Pickled Ginger Salad with Wasabi Dressing is packed with citrus, and is an explosion of spicy, sweet and fresh flavors. It’s mind-blowingly delicious!
Inspiration for Pickled Ginger Salad with Wasabi Dressing
This salad began with an invitation to a Super Bowl party and a big bowl of Cara Cara oranges (pictured below).
Yep, that’s what it took to get this beautiful, scrumptious creation going.
The sweet, super juicy oranges were begging for a spicy wasabi dressing, and with a container of pickled ginger in the refrigerator, this salad quickly took on an Asian vibe.
And when it came to the crunch — an element I think all salads should have — I created the recipe for Spicy Crispy Fried Rice, which completed it perfectly.
In my totally biased, yet humble opinion, this Pickled Ginger Salad with Creamy Wasabi Dressing might just be the most unique and most delicious salad I’ve ever made.
What’s in the Pickled Ginger Salad?
- blood oranges
- oranges
- grapefruit
- Butter lettuce
- scallions
- mint
- pickled ginger
- avocado
- salt, pepper
- Spicy Crispy Fried Rice
- Creamy Wasabi Dressing
As if I didn’t already make your mouth water, check out the dressing . . .
What’s in Creamy Wasabi Dressing?
- wasabi paste
- rice vinegar
- lemon juice
- sugar, salt, pepper
- grapeseed oil
Full of seasonal citrus, Pickled Ginger Salad is an excellent choice for a winter salad.
I hope you’ll give it a go, share it with friends and family, and enjoy it immensely.
A few more recipes with wasabi:
- Wasabi Glazed Seared Ahi Tuna
- Miso Broiled Black Cod Recipe wtih Bok Choy Stir Fry
- Wasabi Shrimp with Avocado on Rice Crackers

Pickled Ginger Salad with Wasabi Dressing is packed with citrus, and is an explosion of spicy, sweet and fresh flavors. It's mind-blowingly delicious!
Please note that prep time does not include making the Spicy Crispy Fried Rice, which takes about 20 minutes.
- 1 1/2 tablespoons wasabi paste
- 3 1/2 tablespoons rice vinegar
- 1 tablespoon freshly lemon juice
- 1 1/2 teaspoons granulated sugar
- 3/4 teaspoons salt
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
- 6 tablespoons grapeseed oil
- 2 medium-large Blood oranges, peeled, sliced into rounds (about 1/4-inch thick)
- 2 medium-large oranges, peeled, sliced into rounds (about 1/4-inch thick)
- 1 small Ruby grapefruit peeled, sliced into rounds (about 1/4-inch thick)
- 1 large head Butter lettuce, washed and dried, roughly chopped into bite-sized pieces
- 4 scallions, thinly sliced (white and green portions)
- 1/4 cup packed mint leaves washed and dried, stems removed (roughly chopped if they're big)
- 1/4 cup packed pickled ginger, drained, roughly chopped
- 1 large avocado, peeled, cut into bite-sized pieces
- 1 cup Crispy Spicy Fried Rice (click here for the recipe)
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Add the wasabi, vinegar, lemon juice, sugar, salt and pepper to a small bowl and whisk it together. Gradually add the oil while whisking, and blend until smooth and creamy. Set aside.
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Cut the citrus rounds into fourths and add them to a large mixing bowl with the lettuce, scallions, mint, ginger, and avocado.
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Drizzle with the desired amount of wasabi dressing and then toss.
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Sprinkle with the Crispy Spicy Fried Rice. (The recipe is here.)
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Serve!
The amounts of dressing people like to use on salads differ, so this recipes should make more than you need.
I used Cara Cara oranges -- the are my first choice for this recipe, but if you can't find them, Naval oranges are great, too.
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Jenn says
Wow, flavor explosion! This sounds wonderful!
valentina says
Thanks so much, Jenn!
Deb|EastofEdenCooking says
What a vibrant salad! Not sure what I like better the explosion of flavor and texture or the sparkling colors. A wonderful winter salad.
valentina says
Thank you, Deb. I love that the colors are sparkling!
Whitney says
This is really interesting. I’ve never had any type of rice in my salad, but the flavors you’ve added sound amazing!
valentina says
Thanks so much, Whitney. Hope you try it & love it as much as I do!
Sam | Ahead of Thyme says
What a great salad! I can’t wait to try this!
valentina says
Thank you, Sam! π
Michelle says
Love the addition of the fried rice! This looks awesome π
valentina says
Thanks so much, Michelle. The rice is the perfect crunch. π
David says
This is my kind of salad! Even without the crunch! π
valentina says
Yay! Thanks so much, David.
Jeannette (Jay Joy) says
Citrus truly everywhere! This winter salad looks amazing. I love the different flavors that jump out at you!!!
valentina says
Thanks so much, Jeanette. Hope you try and love it!
Natalie says
Looks so delicious and healthy! Perfect balanced side on winter days β₯
valentina says
Thank you, Natalie!
Elizabeth says
This is such a gorgeous looking salad! I wish I could be craving salads this time of year… maybe after I ate this one. π
valentina says
Maybe! Thanks for checking it out. Happy Holidays!
Annissa says
Love the flavor combination on this salad recipe! Absolutely a hearty and tasty dish!
valentina says
Thanks so much. It’s indeed hearty. π
Neli Howard says
Oh my goodness this salad looks gorgeous! And the dressing -delicious! Canβt wait to try it! Thank you for this recipe!!
valentina says
Thank you, Neli. Hope you love it!