Healthy, easy, flavorful tahini is one of our favorite ways to make creamy vegan salad dressings and sauces. Today I'm sharing a recipe for basic lemon tahini dressing plus four flavor variations, all of which are oil-free, gluten-free, flavor-packed, and come together in just minutes!
When you need a quick and easy way to boost the flavor of your salads, veggies, and bowls, you can't go wrong with tahini dressing.
These five different dressings pair well with so many things beyond salad! Try them on tofu and tempeh, tacos, pizza, drizzled on potatoes, and more.
- Easy Lemon Tahini Dressing - the perfect balance of bright and rich flavors
- Smoky Tahini Dressing - same as above but with a subtle, smoky finish (<---yum!)
- Orange-Ginger Tahini Dressing - for those of you who like your dressings a bit on the fruity/sweeter side
- Green Goddess Tahini Dressing - fresh herbs = my personal favorite!
- Mustard Tahini Dressing - lively with zesty dijon
Ways to Use Tahini Dressing
Don't limit these delicious dressings to salads! Think about complementary flavor combinations and use these them as....
- Healthy dip for vegetable platters
- Mayo replacement in sandwiches and wraps
- Mayo replacement in chickpea salad
- Mayo replacement in potato salad or as a dip for fries (Try baked oven fries with smoky tahini dressing!)
- Sauce for roasted, grilled or sautéed vegetables
- Creamy sauce for hot or cold pasta dishes
- And as a sauce for your favorite grain bowls!
Selecting the Best Tahini
Delicious dressing starts with a good quality tahini. Of course, it should also be one that's available to you and affordable. If you don't already have a favorite tahini, check out this review by Minimalist Baker of the best tahini brands.
Or if you prefer to go the DIY route, it's very easy to make tahini at home from raw sesame seeds. Begin by toasting the seeds briefly in a heavy-bottomed pan for 4 to 5 minutes, until golden and fragrant. Stir frequently so the seeds don't brown.
Next, spread the sesame seeds on a plate to cool completely, then transfer to a food processor. Process the seeds in intervals, stopping to scrape down the sides of the food processor as needed. Blend until the tahini as as smooth and creamy as you like.
Tips for Adjusting Flavors
Feel free to experiment with the ingredient amounts listed below. For example, you may find you like a tad more smoked paprika in your smoky tahini dressing or a bit less orange in your orange-ginger dressing.....or vice versa.
We all have different palates, and in recipes that contain so few ingredients, even the smallest tweaks can make a huge difference!
Best advice: you can always add more of something, but it's not always easy to tone down an ingredient after adding too much. It's a good idea to first try each recipe as written, and adjust from there.
How long does it keep?
This may vary depending on the exact ingredients in the dressing, but in general, I find the basic lemon tahini dressing is best consumed within 4 days.
Tahini dressings that contain fresh juice or herbs may not last quite as long, up to 3 days.
Always refrigerate leftover dressing, and be sure to store it in a clean jar or container with a tight-fitting lid.
More Ways to Use Tahini
Tahini also creates delicious, oil-free vegan desserts. Try it in these Rosemary Tahini Cookies, and these Spiced Oatmeal Cookies.
I've also used it in place of the cashews in this Vegan Chocolate Tart with amazing results!
Of course tahini is right at home in any hummus recipe, like this Ginger-Carrot Hummus.
You might also like:
Avocado Green Goddess Dressing
Creamy Harissa Dressing (tahini-based)
Ginger-Turmeric Dressing (Trader Joe's Copycat)
Nut-Free Vegan Ranch Dressing
Classic Vegan Caesar With Roasted Chickpeas (tahini-based)
Oil-Free Vegan Aquafaba Mayo
Carrot Salad With Tahini-Sriracha Dressing
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Tahini Salad Dressing 5 Ways
Equipment
Ingredients
Basic Lemon Tahini Dressing:
- ⅓ cup tahini
- ⅓ cup water
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1 small clove garlic, zested or finely minced if not using a blender
- 2 teaspoons maple syrup or agave
- 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
Smoky Tahini Dressing - same as Basic and add:
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
Orange-Ginger Tahini Dressing - same as Basic but omit lemon juice and add:
- 2 tablespoons fresh orange juice
- 1 pinch of of orange zest
- ¾ inch piece fresh ginger root, peeled and zested
- black pepper, to taste
Mustard Tahini Dressing - same as Basic and add:
- 2 to 3 tablespoons dijon mustard; start with 2 Tbsp and adjust
Green Goddess Tahini Dressing (written in full for simplicity):
- ⅓ cup tahini
- ⅓ cup unsweetened and unflavored non-dairy yogurt (Forager Cashewgurt is my go-to)
- ¼ cup water
- 2 cloves garlic, zested or finely minced if making dressing by hand; chopped if using blender
- ⅓ cup fresh flat leaf parsley, finely chopped if not using a blender
- 2 tablespoons chives, finely chopped if not using a blender - (if you can't find chives, sub green onion)
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- ¼ teaspoon dulse flakes
- 2 teaspoon maple syrup or agave
- 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
Instructions
- Blender instructions: combine all ingredients, and blend until smooth. Taste and adjust salt and acidity as desired.By hand: combine all ingredients in a bowl, and whisk until fully incorporated. Taste and adjust salt and acidity as desired.
- Refrigerate dressing in an airtight container. Best consumed within three days.
Notes
Estimated Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition information is an estimate and will vary depending on the exact amounts and specific products and ingredients used. We calculate this information using the online calculator cronometer.com. For the most accurate nutrition information we recommend calculating it yourself to reflect the specific ingredients used in your dish.
megna paula
love these ideas, thank you!
Sam
Nice selection and variety to keep things interesting. Really enjoying the orange ginger one at the moment. Thank you
Lori
Thanks a bunch, Sam! So glad you’re enjoying it.