Made with freshly grated ginger, this sweet and tangy Ginger Dressing adds lively flavor to all your favorite salads. The recipe is a family favorite, from my grandma’s kitchen, and I know you’re going to love it too!
My Grandma Renelt’s fresh Ginger Dressing has been passed around our family table for decades. I like to drizzle it over my salads any time of year – its light body and bright flavor are so nice for spring and summer, and that zippy ginger flavor makes apples, pears, and other fall and winter salad ingredients pop. (Try it with my Winter Apple Salad!)
Why This Ginger Dressing Is My Family Tradition
Growing up, I always loved my grandma’s homemade ginger dressing. And when I asked her for the recipe when I was all grown up, she laughed that vivacious laugh of hers and replied, “Recipe?! I don’t have a recipe!” So I asked if we could make it together, so I could take note of ingredients and measurements – and of course, she loved that. Here’s why this beloved recipe is a favorite around here:
- Fresh ginger for awesome flavor. Fresh ginger is pungent and warm and zippy, and it makes this homemade dressing sing.
- A multitasker. This ginger dressing lends itself well to Asian-inspired salads, but it’s also quite good with salads that include fruit. You can use it as a dipping sauce for Wonton Chips too!
- Easy to make. Regular readers know that I am a firm believer in making your own salad dressing. It’s easy to do and tastes so good – the results are so worth it. (Need more evidence? See my Balsamic Vinaigrette and Greek Salad Dressing!)
What You’ll Need
Aside from the ginger, everything you’ll need is a pantry staple. Scroll down to the printable recipe card to find the exact ingredient quantities and full recipe instructions.
- Extra-virgin olive oil – EVOO is more flavorful than the olive oil you use for cooking.
- Rice vinegar – Use plain rice vinegar, not “seasoned”, which has additional flavorings.
- Honey – Grandma always used sugar, but I think she’d agree that the honey adds a nice sweetness, along with a little body.
- Dijon mustard – This adds depth to the dressing.
- Fresh ginger – Use a microplane zester to grate it very finely so it’s evenly distributed throughout the dressing.
- Sea salt – I use fine sea salt.
- Black pepper – Fresh, finely ground black pepper is best.
How to Make Ginger Dressing
Making this ginger dressing is a cinch! Here’s what you’ll need to do.
- Combine. Add all the ingredients to a jar or bowl.
- Mix. Seal the jar and shake until the dressing emulsifies, or use a whisk to combine.
- Use. You can use the dressing right away or refrigerate it in the jar for later.
Tips & Variations
Here are a few more notes on this ginger dressing.
- Make it extra gingery. I often add more ginger when I make this dressing, because I love its spicy zing. I enjoy it full-throttle! But the recipe I’m sharing below is how I most commonly make it, as I know most people don’t appreciate that much ginger.
- Give it some more warmth. And if you really love the kick of ginger, you can add a small pinch of cayenne to add some extra heat. It helps emphasize that gingery warmth.
- Use an immersion blender for the smoothest dressing. If you want a very smooth dressing, where the grated ginger is completely blended in, use an immersion blender. This also makes the dressing slightly thicker.
My Favorite Ways to Use This Ginger Dressing
I often make a simple Asian-inspired salad to accompany dishes like Coconut Beef Satay or Yaki Udon. I combine fresh greens, shredded carrots, and edamame in individual salad bowls and serve the dressing on the side.
For a heartier salad, add fresh greens, herbs, and tomatoes to a salad bowl, then top it with sliced chicken breast or Grilled Salmon.
You can also swap this ginger dressing for the dressings in my Strawberry Salad or Grilled Peach Salad.
How to Store
Refrigerate this ginger dressing in a jar or other airtight container for up to 10 days. Shake before using or, if the oil solidifies, let the jar sit on the counter until the oil liquifies, then shake and use.
More Homemade Salad Dressings
Ginger Dressing
Ingredients
- ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- ¼ cup plain rice vinegar (not "seasoned")
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon finely grated, loosely packed, fresh ginger (Use a microplane zester to grate very finely.)
- ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
- ⅛ teaspoon finely ground black pepper
Instructions
- Combine all ingredients in a pint jar and shake vigorously to combine and emulsify. (If you like a perfectly smooth and blended dressing, use an immersion blender to quickly blitz everything together.)
- Store in a pint jar in the refrigerator for up to 10 days. Shake vigorously before each use. If the oil solidifies in the fridge, place the jar on the counter 20-25 minutes prior to serving, then shake to combine.
Notes
Nutrition Information:
While I was growing up, our family traveled to stay with my Grandma and Grandpa Renelt in Florida several times over the years, and those visits produced loads and loads of happy memories for me.
Grandma definitely knew her way around every corner of the kitchen, but I especially loved our Florida breakfasts together where she treated us to fresh-squeezed orange juice. And not the “fresh-squeezed” kind from the store. No, Grandma squeezed every one of those sweet Florida oranges with her own two hands, no electric gizmos involved. I think that must be how you know someone loves you.
This post was originally published in 2012, then updated in 2025.
I love the fresh taste of ginger. This dressing looks divine, nice and simple to make too. I’ll have to try it. It looks perfect for a crisp green salad.
We enjoyed your dressing at the lake tonight with Mom and Dad! It is always so good!
Anything ginger is a yes for me. I will try this one out. Thanks for sharing..
Aw, appreciate the love in this one. I’ll always keep the recipes my Grandma wrote out for me on index cards in her Palmer Script handwriting. Miss her.
I got to enjoy the ginger dressing at Mom’s this weekend. YUMMY!!!
Yay! It’s just so good. I even got the girls eating it this spring – they love it now, too!
Love this ginger vinaigrette…so delicious and pairs so well with the salad.
Brenda I love the picture of your grandma…she just looks like she is a fun gal! This salad dressing sounds divine, I am definitely adding it to my list of salad dressing! Thanks again for linking up!