Ingredients You’ll Need
- Olive Oil: Use extra virgin olive oil as a base for the miso vinaigrette.
- Rice Vinegar: Balance the oil with vibrant organic rice vinegar. You can also use white vinegar, apple cider vinegar, or red wine vinegar.
- Lemons: Use the juice from two fresh lemons.
- White Miso Paste: White miso paste is a fermented soybean paste that adds richness and gives the miso dressing its signature savory flavor and a hint of sweetness.
- Garlic: I suggest using three fresh garlic cloves, but measure with your heart.
- Spices: Add dried oregano, salt, and black pepper to keep it simple.
- Nutritional Yeast: Nutritional yeast is an inactive yeast made from molasses. And because it’s a complete protein, it leaves you feeling full for much longer, making it a perfect ingredient for an everyday salad dressing.
Additions and Substitutions
- Feel free to add honey, maple syrup, or agave nectar to give the miso salad dressing a little sweetness.
- Replace the nutritional yeast with grated parmesan, though it will change the flavor a little bit.
- Include finely minced fresh ginger, green onions, or shallots.
- Add toasted sesame seeds.
Tools Used to Make This Recipe
You will need a sharp knife, a mixing bowl, and a whisk to make this recipe. However, if you prefer a smoother vinaigrette, add the dressing ingredients to a small blender or food processor.
How to Make Miso Vinaigrette
The full recipe with measurements is in the recipe card below.
Step 1: Peel, cut, and finely mince the fresh garlic. Transfer it to an airtight container or small bowl.
Step 2: Add the lemon juice, white miso paste, rice vinegar, dried oregano, kosher salt, black pepper, and nutritional yeast to the garlic, and whisk to combine.
Step 3: Slowly pour in the olive oil while whisking the ingredients together to emulsify.
If you enjoy this miso vinaigrette recipe, serve it with one of these salad favorites!
Serving Suggestions
Skip the store-bought dressings and use this simple miso vinaigrette recipe to dress everything from a basic green salad to a chopped cabbage salad or crispy kale salad. Spoon the dressing over grain bowls, sweet potatoes, and fresh vegetables.
What to do with the Leftovers
- Refrigerate – Store the leftover dressing in the container for one week.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the different types of miso paste?
Shiro Miso (White Miso): White miso offers a mild and slightly sweet umami flavor, making it a perfect choice for dressing.
Aka Miso (Red Miso): Red miso ferments for longer, resulting in a deeper flavor. While you can use it in a dressing if that is what you have, I recommend trying Awase miso (mixed miso) – a combination of white and red miso for a more balanced flavor.
Genmai Miso (Brown Rice Miso): Brown rice miso is a great option for dressings with a more nutty flavor profile.
Where can I find nutritional yeast?
You can find nutritional yeast, or “nooch” as it’s often referred to, in health food stores, but it’s available in mainstream grocery stores.
What are the three most important elements of a salad dressing?
Every good salad dressing has three main components – oil, acid, and something sweet or rich to bring it all together. I use olive oil as the base and rely on freshly squeezed lemon juice and rice vinegar for acidity. Nutritional yeast and miso provide a richness that completes the homemade salad dressing.
More Homemade Salad Dressings:
Miso Vinaigrette
- Airtight Container or Small Bowl
- Whisk
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- lemon juice, 2 lemons
- 2 tablespoons white miso paste
- ⅓ cup rice vinegar
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper, coarse ground
- ½ cup nutritional yeast
- ¼ cup olive oil
- Peel, cut, and finely mince the fresh garlic. Transfer it to an airtight container or small bowl.
- Add the lemon juice, white miso paste, rice vinegar, dried oregano, kosher salt, black pepper, and nutritional yeast to the garlic, and whisk to combine.
- Slowly pour in the olive oil while whisking the ingredients together to emulsify.
- The nutritional information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for professional advice.
Natalie
Friday 18th of August 2023
I’m Always looking for a good homemade salad dressing recipe! This sounds delicious and so simple. Can’t wait to try it!
Tressa Jamil
Friday 18th of August 2023
There was a period of time where I ate this dressing with our vegetable chopped salad everyday for a month straight.