Benihana Ginger Salad Dressing

Benihana Ginger Salad dressing is one of the best-known recipes from Benihana. Going to Benihana is a special treat.  You literally watch your dinner being prepared in front of you. While you can’t go there every night, you can recreate their salad dressing with our copycat recipe.

a small bowl of homemade Benihana Ginger Salad Dressing

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Benihana Japanese Hibachi Dining

Who doesn’t look forward to an evening at a Benihana restaurant? Those talented chefs amaze us when they flip their knives or toss a boiled egg and slice it in two, in mid-air!

When you head out to a Benihana restaurant, you know to expect a fun and exciting evening with good food prepared right in front of you. But one thing they prepare in the back kitchen is their super salad dressing.

Benihana’s House Dressing

Benihana Ginger Salad Dressing is their signature, house dressing that they pour over all their salads. Its delicate balance of sweet, tangy, and salt makes it the perfect accompaniment to any dish on the menu.

Now you don’t have to head out to enjoy their unique salad dressing. You can make my copycat version of Benihana’s Salad Dressing using authentic ingredients.

Ginger Dressing Ingredients

Here’s a list of what you need:

  • Onion
  • Vegetable oil
  • Rice wine vinegar
  • Water
  • Fresh ginger root
  • Celery
  • Soy sauce
  • Tomato paste
  • Sugar
  • Lemon juice
  • Salt
Ingredients for Benihana Ginger Salad Dressing

About Rice Wine Vinegar

This recipe calls for rice wine vinegar. If you are concerned about a vinegar taste, know that Chinese rice vinegars are stronger than Japanese ones so choose wisely. Make sure you buy clear or almost clear rice wine vinegar as some shops may carry red and brown versions, which will change the taste of the salad dressing.

Western vinegars are more acidic than their Asian counterparts, and would not make an ideal substitute. If you have to substitute, then use a mixture of white wine vinegar and water. Though, I urge you to buy an Asian rice wine vinegar because you’ll be making this salad dressing often!

How to Make Benihana Ginger Salad Dressing at Home

The easy way to make ginger dressing is to use a blender. Just put all the ingredients in the blender and blend until almost smooth.

For best results, make the dressing at least an hour or the day before you plan to use it. This allows the flavors to combine nicely.

Keep the dressing stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

How to Chop Vegetables for Ginger Dressing

The best way to chop the onion, ginger, and celery for this dressing is to use a mezzaluna as Nigella Lawson does. A mezzaluna is a curved knife with two handles. Chefs use this tool to quickly and easily mince herbs and spices like ginger root or turmeric as they rock it left and right over the foods.

Another way to achieve this effect is to use a manual, hand chopper. There are many on the market at a variety of prices to fit your budget. Of course, you can use a regular knife too, just make sure it is sharpened.

Homemade Benihana Ginger Salad Dressing and a salad

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a small bowl of homemade Benihana Ginger Salad Dressing

Benihana Ginger Salad Dressing

You can recreate Benihana’s Ginger Salad Dressing at home.
5 from 23 votes
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Course: Salad
Cuisine: Japanese
Keyword: Salad Dressing
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes
Servings: 8
Calories: 68kcal

Ingredients

  • 1/4 cup chopped onion
  • 1/4 cup vegetable oil
  • 2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon water
  • 1 tablespoon chopped ginger root
  • 1 tablespoon chopped celery
  • 1 tablespoon soy sauce
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons tomato paste
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons sugar
  • 1 teaspoon lemon juice
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt

Instructions

  • Combine all ingredients in a blender. Process until almost smooth. Any unused portions may be stored in a covered container in the refrigerator.

Video

Nutrition

Calories: 68kcal | Carbohydrates: 1g | Protein: 0g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 0mg | Sodium: 281mg | Potassium: 23mg | Fiber: 0g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 15IU | Vitamin C: 0.8mg | Iron: 0.1mg

About Stephanie Manley

I recreate your favorite restaurant recipes, so you can prepare these dishes at home. I help you cook dinner, and serve up dishes you know your family will love. You can find most of the ingredients for all of the recipes in your local grocery store.

Stephanie is the author of CopyKat.com's Dining Out in the Home, and CopyKat.com's Dining Out in the Home 2.

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Comments

  1. Angela

    I’m looking for a copycat recipe of the Makoto japanese steakhouse brand salad dressing which you can buy in the refrigerated area of the produce department at the grocery store or walmart. It seems to have much more soy sauce in it than the lighter colored, creamier ginger dressing that is served at most japanese steakhouses like Benihana. If you’ve never had it before, you should buy it and try it. It is sooooooo good ! It has so much flavor that you can literally use just one tablespoon of dressing (40 calories) and your salad is still loaded with flavor.

    The ingredients in order on the label are …. Onions, Soybean Oil, Soy Sauce (water, wheat, soybeans, salt, sodium benzoate), Flavored Vinegar (white distilled vinegar, filtered water, natural flavoring), Celery, Carrots, Ginger, Sugar, Tomato Paste, Cultured Dextrose, White Pepper, Hot Sauce (red jalapeño pepper, water, sugar, salt, garlic, distilled vinegar, xanthan gum, pepper sauce [distilled vinegar, red pepper, salt]).

    Since soy sauce is the 3rd ingredient, before vinegar, I think that means it should have more soy than vinegar, or at least an equal amount ?

    Please please please Copykat this recipe ! I have tried several times and cannot seem to get it right.

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