Japanese Sesame Dressing (ごまドレッシング / Goma Dressing)
Japan’s most popular salad dressing — found in virtually every konbini and family restaurant. The word goma means sesame. Commercialized by Kewpie in the 1970s–80s.
Ingredients (~250 ml)
| Ingredient | Amount |
|---|---|
| White sesame seeds, toasted | 45 g |
| Kewpie mayonnaise | 60 g |
| Rice vinegar (unseasoned) | 45 ml |
| Soy sauce (koikuchi) | 30 ml |
| Sugar | 10 g |
| Mirin | 8 ml |
| Toasted sesame oil | 8 ml |
| Dashi stock (to thin, optional) | 15–30 ml |
Method
- Toast sesame seeds in a dry pan over low heat, swirling, until fragrant and 2–3 seeds pop. Remove immediately.
- Grind in suribachi (mortar) until ~70% crushed — keep some texture.
- Add mayo, rice vinegar, soy sauce, sugar, mirin, and sesame oil. Whisk until smooth.
- Thin with dashi or water if too thick, 15 ml at a time.
Notes
For a richer version, replace half the ground seeds with nerigoma (Japanese sesame paste). Restaurant trick: 1–2 g MSG for extra umami roundness.
Pairs with: Iceberg, shredded cabbage, blanched spinach (hōrensō no gomae), tofu salads, cold udon.
Sources:
- Just One Cookbook
- Japanese Soul Cooking by Tadashi Ono & Harris Salat