This orange miso vinaigrette is bright and acidic, yet also savory and rich. White miso paste helps to create a salad dressing that has complexity and depth. This is a perfect vinaigrette for greens, grains, and roasted vegetables.

About a year ago, I got a great radicchio salad at a restaurant. It featured a miso salad dressing?specifically, a miso vinaigrette.

Had the vinaigrette not been labeled as “miso dressing” on the menu, I might not have immediately guessed that the miso was there.

When I tasted the salad, though, it made sense. The vinaigrette had a savoriness and richness that was unusual and memorable.

As is usually the case when I taste something that inspires me in a restaurant, I immediately got to thinking about how I might recreate the vinaigrette at home.
Then I remembered that I had actually experimented with a miso vinaigrette years ago. My homemade version had included some freshly squeezed orange juice, so there was brightness to balance the salty and savory qualities of the miso.

This past effort gave me a mental roadmap to build on.

Now, I’ve experimented with a few more batches of orange miso vinaigrette, and I’m so happy with what I’ve landed on.

What is miso"

Miso is fermented soybean paste. Typically, it’s made with soybeans, water, salt, and koji.

Koji, which is essentially the base culture used in miso (and sake) preparation, can be made from fermented rice, barley,...