Hijiki Tofu Burgers & Carrot Ginger Dressing

If you love the carrot ginger dressing from Dojo’s restaurant in NYC, then you’ll love this dressing. It’s great served on a green salad and/or with a Hijiki tofu burger and brown rice.

I love NY

My dad was in the Canadian Armed Forces, so when I was growing up, we moved… a lot! We lived throughout Canada and the United States (where I attended high school). All in all, I attended 9 schools and got to experience and see first-hand a good portion of those great countries. However, many of those mostly suburban experiences paled in comparison to the time that I spent in New York City.

I got to visit the Big Apple for the first time back in high school and I completely fell in love with it. Then in the summer of ’99, I got to spend a whole summer there. Most of my time was spent in Greenwich Village and I think that the sights, sounds and tastes of that neighborhood will live in me forever. From the bagels and falafels on St-Marks, to the gelato and pot stickers on 14th street, I pretty much ate my way around that town!

There’s probably a reason why I love NYC so much. You see, I lost many culinary virginities in NYC: first time eating sushi/Japanese, first time eating falafel, first time eating at a vegetarian restaurant (Angelica Kitchen on 12th)… the list goes on. Trying to be vegan in North Carolina, Virginia and Ottawa at the beginning of the millennium was a far cry from what New York City had to offer! The health food stores alone were enormous (this was before Whole Foods, people)! In fact, I still faithfully use my old canvas tote bag from LifeThyme on 6th ave (they sold the best vegan muffins and it’s also where I first discovered nooch).

LifeThyme

Background — Dojo’s Carrot Ginger Dressing

So as you can see, NYC will always hold a special place in my heart (and belly). One of my favorite restaurants was Dojo. While the ambiance and service was not 5-star, the food was fresh and cheap, and there were many great vegan options on the  menu. Dojo’s is probably most famous for its carrot ginger dressing, and a quick Google search will tell you that people are always seeking-out the ingredients to that special sauce. The dressing is so good that people often ask for an extra order of it. I personally loved it so much that I would buy 2 or 3 tubs of it whenever I visited NYC and cradle it on my lap during the flight back to Ottawa (this was before all the TSA liquid rules). I really loved that dressing!

Hijiki Tofu Burgers & Carrot Ginger Dressing

Over the years, I’ve tried many carrot ginger dressing recipes, and I like to think that I’ve perfected the recipe below to closely resemble the real thing. Actually, I remember the original version being quite oily, so other than that, I think it’s pretty spot-on!

Dojo's Hijiki Tofu Burgers & Carrot Ginger Dressing

Back in the day, I only ever ordered the Tofu Salad (cold tofu served over greens, tomatoes, cucumber and avocado), but I’ve heard good things about their Hijiki Tofu Burger as well. So to round-out this Dojo-inspired meal, I also made this hijiki tofu burger from PeTA.com. The burger is soft and crumbly, and it pairs really nicely with a salad and of course, more dressing! I served the burger on a bed of brown rice but quinoa would be really nice too. You can also serve it on a salad, or in a bun or pita.

Hijiki Tofu Burgers & Carrot Ginger Dressing
Hijiki Tofu Burgers & Carrot Ginger Dressing

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Carrot Ginger Dressing

If you love the carrot ginger dressing from Dojo’s restaurant in NYC, then you’ll love this dressing. It’s great served on a green salad and/or with a Hijiki tofu burger and brown rice. Vegan / Gluten-Free

  • Author: Angela @ Vegangela.com
  • Prep Time: 15 mins
  • Total Time: 15 mins
  • Yield: 2-3 1x
  • Category: Salad, Dressing, Sauce
  • Cuisine: Asian, Japanese, Vegan

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 medium carrot, peeled and roughly chopped
  • 1/4 cup vegetable oil
  • 2 tbsp diced onion
  • 2 tbsp fresh ginger
  • 2 tbsp rice wine vinegar
  • 2 tbsp tamari / soy sauce (use gluten-free if needed)
  • 1 tbsp mirin
  • 1 tbsp white miso paste
  • 1 tbsp sesame oil
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • 1/4 tsp salt

Instructions

  1. Blend everything in a food processor until smooth. Keeps in the fridge a few days but you may have to remix it as the oil may separate.

Keywords: asian, carrot, favorite, food processor, freezer-friendly, ginger, gluten-free, high-protein, japanese, low-carb, miso, nut-free, sesame seed, sugar-free, tamari, tofu, burger, salad

Did you make this recipe?

Share a photo and tag me — I can’t wait to see what you’ve made!

Recipe: Hijiki Tofu Burgers

Notes on the Burgers

  • I couldn’t find any Hijiki, but I did find some shredded nori (see photo above). I didn’t pre-soak it and it seemed to work very well. The seaweed taste is pretty minimal, but if you don’t like the stuff, feel free to leave it out completely.
  • The burgers freeze well, so you can make them ahead and serve them with fresh dressing, as needed.
  • April 16 2018 — A reader left a comment below letting me know that Hijiki contains high levels of arsenic (a category I carcinogen). I’ve always just made the burgers with shredded nori (as mentioned above), so I would suggest doing the same, just to be on the safe side!
Nori Seaweed
Hijiki Tofu Burgers & Carrot Ginger Dressing
Hijiki Tofu Burgers & Carrot Ginger Dressing
Hijiki Tofu Burgers & Carrot Ginger Dressing
Hijiki Tofu Burgers & Carrot Ginger Dressing
Hijiki Tofu Burgers & Carrot Ginger Dressing
Hijiki Tofu Burgers & Carrot Ginger Dressing
Hijiki Tofu Burgers & Carrot Ginger Dressing

Q: Have you had Dojo’s Carrot Ginger Dressing?

81 thoughts on “Hijiki Tofu Burgers & Carrot Ginger Dressing”

  1. This was delicious but it did not taste like Dojos. As a native New Yorker and snobby teen who would eat at the St. marks location because it was better then the NYU location lol this was my go-to dinner order. It is missing something but delish as its own thing…not a copycat recipe

    Reply
  2. Even better than the real thing… because it’s not as oily. Thank you for recreating this iconic salad dressing. I will be making it weekly from now on!

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  3. Thank you very much for this recipe. I started going to Dojo in Jr High as my uncle lived around the corner and we would go there for lunch. By mid high school, I was taking my friends into the city and we would eat there. I started off eating the KyoMaki, which was chicken and celery and provolone cheese?, wrapped in seaweed, deep fried over brown rice with a salad with…..ta da….that wonderful dressing!! I then graduated to the $2.00 soy burger dinner. I was hooked! They had good soups too, that I remember. I lived in Santa Barbara for a stretch, then returned to the east coast, and only the second Dojo was there. I loved St Marks. I too have been hunting for this recipe and just texted it to a bunch of friends. Can not WAIT to make this. Thanks again!!

    Reply
  4. Hi Angela
    Thank you for posting this receipt. Dojo’s was and will always be my favorite restaurant in the East Village.
    I’ve been eating there since 96′. My favorite meal and only meal; was the Soy Burger Dinner with Extra Carrot dressing on the side .. haha

    Unfortunately I am sad to say that Dojo has closed its doors for good this past February 2019.
    It is unclear as to why they closed, the media reported that it failed the food and safety regulations, multiple times. Others have said that the rent was too high for the owner to keep up with, so they had to close. NYU owns the property.
    The Owner of Dojos did say they would be closed indefinitely and is aware that there infamous Carrot Ginger Dressing will be missed. However, they will not be releasing the receipt to the public. And it will remain a secrete, locked in a volt, forever.. It was a sad sad day for all of us NY’rs who loved and lived off of Dojo’s..

    Reply
  5. I’m so glad I found your recipe! It really does take me back to the 90’s. I always thought the St. Mark’s location made the dressing better because it was creamier. I’ve tried this recipe a few times and have made some tweaks to what I remember it tasting like. I don’t recall the dressing tasting of ginger or sesame oil, so I omitted it. I upped the garlic and oil and added a quarter cube of firm tofu to blend. Yum!

    Reply
  6. Awwww I’m away at school in Europe and your post made me homesick… I grew up on 10th & University, so you just described my ‘hood. I worked at Dojo (the one on St. Mark’s) one summer in college but those fu€£ers wouldn’t gimme the magical dressing recipe! Can’t wait to try yours 🙂

    Reply
  7. I loved going to Dojo’s back in the 90’s. I absolutely loved the tofu burger and dressing. It was my most favorite thing to eat back then. I just happened to find your recipe now while looking for anything about the old Dojo’s. Anyway, I cannot wait to make this for my family. I think they will love it. Thank you so much for posting it!!!

    Reply
  8. I love Dojo dressing so much. I used to live one block from Dojo and spent many late nights there eating dressing. I’ve tried to replicate it over the years since moving away – I’ve come close but am excited to try this!

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  9. For the tofu burgers, can anyone tell me whether then mean miso paste or liquid miso? I’m assuming paste since more liquid would make it harder to bind burgers. Thanks.

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  10. Thank you so much for these recipes!!! I just made the dressing and burger and it takes me back to 20+ years ago when I was *addicted* to this dish at Dojos! Very happy food memories : ) When I saw these recipes on your site, I could immediately taste the flavors in my mouth and I could not wait to try making the recipes myself.

    I am so happy that I can now replicate this dish at home. Cannot thank you enough for bringing this much loved dish back into my life. THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU!

    Tara
    (former New Yorker, now living in Florida)

    Reply
  11. Hi Angela,

    Thank you for posting this recipe. I found this site Googling that addictive dressing. I was just in NYC and went to the West 4th location for a reminiscence soy burger meal. Before flying home, I put one small tub of that dressing in my liquids Ziploc, so I can totally relate to your post.

    It’s delicious, and you are right, not as oily as the original.

    I made it, and am eating it now with brown rice and salad.

    I no longer live in NYC, but Dojo was one of my go-to places. Sitting outside and watching St. Marks pass by was just amazing.

    And LifeThyme was great too. Excellent salad bar.

    Thank you again,
    Polly

    Reply
  12. I ate at Dojo’s on St. Mark’s Place religiously in the early to mid 90s. The Hijiki Tofu dinner was my go to meal — only $3.50! — because it was both delicious and a bargain. I’ve missed that carrot-tahini sauce over the years and I’m excited to try your recipe. The Peta.com hijiki burger looks very different from Dojo’s but I’ll give it a shot. I remember when the one next to NYU opened, but I was always a loyal customer to the one on St. Marks Place that closed probably a decade ago. Thanks for posting. A few friends on fB were just reminiscing about our survival food when we lived in NYC. My two “go to” things were Dojo’s and the saran wrapped fig bars that were 4 for $1 at all the bodegas in the East Village.

    Reply
    • I loved the St-Mark’s location too. There was also a great falafel place next door, if I remember correctly… The burger is definitely different, but still tastes really good with the dressing. I hope you enjoy it, and thanks for the trip down memory lane 😉

      Reply
  13. Hi Angela,

    I was so excited to see this recipe! I lived in the east village in NYC for almost 10 years. I was two blocks from Dojos and went to college a block from there. In college I probably ate at Dojos more than at my own apartment. The Hijiki burger with side salad and the fabulous carrot ginger dressing was my favorite. I have never been able to replicate that dressing and I look forward to trying it! On a side note, I haven’t lived in NYC for over 15 years so when I went to visit about a year ago I wanted to go to Dojos and found that it was no longer there. So sad!!
    Anyway, I’ll try out the recipe and let you know how it goes.

    Thanks,
    Tina

    Reply
    • I was SO SAD to hear that Dojo’s closed. I guess they must have closed shortly after I was there in the summer of 2012. BOO. Hope you enjoy the dressing. Nothing will ever compare to the real thing, I suppose, but I hope it comes close enough for you!

      Reply
  14. What brought me to your blog is my search for Dojo’s soy burger. I’m from NY but don’t live there anymore. I love that you wrote about the salad dressing and will continue to hunt for the soy burger with melted cheddar. Unbelievable food! Such a hidden gem.

    Reply
  15. I realize that this post is quite old but it came up on a search for the Dojo soy burger and carrot tahini dressing combo. Thank you so much for posting. I must have eaten hundreds of orders of the soy burger dinner at the St. Mark’s and NYU Dojo in the early to mid 90s. I plan on shopping for the ingredients this week.

    I don’t know of you heard the sad news that the NYU Dojo closed earlier this year. I no longer live in NYC but it still grieves me that this place has closed.

    Thanks again for posting!

    Reply
  16. Thanks for the carrot dressing recipe! I’ve been trying to work that out since I left NYC years ago. Ah, Dojo…I always got the steamed veg with dressing too. occasionally the soy burger. I haven’t been in a couple years but I don’t remember the garlicky flavour in the dressing. Maybe I put too big a clove… Otherwise, spot on. I’m so happy 🙂

    Reply
    • The last commenter also mentioned the strong(er) garlic taste, so you’re probably right. Maybe use a small clove of garlic or none at all if you’re finding it overpowering? Anyway, I’m glad you like the recipe, it’s so fun “meeting” all these fellow Dojo-lovers 🙂

      Reply
  17. My husband and I lived in NYC for 12 years, until about 5 years ago when we moved to Mexico. Tonight we were both craving Dojo burgers with carrot ginger sauce, and you totally nailed it! In fact, i think i like yours a little better- could it be because yours is a little more garlicky? Sometimes Dojo’s was a bit on the sweet side. Anyway, thanks so much! It made our night!

    Reply
    • YAY! I’m like dying right now that you think my version may be better than Dojo’s! What, what?! And yes, my recipe is probably more garlicky. I add garlic to everything, probably too much of it! Anyway, thanks for trying the recipe and taking the time to let me know that you liked it! 🙂

      Reply
  18. I used to live in NYC and I still dream of Dojo’s hijiki tofu burgers! How happy am I to find your recipe? So Happy. 🙂

    Reply
  19. I cannot wait to try this! I lived across the Hudson for 30 years and Dojo’s soy burger and carrot tahini were absolutely essential to my welfare. 😀
    Even today, though a couple hours away, when I get into the city, regardless of how far from the village I am, I have to get down to St Mark’s for dressing to go.
    Very excited to make this this week. thank you!

    Reply
  20. Ever since I first tried it at Dojo’s, I always wanted a recipe for that carrot-ginger dressing. My husband and I live in NYC and I suppose we are a bit blessed when it comes to amazing vegan dining options. Still, I love to cook, so thanks for the recipe – I’ve made it before – it was quite good – and will make it again tonight.

    Reply
    • Hi Kristine – First off, kudos to you for trying this recipe. It received a few comments but I think you’re the first person to let me know that they actually made it! It’s definitely one of my favorites. A bit of work to put together, but totally worth the results and you get a few meals out of it. So thanks for stopping by, trying one of my recipes, and taking the time to comment. All the best!

      Reply
  21. Sometimes I think you’re reading my mind 🙂
    I just saw your peanut butter balls recipe on my feed and I have been on a pb kick so bad lately. I’ve eaten a jar this week on everything possible…including a spoon.
    Then, I see your ginger post and followed it to your ginger dressing.
    I just practically drank a bottle of Makoto’s and told myself I had to figure out how to make it on my own without all the preservatives. Well, I’ll just use your recipe instead 🙂
    Thanks for all the awesomeness!

    Reply
    • That’s so funny! Great minds… 🙂

      I hadn’t heard of Makoto’s so I just Googled it and it looks like they have some great stuff. Hopefully this dressing is close to theirs – you may have to tweak it a little bit to get it just right. Let me know if you make any modifications – I’m curious to hear what you think of it!

      Reply
  22. I realize that this post is super-old, but as soon as I saw the title, the first thing I thought of was that meal at Dojo. I haven’t been there in years, but ate there a few times when I was in high school (I don’t live in NYC, but have family that does, so I visit). That flavor combination is amazing. I’m so excited to try making it now.

    Reply
    • Hi Erin! I never tried the Hijiki Burgers myself, so you’ll need to tell me if they’re pretty close or not. The dressing is amazing. I’ve been making a batch every week since I posted it. Mmmm…

      Reply
  23. I love NYC, but I haven’t been back there since becoming vegan. I’m going there next week for a few days, so I am excited to finally try all the delicious vegan food offered up there.

    Your tofu burgers look amazing! I am definitely going to make them. Thank you for sharing.

    Reply
  24. Okay, I HAVE to try those burgers. Those looks so amazing!! The dressing sounds delicious too. I usually end up with the same-old-same-old oil & vinegar. Time for a change! Thanks for the inspiration! 🙂

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  25. The burgers and the dressing look sensational! Another awesome recipe to add to my looooong list of MoFo bookmarks. Congrats on making the roundup twice! 😀

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  26. All of this looks like greatness, especially the carrot ginger dressing. I think I for sure have to give that a go! Those chopsticks are hella cute too! I’ve never been to NYC, but it’s right up there on my list. Or I’ll just move to Toronto and visit occasionally. Hmmm…I like that idea.

    Reply
    • Thanks Allysia – The dressing is a must, I make it all the time without the burgers. It’s super yummy with greens and cold tofu. I got the chopsticks here in Sydney – they came in a package with all sorts of colors to suit my mood. I just realized you’re in Saskatchewan! I will add you to my “Canadian Vegans” RSS reader 🙂 Yes, move to Toronto! I’ll be living there as of May next year :))

      Reply
  27. Those burgers sound fantastic – and I think I might have gone to dojos many years ago when visiting new york (I wish I could have stayed as long as you) because someone one the subway recommended it

    Reply
    • Hi Corrin – They held together for the baking and whatnot, but they are more of a crumbly burger because they’re pretty moist. But I think that’s how they’re supposed to be since they’re meant to be eaten as part of the salad, with lots of dressing on top. I hope that helps!

      Reply
  28. I am another NYC junkie – although I’ve never had the chance to live there (yet!). My husband and I visit at least once a year and dream about when we could make the move one day. Such a great place with so many food options. I’ve been drooling over all the meals I’ve seen on blogs from NYC restaurants I haven’t visited yet – can’t wait until the next trip!

    Oh yea – this meal looks yummy! – nori in a burger is a very interesting thought. 🙂

    Reply
    • Thanks Heather – Wouldn’t that be amazing? My fiance and I said the same thing when we were there last. I also want to visit all the restaurants that people have been talking about. I think I could spend 2 weeks there just eating!

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  29. My hubby and I just came back from a week-long trip NYC (my first time visiting since going vegan) and it feels like all I did all week was eat crazy delicious vegan food, and I still haven’t visited half the places I wanted. We treated ourselves to Hangawi and Candle 79, also fell in love with Lula’s Sweet Apothecary (!!!) Veggie Castle,… For sure, I’d be an overweight vegan if I lived there =D

    Thx for sharing these recipes. I’m always looking for ways to sneak in some sea vegetables.

    Reply
    • Hi Debbie – Oh that sounds like an awesome trip! I definitely want to go back there now and explore all the other restaurants that people have been raving about! Let me know if you make the burgers 🙂

      Reply
  30. This is such a fun recipe! I can see why you love New York so much–me? Not so much. Only been there once and it was a nice trip, but it just isn’t on the coastside that I prefer. WESTSIDE. (yes, I just got gangster over here). ha But then again, people either love or hate L.A. so I get it. Regardless, it sounds as if you have been exposed to so many experiences growing up (and now you are in God’s land!) I’m kinda getting jealous right now… I need a tofu burger to calm me down 🙂

    Reply

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