Japanese salad dressing (Wafu Dressing) over the iceberg salad.

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Today, I’m sharing a reader recipe request for my Japanese salad dressing called Wafu Dressing. Wafu (和風) means Japanese-style. You might have heard another Japanese food term that starts with “wa” and that is wagyu (和牛), which means Japanese beef. Washoku (和食) means a Japanese meal and wagashi (和菓子) means a Japanese confectionery.

Japanese salad dressing (Wafu Dressing) over the iceberg salad.

What is Wafu Dressing?

Generally, wafu dressing (和風ドレッシング) is a Japanese-style salad dressing made with vegetable oil, rice vinegar, and soy sauce. Japanese home cooks each have their own recipe for it. I add grated onion to my version to make it extra flavorful.

I drizzle this vinaigrette on a simple wafu salad of hand-torn iceberg lettuce topped with tomatoes, boiled egg, wakame (seaweed), cucumbers, and red radishes. You also could try it on any cooked or raw salad, a noodle salad with soba noodles, or your favorite mix of lettuces.

There are so many kinds of wafu dressing choices available in Japanese supermarkets. In my opinion, dressing made from scratch is superior because it has no MSG or preservatives. Also, I love that you can adjust the taste as you wish. The ingredients and condiments are very typical for a Japanese kitchen, so I hope you will give this recipe a try!

Japanese salad dressing (Wafu Dressing) over the iceberg salad.

Ingredients You’ll Need

This Japanese dressing comes together in just 10 minutes. Simply combine the ingredients in a bowl or mason jar and whisk:

  • grated onion — my special ingredient for extra flavor!
  • neutral oil — for a variation, you can replace with olive oil or your favorite type; replace some of it with sesame oil to make Chinese-style dressing called chuka dressing (中華ドレッシング)
  • Japanese soy sauce
  • Japanese rice vinegar (unseasoned)
  • sugar — I use granulated sugar; feel free to experiment with other sweeteners like brown sugar
  • freshly ground black pepper
  • toasted white sesame seeds

This versatile salad dressing keeps for 7–10 days in the refrigerator. Make a big batch in a blender and use it in your menu throughout the week!

4 Japanese salad dressings in mason jars.

More Homemade Salad Dressings You’ll Love

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Wafu Dressing (Japanese Salad Dressing)

4.60 from 181 votes
by Namiko Hirasawa Chen
A salad with lettuce, cherry tomatoes, radish, cucumber, carrots, and boiled egg slices is served on an oval plate, accompanied by wafu dressing in the background.
Make authentic Japanese-style Wafu Dressing at home in just 5 minutes! This savory-tangy soy sauce vinaigrette combines fresh grated onion, rice vinegar, and toasted sesame seeds for a bright, versatile dressing that elevates salads, grilled meats, and vegetables.
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Prep: 5 minutes
Total: 5 minutes

Ingredients 
 

Servings: 3 (1 batch is 100 ml)

Instructions

  • Gather all the ingredients.
    Six small bowls with oil, soy sauce, pepper, sesame oil, sugar, and sesame seeds are arranged on a wooden surface, alongside half a yellow onion.
  • Grate ¼ yellow onion using a ceramic daikon grater until you get 1 Tbsp.
    A hand grates an onion into a ceramic container, creating a pile of grated onion perfect for making wafu dressing, and then a spoon scoops some of it out.
  • Add 1 Tbsp grated onion, 3 Tbsp soy sauce, 3 Tbsp rice vinegar (unseasoned), 1 Tbsp sugar, ⅛ tsp freshly ground black pepper, 1 tsp toasted white sesame seeds, and 3 Tbsp neutral oil to a mason jar or a mixing bowl.
    Three images show hands preparing wafu dressing by adding liquid and granulated ingredients into a glass jar on a wooden surface. The steps progress from pouring liquids to adding a white powder and another liquid, illustrating the process of making this flavorful Japanese-style sauce or marinade.
  • Put the lid on and shake the jar vigorously (or whisk the ingredients in the bowl) for 10 seconds until fully emulsified with no visible oil separation.
    Two images show hands holding and shaking a glass jar with a white lid, filled with a reddish-brown wafu dressing, over a wooden surface.

To Serve

  • Shake the jar (or whisk) before each use since the oil rises as it sits. Drizzle over a leafy green salad. I put together green leaf lettuce, halved cherry tomatoes, shredded carrots, sliced cucumber, red radish slices, and boiled egg.
    A colorful salad with leafy greens, cherry tomatoes, sliced cucumbers, carrots, and boiled egg pieces on a patterned plate is served with wafu dressing, with salad tongs on a rustic wooden table.

To Store

  • Keep the dressing in an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for 7–10 days.

Notes

Raw onion: If you don’t like the taste of raw onion, you can microwave the grated onion (or sauté on the stove) to remove the sharp, stinging bite and give it a rounded flavor.
Neutral oil: Use lightweight, neutral oils such as canola, safflower, refined grapeseed, or refined avocado oil. Refined or light olive oil (without olive flavor) also works. Avoid thick-flowing oils like extra virgin olive oil or vegetable oil blends. 
Rice vinegar: Champaign vinegar makes a great subsititude. Avoid distilled white vinegar or white wine vinegar, as their higher acidity can be too harsh.

Nutrition

Calories: 159kcal, Carbohydrates: 6g, Protein: 2g, Fat: 14g, Saturated Fat: 2g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 8g, Monounsaturated Fat: 3g, Trans Fat: 1g, Sodium: 961mg, Potassium: 8mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 4g, Vitamin A: 1IU, Vitamin C: 1mg, Calcium: 8mg, Iron: 1mg

The nutrition facts shown are generated by an online calculator and are estimates only. Please consult a professional nutritionist for specific dietary needs.

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Update: The post was originally published on October 14, 2011. The photos are updated in November 2013.