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This tahini salad dressing has an unbelievably creamy texture and is the type of sauce you’ll want to drench your next salad in. It’s made with simple ingredients, like lemon juice and garlic, and can be stirred together in minutes.
The first time I made this dressing was over a decade ago, when I was on a raw-foods kick. That meant I was buying raw tahini, which, as it turns out, is drastically different from other varieties. Be sure to read my tips below on which tahini will work best for this recipe, so you won’t wind up with bitter results.
Use it as a salad topping or a dip for veggies this week!
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Featured Review
“Wow this was good!! BEST salad dressing recipe EVER and I’ve tried quite a few! Thank you so much for sharing. 🙂 I can’t wait to have another salad for dinner tomorrow night!!” – Amber
Tahini Dressing Ingredients
- Tahini. I think you get the best results with raw tahini, such as Artisana brand, or with homemade tahini. It takes about 10 minutes to make in a food processor and is more affordable than buying it at the store. If you use another brand, such as Soom, the toasted sesame seed flavor will be more pronounced. (So it will taste less like Caesar dressing.)
- Lemon Juice. You’ll need approximately two lemons for this recipe. I like to start with 4 tablespoons of lemon juice, but you may want to use up to 6 tablespoons total. It’s best to taste and adjust as you go. Don’t use store-bought bottled juice; fresh is best!
- Garlic. I’ve learned that the key to hiding the bitter tahini flavor is to add plenty of fresh garlic. I usually use 3 small cloves in this batch, but you can adjust this to taste.
- Onion Powder. This is another layer of flavor that masks the bitterness of the tahini.
- Salt and Pepper. I use fine sea salt, which tastes different than white table salt. I recommend a minimum amount of salt in this recipe, but you can always add an extra pinch if you want to boost the flavor.
How to Make Tahini Dressing
Step 1:
In a 14 oz. or larger jar, add the tahini, lemon juice, onion powder, salt, and black pepper. Use a microplane to finely mince the garlic cloves directly into the jar.
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Stir well. The mixture should start to look relatively thick.
Step 2:
Add water, one tablespoon at a time, until the dressing reaches a creamy, drippy consistency. I usually add 4 to 5 tablespoons total, but this may vary based on the type of tahini you use.
As soon as you’re happy with the consistency, you can taste the dressing and adjust the seasoning if needed. It’s ready to use right away.
Lemon Tahini Dressing (Oil-Free!)
Ingredients
- ½ cup raw tahini
- 4 to 6 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (about 2 lemons)
- 3 garlic cloves , minced
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ¼ cup water
Instructions
- In a 14-ounce jar or larger, add the tahini, 4 tablespoons of lemon juice, minced garlic, onion powder, salt, and black pepper. (Use a microplane to finely mince the garlic directly into the jar.) Stir well, then add the water and stir again.
- Taste the dressing and add more lemon juice, just one tablespoon at a time, if you'd like a more tart flavor. If you don't want to add more lemon juice, you may want to add another tablespoon of water to thin the consistency. Once you're happy with the flavor and texture, it's ready to serve.
- Secure the lid on the jar and store the dressing in the fridge for up to a week. It will thicken when chilled, so you may want to add another tablespoon of water to thin the consistency when you use it later.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
More REcipes to Try
- Zucchini Hummus
- Make-Ahead Vegan Lunch Bowls
- Vegan Green Goddess Dressing (Oil-Free!)
- Tahini-Dill Salad Dressing
- Cucumber Tahini Salad Dressing
If you try this tahini dressing recipe, please leave a comment and star rating below to let me know how you like it.
This was fantastic. Very close to what my favorite Mediterranean restaurant serves. I left the salt out and went heavy on the freshly minced garlic. Thank you for this recipe!
Love this dressing! Easy to make and so versatile like so many stated. Have made many times. Today, having it with arugula, butter lettuce, roasted tomatoes, cauliflower, delicata squash, roasted cranberries and quinoa. I ran out of beans with my husband’s lunch and dinner want to open another can. Delicious!!
Great dressing!
We added some pepper and Cajun seasoning for a kick. Even without the changes this tastes great!
Made this simple dressing today – added a little bit of hot sauce and 1 tsp of maple syrup. SO delicious, quick and versatile.
This was easy and so good!
Love it! Favorite dressing now
This is my go-to dressing! I could pour it on everything!!
I made this while doing the Wild Rose cleanse. Made it in my Vitamix which made a super smooth dressing. Tastes delicious with salad or with roasted veggies and brown rice.
First Time doing a Raw Vegan Challenge… And, This is my Most Valued find, online. I can go with my gut on making a smoothie but, my dry salad needs help. Thanks so much!!
Hope you enjoy it!
Yummy!