If you've ever had the famous Wagamama Katsu Salad Dressing, you'll know how addictive that punchy, savoury-sweet flavour can be. This homemade Katsu Salad Dressing is our take on it - a Japanese-style dressing with a mellow, fragrant base that's just as good on crisp cabbage salads as it is drizzled over cold noodles or a chicken katsu poke bowl.
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Why Is This Salad Dressing Brilliant?
This recipe was inspired by the side salad you often see at a Japanese restaurant - you know the one, served next to crispy chicken katsu and fluffy rice. But here's the twist: instead of using raw onion, garlic and ginger, we sauté them first.
Why? Because raw aromatics can be harsh and overpower everything else. By gently softening them over low heat, we bring out their natural sweetness and tone down the pungent flavours, making this dressing smooth and balanced. Think of it as the best way to create that signature umami hit without the fiery raw bite.
The result is a bold yet mellow Japanese salad dressing with layers of flavour - soy sauce for depth, rice vinegar for zing, and mango chutney for just the right amount of sweetness. It's like a cross between a katsu curry and a gingery wafu dressing, but lighter and fresher.
Ingredient Notes and Substitutes
- Garlic, onion, ginger: These are the backbone of flavour. Sauteed fresh garlic and fresh ginger give the dressing its punch.
- Bird's eye chilli: Adds a whisper of heat. Swap for a pinch of chilli flakes if needed, or leave it out for a milder dressing.
- Curry powder: We use a mild curry powder, but medium curry powder works if you like more spice.
- Rice vinegar (rice wine vinegar) : Traditional and mild. Apple cider vinegar or white wine vinegar also works.
- Soy sauce: The salty umami star - use tamari if you're gluten-free.
- Mango chutney: A spoonful adds sweetness and body.
- Vegetable oil: We recommend neutral oils like sunflower oil or avocado oil - sesame oil or olive oil can be too strong but a dash of toasted sesame oil can be lovely for extra nuttiness.
As always, find ingredient quantities, detailed instructions and nutritional information in the recipe card at the bottom of the post.
What Is Emulsification?
Emulsification is when two liquids that normally don't mix - like oil and water - are forced to combine into a smooth, creamy blend. In this dressing, the soy sauce, vinegar and water are whisked (or shaken in a mason jar) with oil until the droplets of oil suspend evenly. This stops the dressing from splitting, at least for a while. If yours separates after sitting, just give it a vigorous shake - that's the science and the magic of emulsification at work.
What To Use Katsu Salad Dressing For?
This is not just a one-trick pony for chicken katsu salad. It's brilliant for simple salads like shredded cabbage salad or crisp iceberg lettuce and cherry tomatoes. It's perfect with cold noodles, tofu katsu, or drizzled over a Japanese chicken katsu poke bowl.
Feeling creative? Use it as a quick stir fry sauce - toss it with chicken breasts, spring onion and red cabbage for a 10-minute dinner. It's also incredible as a dip for panko breadcrumbs-coated tofu or even as a sauce for oven tray-roasted veggies. Make a big batch and keep it in a large container - you'll find yourself reaching for it all the time.
Storage
This dressing keeps well in the fridge for up to 5 days if stored in a clean mason jar or small bowl, tightly covered. The flavours actually get better after a few hours as they mingle together. Just bring it to room temperature and shake before using.
For longer storage, pour leftovers into an ice cube tray - defrost one cube at a time when you need a quick salad boost.
More Salad Dressing Recipes
If you like this Katsu Salad Dressing, you'll love exploring other Japanese-style dressings, like our creamy tahini maple dressing or classic Dijon Lemon Vinaigrette. They're all made with simple dressing ingredients you can find at your local supermarket, and they're perfect for turning simple salads into something special.
Katsu Salad Dressing
Ingredients
- 1 garlic clove finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon ginger finely chopped
- 2 tablespoon brown onion (about ¼) finely chopped
- ½ bird's eye chilli deseeded and finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon curry powder we used mild
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 1 teaspoon mango chutney
- 2 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon water
- 50 ml (⅕ cups) vegetable or sunflower oil
Instructions
- Heat 1 teaspoon of oil (taken from the total oil amount for the dressing) in a small frying pan over low heat.
- Add the chopped garlic, onion, ginger and chilli, and sauté gently for about 5 minutes until softened, stirring often to avoid browning.
- Stir in the curry powder and cook for another 30-60 seconds until fragrant, then remove from the heat and let it cool slightly.
- Transfer everything to a pestle and mortar (or food processor), add the rice vinegar, and grind into a coarse paste - some texture is good.
- Scoop the mixture into a jar with a tight-fitting lid. Add mango chutney, soy sauce and water, and stir to combine.
- Pour in the remaining oil, screw the lid on, and shake the jar vigorously until the dressing emulsifies.
- If it separates later, just give it another shake before dressing your salad.
Nutrition
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