Japanese Sesame Dressing (Goma Dare)

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Goma dare is a Japanese sesame dressing made by toasting sesame seeds, grinding them into a coarse powder, and whisking with soy sauce, rice vinegar, mirin, and sesame oil. Toasting the seeds unlocks a nutty aroma, while gradual emulsification with oil creates a creamy texture. This versatile dressing works well for salads, cold noodles, and grilled vegetables.

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Prep Time 10

Cook Time 5

Total Time 15

Servings: 5 servings

Course: Dressing, Sauce

Cuisine: Japanese

Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients

¼ cup toasted sesame seeds toast raw seeds until golden, then grind coarsely
2 tablespoons soy sauce use regular soy sauce, not low-sodium
1 tablespoon rice vinegar use plain unseasoned rice vinegar
1 tablespoon mirin use real mirin (hon-mirin)
2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil add gradually for emulsification
1 teaspoon sugar add gradually and adjust to taste
2 tablespoons dashi or water optional, add to thin dressing if needed

Equipment

Small pan To toast sesame seeds
Mortar and pestle or spice grinder To grind toasted sesame seeds
Whisk To mix and emulsify dressing
Bowl To combine ingredients

Method

Heat a small pan over medium heat and add sesame seeds in a single layer. Stir constantly for 3-5 minutes until seeds turn golden brown and smell nutty. Watch closely to avoid burning.
¼ cup toasted sesame seeds
Transfer toasted seeds to a mortar and pestle or spice grinder while still warm. Grind for 15-30 seconds to a coarse powder with some visible pieces. Avoid grinding into a paste.
¼ cup toasted sesame seeds
Whisk ground sesame seeds, soy sauce, rice vinegar, and mirin in a bowl until combined. The mixture may look grainy and separated at this stage.
¼ cup toasted sesame seeds, 2 tablespoons soy sauce, 1 tablespoon rice vinegar, 1 tablespoon mirin
Add sesame oil in a thin stream while whisking vigorously for 1-2 minutes until the dressing turns glossy, creamy, and no oil pools on the surface.
2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
Whisk in sugar in ½ teaspoon increments, tasting after each addition until balanced. Add dashi or water 1 tablespoon at a time if the dressing is too thick for drizzling. Transfer to an airtight jar and chill for 20-30 minutes before serving.
1 teaspoon sugar, 2 tablespoons dashi or water

Notes

Toast sesame seeds until golden to avoid bitterness.
Grind seeds coarsely, not into a paste, to preserve texture.
Add sesame oil gradually while whisking to create a creamy emulsified dressing.

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