Japanese Caesar Salad

Japanese Caesar salad with Miso Dressing

An umami twist on a classic dinner salad!

Japanese Caesar Salad with creamy miso dressing

The first time I had a Japanese Caesar salad was when a private chef in LA made it for my friends and I while we were celebrating my bachelorette (shout out to amazing Chef Dean Sheremet!), and it was love at first bite.

The combination of refreshing greens, a creamy umami-packed miso dressing, and crunchy toppings takes the classic Caesar salad to a whole new level. Ever since, it’s become one of my go-to salads, whether I’m enjoying it on its own or pairing it with miso cod, roasted salmon, or other Asian comfort foods.

What I love most about this salad is how customizable it is. I didn’t get a recipe from Chef Dean but was able to recreate how I thought he made it.

While this recipe gives you a delicious starting point, I encourage you to get creative! Swap out greens, play with toppings, and make it truly your own. Whether you add crispy nori strips, furikake, a soft-boiled egg, sliced chicken breast, sauteed shrimp or air fried tofu, this salad is a blank canvas for bold flavors.

Essential Ingredients for a Japanese Caesar Salad with Miso Dressing

Before you get to it, here are a few important notes:

Taste Test! The miso dressing is a starting point for you. Always feel free to experiment and really make these recipes your own. There’s a note below on using Kewpie mayonnaise vs. American mayonnaise plus healthier alternative suggestions.

Use what you have. I often have leftover vegetables in the fridge, salads are a perfect vessel to use these up. Add carrots, tomatoes, leftover salad greens, thinly sliced onions - really anything that you’d like!

Learn more about Japanese cooking ingredients. I’ve created a guide to help you navigate the Asian section of your grocery store or your local Asian market. Check out this handy glossary to assist you with selecting Japanese ingredients!

What to eat Japanese Caesar Salad with

This Caesar salad is perfect on it’s own. But, I do like to serve this as a dinner side salad with a protein, roasted sweet potatoes and rice.

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Japanese caesar salad with miso dressing

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Japanese Caesar Salad with Miso Dressing

Yield: 4-6

Author: HelloKelC Cooks

Prep time: 20 MinCook time: 5 MinTotal time: 25 Min

Elevate your regular Caesar with extra umami by adding Asian ingredients and top it with a creamy miso dressing. Easy to make and a crowd pleaser!

Ingredients

Salad Ingredients

• 1 head of butter lettuce (feel free to add any extra greens you like - spinach, or any leafy greens would be delicious)
• 4-6 radishes, thinly sliced
• 1 packet of nori (dried seaweed) - I like this brand.
• Panko topping: 1/2 cup panko crumbs and 2 tbsp of butter or sesame oil
• Additional toppings (optional): 1 thinly sliced carrot - this is a perfect way to add some color! Chives, or if you really want to get fancy, ikura (salmon roe)

Miso Dressing

• 1/4-1/3 cup of Kewpie mayo* See my note below on Kewpie mayo - while regular mayo is an alternative, I recommend using Kewpie!
• 1 tbsp of miso
• 1/4 cup of water
• 1 tbsp of rice wine vinegar
• A splash of sesame oil
• 1 tsp of syrup (to add some sweetness)
• Optional: 1 tsp of grated ginger, umami salt (my preferred brand here)

Instructions

Directions

1. Wash and dry your lettuce or choice of greens. Roughly tear the leaves apart and place in a salad bowl.
2. Thinly slice washed radishes. If you're confident in using a mandolin, it ensures pretty and even pieces. Add to your greens.
3. If using carrots (I like to peel slices with a vegetable peeler), chop or peel pieces and add to the greens.
4. To make the dressing: Mix the miso and water together with a whisk. Put your mayo in a bowl. Add in 1/2-3/4 of the miso mixture, sesame oil, rice wine vinegar, syrup, sesame oil and optional ingredients (grated ginger and umami salt). Mix and taste. Adjust to your liking.
5. To make the panko crumb topping: Heat a small pan on medium heat, add in sesame oil or butter. Add the panko crumbs and cook until they are crispy and golden brown. They'll brown quickly, so keep and eye on them!
6. Add your dressing, panko crumbs and crushed up nori pieces to the salad and any additional garnishes you're using.

Notes

A note on Kewpie mayo: Kewpie mayo is the Japanese version of mayo. American mayo uses the whole egg while Kewpie mayo uses just the yolks, resulting in a more umami forward flavor. It's a richer version with a little more sweetness due to the vinegar used (rice wine) versus regular vinegar in American mayo. While American mayo will work just fine, I encourage you to pick up some Kewpie mayo at your grocery store to taste the difference!

If you're looking for a healthier alternative, I often used greek yogurts in place of mayonnaise for salad dressing recipes.

Nutrition Facts

Calories

379

Fat

39 g

Sat. Fat

6 g

Carbs

5 g

Fiber

1 g

Net carbs

4 g

Sugar

3 g

Protein

5 g

Sodium

181 mg

Cholesterol

55 mg

Nutritional information provided here is based on estimates and may vary depending on the brand and preparation methods used. Always check food labels for accurate nutritional details. 

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