drizzled over hearty grain salads, tossed with crunchy slaws, or spooned over roasted veggies straight off the sheet pan. It’s nutty and toasty from the sesame oil, bright and tangy from the rice vinegar, with just enough sweetness to bring it all together.

• It could not be easier. 7 ingredients, 5 minutes, 1 bowl, and a whisk – and you’re done! No blender to wash and no fancy techniques.
• It tastes like takeout in the best way. That toasted sesame flavor is rich and nutty, the seasoned rice vinegar brings the tang, and a little sugar rounds everything out. It makes even the most humble bowl of greens taste like something special.

Here’s what you’ll need.

Here’s how it all comes together.

MAKE DRESSING. Add olive oil, seasoned rice vinegar, toasted sesame oil, sugar, grated garlic, and a couple large pinches of salt and pepper to a medium bowl. Whisk until well combined.

SERVE + ENJOY. Serve with your favorite salad! I recommend my kale, quinoa, + chickpea salad with crispy ramen topping if you’re looking for something hearty and delicious.

Things I learned while testing this recipe.

• Seasoned rice vinegar adds way more flavor than regular rice vinegar. It’s already got a little sugar and salt in it, which does half the seasoning work for you. If you only have unseasoned rice vinegar, add an extra teaspoon or so of sugar and an extra pinch of salt, then adjust to taste.
• Grate the garlic instead of mincing it. A microplane turns it into a paste that melts right into the dressing, so you get garlic flavor in every bite without biting into a raw chunk.
• Don’t skip tasting at the end! Depending on your rice vinegar and how big your “large pinches” are, you may want a touch more salt or sugar to balance things out.

Whisk it now, thank yourself all week.

• This dressing is basically made for meal prep.
• Whisk up a batch on Sunday, and it’ll keep happily in the fridge all week.
• Just give it a good shake or whisk before each use, since the oil and vinegar will naturally separate as it sits.

Here’s what I’d serve with this.

• sesame kale + quinoa salad
• easy grilled halloumi salad
• sesame chicken pasta salad
• beet + feta salad
• the best house salad recipe

Just in case you have leftovers.

• Transfer leftover dressing to an airtight container or jar and store in the fridge for up to 1 week.
• The olive oil may solidify a bit when chilled. Just let it sit out at room temp for 10-15 minutes.
• Season to taste with salt and pepper. Shake or whisk well before serving.

More easy salad recipes for your eating pleasure.