Wafu is a classic Japanese style of salad dressing. Consisting of soy sauce, vinegar, oil, sugar, toasted sesame seeds, and grated onion for a sweet and savory flavor. It is mild and goes great with just about any type of salad.
What is Wafu Dressing?
The word Wafu literally translates as “Japanese-style”. And as you might expect with a name like that it’s a pretty popular type of salad dressing throughout Japan.
The standard version of wafu dressing will always include soy sauce, rice vinegar, oil, and some sort of sweeteners like sugar or mirin. These base ingredients give the dressing a nice savory, sour, and sweet flavor. Making it a great universal salad dressing that can be used in all sorts of applications.
That being said most recipes for wafu dressing often include additional ingredients. For example, some like to add bonito flakes to their dressing for additional umami. Others like to add grated apples for extra body and sweetness. And occasionally you’ll even see aromatics like ginger & garlic added in. Really I could go on but I think you understand
The point I’m trying to make here is that wafu dressing isn’t a singular concept and really comes in many different varieties.
So what additional ingredients are we adding to today’s wafu dressing recipe?
Well, I’ve decided to go with three classic wafu dressing ingredients that I personally really enjoy, and I hope you will too. They are finely grated onion for extra body & sweetness, lemon juice for brightness, and toasted sesame seeds for the wonderful flavor and aroma they give off.
Tips, Tricks & Suggestions
- Do I need to cook the dressing? That is entirely up to you and your personal preference. You see, while the raw onion is certainly edible it will give the dressing a strong and pungent taste. And we can easily reduce that pungency and also bring out its natural sweetness by cooking it for a short amount of time. So if you want a more mellow and sweet dressing then I recommend you cook it. But if you are fine with a strong onion taste then feel free to skip that step.
- Don’t own a grater? Well, you better buy one, as it’s a pretty handy tool. But don’t worry you can still make this dressing if you don’t have one lying around. For example, if you have a food processor you can easily blend the onion in that. Or you can simply use your knife and just mince the onion as fine as you can and you’ll be good to go.
- How long will this dressing last? Since this dressing includes a few non-shelf-stable ingredients (onion, lemon juice), it won’t last forever and should be refrigerated. That being said it should last at least 1 week in your fridge. And will be best in the first couple of days after making it.
- What type of salad does this dressing go with? Honestly just about any salad will work. But if you want my opinion go with a simple mixture of lettuce greens, tomato, carrot, and cucumber.
- What should you serve this with? My favorite way to serve this salad is with either Chicken Teriyaki, Pork Shogayaki, or Salmon Teriyaki, along with a side of rice for a simple, delicious, and healthy meal.
Other Great Salad Dressings You Might Enjoy
Wafu Dressing Recipe
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 2 minutes
Servings: 4
Ingredients
½ of a medium onion, finely grated, should be roughly ¼ cup
¼ Cup of soy sauce
2 Tablespoons of mirin
2 Tablespoons of neutral flavored oil, like vegetable or canola
1½ Tablespoons of rice vinegar
Juice from ½ a lemon, or roughly 1 tablespoon
1 Tablespoon of sugar
A pinch of salt & pepper, or to taste
1 Teaspoon of toasted sesame seeds (optional)
Instructions
- Make the dressing: Combine all of the ingredients for the wafu dressing in a mixing bowl until everything is thoroughly incorporated.
- Cook the dressing (optional): If you want to remove some of the pungency of the onion and bring out its natural sweetness you will need to cook the dressing. Do this by placing the mixed dressing in a small pot. Place this over medium-high heat and let the dressing come to a boil. Stir the dressing for 30 seconds then take the pot off the heat.
- Let it cool down: Let the dressing cool down for about 15 minutes in the pot before transferring it to a jar. Place this jar in your fridge and let it completely cool before using.
- Assemble a salad in a bowl, pour the wafu dressing over top and enjoy!
Wafu Dressing Recipe
Ingredients
- ½ of a medium onion finely grated, should be roughly ¼ cup
- ¼ Cup of soy sauce
- 2 Tablespoons of mirin
- 2 Tablespoons of neutral flavored oil like vegetable or canola
- 1½ Tablespoons of rice vinegar
- Juice from ½ a lemon or roughly 1 tablespoon
- 1 Tablespoon of sugar
- A pinch of salt & pepper or to taste
- 1 Teaspoon of toasted sesame seeds optional
Instructions
- Make the dressing: Combine all of the ingredients for the wafu dressing in a mixing bowl until everything is thoroughly incorporated.
- Cook the dressing (optional): If you want to remove some of the pungency of the onion and bring out its natural sweetness you will need to cook the dressing. Do this by placing the mixed dressing in a small pot. Place this over medium-high heat and let the dressing come to a boil. Stir the dressing for 30 seconds then take the pot off the heat.
- Let it cool down: Let the dressing cool down for about 15 minutes in the pot before transferring it to a jar. Place this jar in your fridge and let it completely cool before using.
- Assemble a salad in a bowl, pour the wafu dressing over top and enjoy!
