This creamy vinaigrette combines white miso with lime juice and fragrant toasted sesame oil. The recipe mixes up in one bowl in just 5 minutes. It’s a tangy, sweet dressing that will add an Asian inspiration to almost any salad.
Be sure to check out more of my vinaigrette recipes including my ever-popular creamy mango vinaigrette and Thai inspired vinaigrette and six ingredient sweet onion vinaigrette.
Is Miso Gluten Free?
Traditional miso is a paste made by fermenting soybeans. Rice is often one of the other ingredients but sometimes barley is used instead. Barley is not gluten-free so be sure to look for a miso that is labeled gluten-free if needed. Miso Master Organic Mellow White Miso is my go-to.
There are a few types of miso. You’ll mostly see red and white. White miso is fermented for a shorter time so it is milder in flavor than red. But all miso, including white, packs a punch of tangy umami.
Ingredients
There’s a general rule of thumb for the oil to vinegar ratio in a vinaigrette but the addition of the miso changes that. Since miso has a very strong flavor, it’s important to balance it with other ingredients. It’s super salty so the recipes brings in other flavors in that will balance it.
Rice vinegar and fresh lime juice will help to balance the saltiness and bring a little tang to the vinaigrette.
A sweet element is super important to balancing something very salty. My go-to sweetener for dressing is agave because it incorporates easily. If you prefer a different sweetener, feel free to substitute that in. Brown sugar, maple syrup, white sugar and coconut sugar are all good alternatives.
Miso is a super thick paste and is and is kept refrigerated. So it needs a little help breaking down to incorporate into the liquids. Some warm water will speed the process and also help to tame the strong flavors.
Finally, two oils will be added to this vinaigrette. Toasted sesame oil has a wonderful scent and flavor with a little bit of sweetness. It is an excellent partner to miso. Be sure to use the toasted version. Non-toasted sesame oil has very little flavor. You’ll know it’s toasted when you see the dark amber color.
Then to bring the dressing to a nice texture a little bit of a neutral flavored oil is added as well. Use avocado, sunflower, canola or any neutral flavored vegetable oil.
The Best Way to Mix a Vinaigrette
Since the recipe includes a super thick paste like miso, a blender or immersion blender makes quick work of turning the dressing smooth and creamy. I have even used my smoothie blender with excellent results.
If you don’t have any of these, it can absolutely be done with a wire whisk and a little bit of patience. I tested the recipe both ways and was able to get the dressing equally smooth and creamy.
5-Minute Creamy White Miso Vinaigrette
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Ingredients
- Β½ c white miso
- Β½ c rice vinegar
- 2 Tbsp fresh lime juice
- ο»Ώ2 Tbsp warm water
- Β½ c oil – avocado, sunflower, canola or other neutral flavored vegetable oil
- ο»Ώ3 ο»ΏTbsp agave or other sweetener
- ο»Ώ3 TB toasted sesame oil
Instructions
- This recipe can be mixed using a blender, immersion blender or by hand with a wire whisk.
- Place the miso, rice vinegar, lime juice and warm water in a medium-sized mixing bowl or into your blender.
- Blend on high until smooth. Be sure the miso is completely incorporated. It should be about 10 seconds in the blender.
- Add the oils and agave and whisk thoroughly or blend on high for about 10 seconds more.
- I recommend tasting to make sure it's balanced to your liking. If you prefer it sweeter, add more agave 1 teaspoon at a time. Want it more tart? Add more rice vinegar 1 teaspoon at a time. Is it too sour? Add more sesame oil and or/agave 1 teaspoon at a time.
- This vinaigrette should be refrigerated and will stay fresh for at least 1 week.
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