Miso apple vinaigrette
Trying to recreate a salad I had in Japan from a vague memory at a Yakinuki grill - almost there probs will drop the mustard on next attempt
OIoscar ingham
May 17, 2026
15 minWeeknight stapleJapaneseRawVeganVegetarianDairy-Free
Ingredients
Serves
2
- Mixed lettuce leaves (green and purple/red varieties), 120g
- Radishes, thinly sliced, 4 small
- Pumpkin seeds (pepitas), 3 tbsp
- Sunflower seeds, 2 tbsp
- White miso paste, 1.5 tbsp
- Apple (grated or finely diced for dressing), 0.5 small
- Rice vinegar, 2 tbsp
- Sesame oil, 1 tsp
- Neutral oil (e.g. grapeseed), 2 tbsp
- Dijon mustard, 0.5 tsp
- Maple syrup, 1 tsp
- Bramley apple sauce, 2 tbsp
🥜 Nutty🌾 Light🍄 Umami🌿 Fresh🍊 Tangy
Method
- Grate half a small apple finely, catching all the juice — this forms the fruity base of the vinaigrette.
- Whisk together the grated apple, white miso, rice vinegar, soy sauce, sesame oil, neutral oil, honey or mirin, and grated ginger until smooth and emulsified. (Omit mustard on your next attempt as noted.)
- Taste the dressing and adjust balance — add more vinegar for sharpness, miso for depth, or honey to round out acidity.
- Toast pumpkin seeds and sunflower seeds in a dry pan over medium heat for 2–3 minutes until lightly golden and fragrant, then set aside to cool.
- Wash and thoroughly dry the mixed lettuce leaves (green romaine and purple varieties). Tear any large leaves into bite-sized pieces.
- Thinly slice the radishes on a mandoline or with a sharp knife.
- Add the leaves and radishes to a large bowl, drizzle over the miso apple vinaigrette and toss gently to coat evenly.
- Plate the salad and scatter the toasted pumpkin and sunflower seeds over the top to finish.
Tip: For a more authentic yakiniku-style depth, let the miso dressing rest for 10 minutes before using — this allows the flavours to meld and the apple's natural sugars to fully integrate with the miso's umami.