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This Tahini Dill Dressing is quick and easy to prepare, and makes for an addictive salad topping or dip. I could eat it straight off the spoon!
Why You Need to Try this Dressing
I can’t take credit for this brilliant flavor combination; it was inspired by a visit to Swingers diner back when I lived in Los Angeles. There, they serve an amazing Mediterranean platter, complete with falafel, hummus, and a Greek salad topped with a tahini-dill dressing.
I attempted to recreate this salad dressing several times at home with no luck, until I came across a similar recipe in one of my favorite vegan cookbooks, Veganomicon. The recipe you’ll find below is adapted from the one in this book, and I hope you’ll agree that it’s downright addictive.
What is Tahini Dressing Made Of?
Like my popular Lemon Tahini Dressing, the base of this dressing is simply tahini, lemon juice, and water. No oil is required!
Here’s what makes this dressing taste so good:
- Raw tahini
- Lemon juice
- Apple cider vinegar
- Garlic
- Salt
- Fresh dill
I use raw tahini, or homemade tahini, in this recipe, because it has a mild flavor that isn’t as bitter as other roasted varieties. The key to making tahini taste less-bitter is by using hulled sesame seeds, so make sure you buy hulled ones if you plan on making your own at home. (It takes less than 10 minutes!)
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I think using fresh dill is key in this recipe, but you can try using a teaspoon of dried dill if that’s what you have on hand.
You could also try using fresh parsley or cilantro, to change it up!
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup raw tahini
- 1/4 cup water , plus more as needed to thin
- 3 to 4 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1 clove garlic , minced
- 1 teaspoon raw apple cider vinegar
- 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt , plus more to taste
- 1 large handful fresh dill , finely chopped (stems removed)
Instructions
- In a mixing bowl, combine the tahini, water, 3 tablespoons of lemon juice, garlic, vinegar, and salt. Use a small whisk to stir it all together until it is creamy. Taste and add another tablespoon of lemon juice if a more tart flavor is desired. (You can also add up to another 1/4 teaspoon of salt, to help make the flavor pop.)
- Stir in the fresh dill, and let the dressing rest for at least 15 minutes to let the flavors meld. Serve immediately, or store it in an airtight container in the fridge for up a week.
- The dressing will thicken quite a bit once it has been in the fridge, so you may want to thin it out with 1-2 tablespoons of water the next time you serve it.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition info above is for roughly 2 tablespoons of dressing. All nutrition calculations are a general estimate; please check your own ingredients to get the most accurate results.
If you try this recipe, please leave a comment below letting me know how you like it. And if you make any modifications, I’d love to hear about those, too! We can all benefit from your experience.
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Reader Feedback: What’s your favorite way to use tahini? My other favorite tahini recipes include hummus, Broccoli Salad, and Creamy Cucumber Tahini Dressing.
For some reason, my dressing turned out really runny. Otherwise, it tastes great!
I came across your website because I heard the Tahini was good for detoxifying and I was doing some research. I just happened to get Veganomicon for Christmas. After reading your post and the comments I just had to try it for myself. Wow!! It is amazing. It is a vegan’s crack (without drug side-effects). I will admit that I also added some cilantro and parsley to mine. But I cannot stop eating this stuff. It is finger & plate licking good!
I came back to this dressing after not having it for a few months ( what was I thinking??)…After having it with my salad last night, i used it this morning to dip fresh baked kale chips in! OMG, it was SO DELICIOUS. Reminiscent of old school ruffles with ranch dip. But so much better. My 15 month old happily enjoyed them with me. She kept coming back saying, “MOE! MOE!”
What school are you taking classes from? Are you enjoying it? I’m looking for a school to study holistic nutrition at and am just researching ideas!
I’m attending the Institute for Integrative Nutrition! I love it so far. 🙂
This is perfect! I bought a jar of Tahini and had NO idea what to do with it! Now I know what I am making 🙂
I can’t wait to try this recipe! Dill is my favorite 🙂 And I too was a regular at Swingers! I used to live and work right down the street and probably visited more than I should, haha. Still love it though!
i love veganomicon! i cant wait for fresh dill to come up in the garden to make this… im so over winter and the cold!
I love tahini dressings, ill definitely have to test this one out. Do you like veganomicon I have been thinking about buying it.
VegaNOMicon indeed! I will be trying this ASAP!
Ohhh I’m so excited to try this, I love tahini AND dill!