Sesame Miso Dressing Two Ways
Recipe adapted from Sylvia Fountaine of Feasting at Home
www.feastingathome.com/mushroom-rice-bowl-recipe/
This sauce is super versatile, delicious on everything from Buddha bowls to spring rolls, and brimming with health benefits. Garlic and ginger provide antioxidants and prebiotic fiber, walnuts add Omega-3 fats for brain and heart health, the miso is anti-inflammatory and contributes beneficial probiotics, and the lime juice provides vitamin C, which increases non-heme iron absorption. I just love it when something so scrumptious increases the nutritional density of a meal.
I have provided two versions of this dressing for you to try. While the first recipe packs a bigger sesame punch from all the delicious sesame oil, it is fairly high in calories. For those of you who are oil-free or simply watching your waistline, I have included a second version that is made without oil and which has much lower caloric density. It is still delicious, and it contains even more nutrients, as it is made with two additional whole plant foods. Both versions are totally yummy.
Special Equipment Needed for Both Dressings: High-Speed Blender
Original Sesame Miso Dressing
Ingredients:
1/2 cup raw walnut pieces
4 tablespoons miso paste
(Mild white or yellow miso have the most mellow flavor.)1 clove garlic, peeled
3-4 tablespoons of ginger, freshly grated
(Freezing the ginger beforehand will make grating it much easier.)5 tablespoons sesame oil
6 tablespoons rice vinegar
4 tablespoons maple syrup
5 tablespoons tamari
The juice of one lime (or more)
1/2 teaspoon salt
Instructions:
Place all ingredients into the container of a high-speed blender.
Blend on medium-high until smooth and creamy.
If needed, add water a tablespoon at time until the sauce is at your desired consistency. A thinner sauce is terrific for salad dressing or on spring rolls. A thicker sauce is great as a dip for crudités.
Taste and adjust your seasonings, adding more lime juice or maple syrup, as desired.
Oil-Free Sesame Miso Dressing
Ingredients:
4 tablespoons white sesame seeds, lightly toasted
1/2 cup raw walnut pieces
4 tablespoons miso paste
(Mild white or yellow miso have the most mellow flavor.)1 clove garlic, peeled
3-4 tablespoons of ginger, freshly grated
(Freezing the ginger beforehand will make grating it much easier.)1/2 a sweet apple, such as a Fuji or Honeycrisp, cored and sliced, with peeling left on
6 tablespoons rice vinegar
5 tablespoons tamari
The juice of one lime (or more)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon maple syrup (Optional)
Instructions:
Lightly toast the sesame seeds over medium heat until they are nicely browned. Watch them carefully or they will burn.
Add the toasted sesame seeds first and then all remaining ingredients into the container of a high-speed blender. Having the sesame seeds at the bottom helps to ensure that they blend well and don't just stick to the side of the blender container.
Blend on medium-high until smooth and creamy.
If needed, add water a tablespoon at time until the sauce is at your desired consistency.
Taste and adjust your seasonings, adding more lime juice for additional acidity or the optional maple syrup for added sweetness.
Yield:
Both versions of this recipe make a large quantity of sauce (approximately 1.5 cups, depending on how much water is added). This is enough for a big party salad or for use at multiple meals. These sauces are so versatile and delicious that you will likely want a large quantity. However, the recipes are easily halved, if this seems like too much for your needs. If refrigerated, the sauces hold well for three days. They will separate, but just give them a shake before using.
These sesame miso dressings are perfect on anything Asian-inspired. This flavor combination is my favorite for my daily nourish bowl, which typically includes a whole grain (like the Thai purple rice shown here), edamame or tofu, a leafy green like spinach, a ton of veg, a sprinkle of seeds, mango or apple, and pickled onions.
Instead of reaching for store-bought dressings that often contain emulsifiers, preservatives, and added chemicals, why not quickly whip up a sauce that will actually improve the nutrient density of your meal? These sesame miso dressings are bursting with flavor, all while providing a huge nutritional boost for your brain and microbiome.
Wishing you excellent health and happy eating!
🌱💕
Sending out a big thank you to Sylvia Fountaine at Feasting at Home for her beautiful whole food recipe inspiration. If you aren’t familiar with Feasting at Home, I encourage you to check out her gorgeous recipe collection. www.feastingathome.com
References:
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9773837/
www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmicb.2020.576061/full
www.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/fsn3.3029#:~:text=Among%20different%20fermented%20products%2C%20miso,well%20as%20its%20nutritional%20properties.