Creamy Tahini Dressing
Easy Tahini Dressing Recipe — This creamy and delicious lemon tahini salad dressing tastes similar to a traditional Caesar dressing but is a lighter option that’s completely dairy-free and vegetarian. It’s perfect for drizzling onto fresh greens or using as a rich dipping sauce!
Why We Love This Tahini Dressing Recipe
We are totally obsessed with all things tahini! This thick paste made from pureed sesame seeds is so incredibly nutty, light, delicious – and versatile. It makes an irresistible thick all-purpose tahini sauce recipe and is a must-have to make the best baba ganoush (eggplant dip)!
Today, we’re sharing a recipe for the best bright and creamy Tahini Dressing, which you’ll want to drizzle on everything!
Tahini dressing is a healthy, non-dairy, flavor-packed salad dressing (or sauce) to use in place of traditional creamy dressings with dairy, like Caesar salad dressing or ranch dressing. Not only is it made without dairy, but this customizable dressing is easy to make vegan, gluten-free, and nut-free.
The flavor of the dressing is bold and earthy with a lemony, tangy-sweet essence. We’re offering a simple recipe, but feel free to add extra spices to make it your own! Whisk up a batch in 5 minutes and enjoy the creamiest and dreamiest lemon tahini dressing on fresh salads and wraps, or to use as a rich dipping sauce with your favorite finger foods!
Ingredients You Need
- Tahini sesame paste – creamy ground sesame seeds
- Extra virgin olive oil – or other rich but neutral-tasting cooking oil, like avocado oil
- Lemon juice – fresh squeezed always is best
- Honey – use a pourable honey that’s easy to blend
- Spices – garlic powder, salt and pepper
How to Make Creamy Tahini Salad Dressing
- Measure and add the tahini paste, olive oil, lemon juice, honey, and garlic powder to a small bowl or measuring pitcher.
- Whisk the dressing until smooth.
Pro Tip: If the tahini Caesar dressing is thicker than you want, you can whisk in 1 tablespoon of water at a time to reach your desired consistency.
Get the Complete (Printable) Tahini Dressing for Salad Recipe Below. Enjoy!
- Taste, then add salt and pepper. At this point you can also whisk in additional herbs and spices if you want.
- Cover the dressing and refrigerate until ready to serve.
Recipe Variations and Add-Ins
- Vegan Tahini Dressing – Swap honey with vegan-friendly agave or maple syrup for a sweetener.
- Spices – Ground spices like smoked paprika, ground cumin, onion powder, and coriander add deep, savory flavors to the dressing.
- Seasoning Blends – Really pump up the taste and whisk in Italian seasoning, Middle Eastern za’atar seasoning, garam masala or other dry spice blend.
- Herbs – Add dried thyme, oregano, or other dried crush herbs. Or mix in a tablespoon of finely chopped fresh herbs like cilantro, fresh parsley, dill, or basil.
- Spicy – Whisk in a pinch of cayenne pepper for a simple tahini dressing with a kick of heat! Or stir in a bit of spicy Dijon mustard.
- Servings – As-is this recipe makes approximately 1 cup of tahini dressing. You can easily double the ingredients to make a larger batch, or halve them if you don’t need quite so much.
Serving Suggestions
This gorgeous tahini dressing is perfect for drizzling onto all sorts of salads!
Enjoy it with a simple blend of fresh greens and your favorite salad goodies, like what we’ve got going on here: A salad with baby spinach, cucumbers, beets, cherry tomatoes, and crumbled feta cheese. Perfection!
Use it as a Caesar salad dressing and pair with crisp romaine lettuce, shaved parmesan cheese, and crunchy croutons. You can also change things up and use this tangy dressing in place of blue cheese on a classic wedge salad. Or swap traditional tzatziki for bright and lemony tahini dressing drizzled onto a chicken gyro salad!
It’s also a fabulous sauce on sandwiches, falafel, wraps and flatbreads, like:
And just like other creamy dressings, i.e. Caesar and ranch, this lemon tahini dressing is great for dipping! Pair it with all kinds of finger foods, like:
- French Fries
- Breaded Air Fried Mushrooms
- Roasted Vegetables
- Air Fryer Chicken Nuggets
- Fried Green Tomatoes
- Crispy Baked Garlic Wings
- Fresh chopped veggies like carrots, broccoli, cauliflower, celery sticks, bell peppers, and more!
Frequently Asked Questions
This dressing is dairy-free and gluten-free, but is still amazingly rich and creamy! There is a fair amount of fat from the tahini and EVOO, but it’s certainly lighter than traditional Caesar dressing made with eggs and parmesan cheese.
Sure you can! Adjust the sliding scale under the Servings in the recipe card below to make the perfect amount you need.
Keep the dressing in an airtight container with a lid, and refrigerate for up to 3 weeks.
Give it a good stir before using.
Looking for More Delicious Dressing Recipes? Be Sure to Try:
- Honey Mustard Dressing
- Best Balsamic Vinaigrette
- Big Mac Salad (Special Sauce Dressing!)
- Lime Vinaigrette with Garlic
- Mystical Green Goddess Dressing
Creamy Tahini Dressing Recipe
Video
Ingredients
- 1/3 cup tahini sesame paste
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 3 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- Salt and pepper
- Optional: 1-3 tablespoons water if needed
Instructions
- Set out a small bowl or measuring pitcher. Measure and combine the tahini paste, olive oil, lemon juice, honey, and garlic powder.
- Whisk the dressing until smooth. If it is thicker than desired, you can whisk in 1 tablespoon of water at a time to reach your desired consistency.
- Taste, then add salt and pepper as needed. At this point you can also whisk in additional herbs and spices if you want.
- Cover the dressing and refrigerate until ready to serve.
Hands down the best tahini dressing I’ve ever made! It’s so versatile and adds such a burst of flavor to every dish. Plus, it’s so quick and easy to make!
Wow, this dressing is amazing! It has the perfect balance of creaminess and tang, with just the right hint of garlic and lemon. I’ve used it on salads, wraps, and even as a dip, and it’s a total hit every time!
This Creamy Tahini Dressing is absolutely delicious! It’s rich, smooth, and packed with nutty flavor that elevates any salad or roasted vegetable dish. I love how quick and easy it is to make!!