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    You are Here: Masala Herb » Recipes » Asian

    Japanese Wafu Dressing Recipe

    Published: Jul 28, 2021 · Modified: Oct 24, 2022 by Helene Dsouza

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    Helene Dsouza
    Wafu dressing with soy sauce, vinegar, sesame, onion and tangy deep flavors.
    Total Time: 15 minutes
    Prep Time: 10 minutes
    Cook Time: 5 minutes
    5 servings
    4.50 from 2 votes
    Jump to Recipe
    onion wafu dressing
    Japanese dressing in a bottle
    Japanese Wafu Dressing close up

    Japanese wafu dressing with onions to serve with your salad, fish or steak.

    Japanese Wafu Dressing Recipe cover picture
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    Jump to:
    • 📕 What is it?
    • 🧅 Ingredients
    • 🔪 How to make it?
    • 🍴 Serving
    • 🍱 Storing
    • 💭 FAQs
    • 📖 Recipe

    📕 What is it?

    Wa-fu means Japanese dressing and is a common vinaigrette-like sauce in Japan.

    People usually buy it ready-made in stores in Japan but it can also made from scratch at home because it includes common pantry ingredients.

    This particular wafu dressing was my food experts', Momokos', recommendation, as it includes onions.

    It's one of many wafu dressing variations enjoyed all over Japan.

    onion wafu salad dressing

    🧅 Ingredients

    The base ingredients for a wafu dressings include soy sauce, sesame (called goma), and vinegar.

    Yet, this particular wafu dressing includes some more ingredients to bring out all the flavors besides salty and umami.

    • soy sauce - kikkoman basic soy sauce
    • onion - white onion or purple or bulbs of green onions.
    • vinegar - as in rice vinegar or distilled vinegar
    • sesame oil - or olive oil as alternative
    • mirin - which is a sweet sake (japanese alcohol) and sugar mixture. We create a mirin variation by combining vodka and sugar
    • lime juice - you can use lemonn or yuzu too

    🔪 How to make it?

    Here is an overview on how to make this from scratch. The US and metric measurements are in the recipe card further below.

    Step 1

    Dice and mince onion.

    Heat up vodka with brown sugar and cook onion in that until completely reduced.

    mince onion and cook in vodka sugar

    Step 2

    Combine soy sauce, sesame oil, vinegar, lime juice and onion.

    combine wafu ingredients

    Step 3

    Pour wafu dressing into a small bottle, close, and shake it.

    Use as per your needs or store.

    shake dressing

    🍴 Serving

    I love it simple with a plain chopped napa cabbage salad (switch the dressing in my Japanese salad).

    Yet, the dressing is quite versatile and can be used on other things but raw vegetables.

    You can serve it up with a cooked fish dish or your favorite steak.

    Just think how you would use a french dressing and you can pretty much use this dressing the same way.

    For example, I like to drop some dressing into an avocado half. It's a healthy and delicious appetizer!

    japanese wafu dressing over salad greens

    🍱 Storing

    I like to prepare the wafu dressing in a simple small glass bottle, like the one in the picture and video, because that way I just need to close the lid and shake it.

    The dressing can be easily stored in the fridge and you just need to shake it in the bottle before using it over your food.

    It's that simple!

    That way your Japanese soy sauce dressing will be good for at least 10 days, cooled in the fridge.

    💭 FAQs

    How to make a simple mirin alternative?

    Combine plain vodka with sugar and you have a wonderful mirin alternative. If you have sake, use that instead of vodka.

    Can I make this without onion?

    Yes you can skip the onion in this recipe if you prefer.

    Japanese Wafu Dressing Recipe pin image
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    📖 Recipe

    onion wafu dressing

    Japanese Wafu Dressing Recipe

    Wafu dressing with soy sauce, vinegar, sesame, onion and tangy deep flavors.
    4.50 from 2 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Condiment, Salad
    Cuisine: Asian, Japanese
    Diet: Low Calorie, Low Lactose, Vegan, Vegetarian
    how to make wafu dressing, wafu dressing
    Prep Time: 10 minutes
    Cook Time: 5 minutes
    Total Time: 15 minutes
    Servings: 5 servings
    Calories: 120kcal
    Recipe by: Helene Dsouza

    Ingredients

    • 1 medium Onion
    • 3 Tablespoon Soy Sauce
    • 3 Tablespoon Sesame Oil or Olive Oil
    • 1½ Tablespoon Vinegar rice or distilled
    • 3 Tablespoon Vodka or Sake
    • 1 Tablespoon Brown Sugar
    • 3 Teaspoon Lime Juice

    Instructions

    • Cut onion into two and dice it. Mince onion pieces.
      1 medium Onion
    • Heat up a pot over a slow heat setting and pour in vodka and brown sugar.
      3 Tablespoon Vodka, 1 Tablespoon Brown Sugar
    • Stir the minced onion into the vodka brown sugar. Cook down slowly until no liquids are left and the onions have softened.
      1 medium Onion
    • In a jar, pour in soy sauce, sesame oil, vinegar, and lime juice. Also str in the cooked onion.
      3 Tablespoon Soy Sauce, 3 Tablespoon Sesame Oil, 3 Teaspoon Lime Juice, 1½ Tablespoon Vinegar
    • Combine the dressing ingredients.
    • Pour dressing into a small bottle and close with a lid.
    • Shake dressing bottle, that way your dressing will be well combined.
    • Store or use straightaway.

    Notes

    • 3 teaspoon Lime juice = about ½ Lime

    Equipment

    • Salad shaker or smallbottle

    Nutrition

    Nutrition Facts
    Japanese Wafu Dressing Recipe
    Amount Per Serving
    Calories 120 Calories from Fat 72
    % Daily Value*
    Fat 8g12%
    Saturated Fat 1g5%
    Polyunsaturated Fat 4g
    Monounsaturated Fat 3g
    Sodium 322mg13%
    Potassium 56mg2%
    Carbohydrates 5g2%
    Fiber 1g4%
    Sugar 3g3%
    Protein 1g2%
    Vitamin A 2IU0%
    Vitamin C 3mg4%
    Calcium 9mg1%
    Iron 1mg6%
    * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
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