Hey! I'm Des!
Welcome to Life’s Ambrosia where Dinner is served and memories are made. Here you will find over 1000 tried and true recipes for every possible occasion. In the last 10 years, this blog has helped millions of families put dinner on the table and create food memories. Let me help you too.
Sesame Vinaigrette
Quick and easy Sesame Vinaigrette is a great way to add an Asian flavor twist to your salads. Perfect as a marinade too!
Do you know that making your own homemade salad dressing is incredibly easy? Chances are that your pantry or refrigerator has just about everything you need to make a fantastic dressing whether it’s creamy homemade buttermilk ranch dressing or a tangy garlic vinaigrette , the ingredients lists aren’t often long.
This Sesame Vinaigrette is perfect when you want to add drizzle of Asian flavor to your salad. It makes a great marinade too!
Let’s talk about what you’ll need to make it.
Sesame Vinaigrette Ingredients:
- EXTRA VIRGIN OLIVE OIL: I love using olive oil in my salad dressings. And while it isn’t an typical Asian ingredient, it works well here. If you don’t have any you can use a neutral oil like canola or vegetable.
- SESAME OIL: Obviously sesame vinaigrette is going to need sesame oil but a little bit goes a long way which is why I don’t use it as the base for this dressing.
- SOY SAUCE: Will add saltiness and umami flavor.
- TAHINI: Tahini is also not necessarily an Asian ingredient but it packs a ton of sesame flavor and helps make this vinaigrette a bit creamy too.
- HONEY: Adds sweetness.
- SESAME SEEDS: For texture and added nuttiness.
- SEASONED RICE VINEGAR: This vinegar is made with rice vinegar, sugar and salt. It is slightly sweet and adds acidity. The best substitute if you don’t have rice vinegar is apple cider vinegar.
Step by Step Photos and Instructions:
Making this Sesame Vinaigrette could not be easier! Simply combine all of the ingredients together in a bowl and whisk to combine. You can also place everything in a small mason jar and shake until it is emulsified.
Storage and Leftovers:
Keep vinaigrette stored in the refrigerator. Let it come to room temperature and shake before serving.
Looking for more homemade dressings? Try these!
Sweet and tangy Honey Mustard Dressing is great to drizzle over your favorite salad or to use as a dip for chicken and fries.
With just a handful of ingredients you can make this quick and easy Homemade Creamy Caesar Dressing. It’s so good you’ll never buy another bottle again!
This White Balsamic Vinaigrette is sweet and tangy! Use it to dress your favorite tossed salad, arugula salad or as a marinade for chicken.
Note: Originally posted in 2009. Updated in 2025 with a new recipe, new photos and nutrition information.
Sesame Vinaigrette
Ingredients
Ingredients:
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
- 3 teaspoons soy sauce
- 2 teaspoons tahini paste
- 1 teaspoon honey
- 1 teaspoon sesame seeds
Instructions
- Whisk ingredients together in a bowl. Let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes to allow flavors to mingle.
- Whisk once more before serving. Adjust salt and pepper if desired.
Notes
Nutrition
Hey! I'm Des!
Welcome to Life’s Ambrosia where Dinner is served and memories are made. Here you will find over 1000 tried and true recipes for every possible occasion. In the last 10 years, this blog has helped millions of families put dinner on the table and create food memories. Let me help you too.
Linda
January 6, 2011 at 6:47 amI’ve heard you can substitute natural peanut butter for the tahini if you don’t have. Is this true? Thank you
Deseree
January 6, 2011 at 8:41 pmI have never tried that before Linda. I am thinking that some peanut butters might over power it but a natural peanut butter shouldn’t be too much. You could try adding a little unsalted natural peanut butter, I had some experience with that lately and found that it didn’t have too much of a traditional peanut butter flavor. Let me know if you try it. I’d like to know how it turns out.
Kevin
January 6, 2010 at 3:39 amThis is one tasty sounding sesame vinaigrette!
Todd Ross
January 5, 2010 at 6:02 pmMy wife and I are eating this right now. The tahini was a revelation. We’ve been trying to mimic various ginger-soy/sesame/Asian dressings for years and never came close. Tahini was definitely a missing piece of the puzzle. It seems so obvious in hindsight…
We used Yuzu rice vinegar. The citrus notes were interesting but a bit overpowering. Some mandarin juice and slices should take the bite out of the acidity and bitterness in future attempts.
We also added a bit of cane sugar and some unsweetened dried cranberries to help take the edge off the vinegar. Upping the oil ratio might help, too. We’ll let you know how future attempts fare.
Deseree
January 6, 2010 at 6:05 pmTodd- Tahini was a revelation for me too. I was always wondering what gave those Asian dressings then decided that sesame paste might do the trick so I decided to give it a try and bingo! Just the flavor I was looking for. Please keep me posted on your future attempts!
Carolyn Jung
December 30, 2009 at 8:54 amI make something similar but without the tahini. What a great addition! It definitely amps up the sesame taste. Great tip!
VeggieCook
December 30, 2009 at 1:39 amIs it that simple? When I first saw your picture, I was wondering how to do that. Now I will make my first sesame vinaigrette now. Thanks.
patsy
December 29, 2009 at 2:04 pmThis looks like a great alternative to the “usual” options. I love the flavors in this one, and will have to try it soon as I’ll be adding salads to my dinner every night!
Curiouseats
December 29, 2009 at 11:56 amOh, my you are reading my mind! My body can’t wait for the holidays to be over so eating habits go back to normal! Sounds delicious!