Creamy tahini dressing has a beautiful, silky texture.
It is a great all-purpose sauce that works just as well on salads as it does grain bowls or vegan wraps. It’s also amazing drizzled on falafel.
When you’re chopping a big salad or making a batch of falafel, you want the dressing or sauce to be the easy part.
You want something that comes together quickly.
Doesn’t require a lot of ingredients.
And doesn’t involve much in the way of gadgetry.
That’s when I make a batch of vegan tahini dressing.
This homemade tahini dressing recipe is almost as quick as a bottled dressing.
It comes together in a minute or two.
Ingredients
Here are the ingredients you will need to make this recipe.
It uses just four ingredients:
- Tahini
- Lemon juice
- Water
- Salt
You really can’t get much simpler than that!
There’s no added oil or sugar.
No blender is involved, which means clean up is a breeze.
In fact, I usually make it right in the storage container. After using it, I can pop on a lid and store it for future salads & bowls.
Tahini
If you’ve never tried tahini, think of it as peanut butter but with sesame seeds.
It’s a must in Middle Eastern dishes like hummus and baba ganoush.
I also like using tahini whenever I prepare jackfruit recipes, because of its sticky, nutty quality that makes dishes more cohesive in flavor and texture.
Tahini even adds thick body to udon noodle soup or ramen noodles.
Since tahini is the dominant flavor of this dressing, be sure that you enjoy your specific brand.
My favorite tahini brands are Soom and Seed + Mill.
They’re nice and runny with a nutty taste that isn’t bitter. It’s also convenient that they don’t require a lot of stirring the way some brands do.
Find tahini in natural grocery stores near other nut & seed butters. Or look for it in the center aisles by Middle Eastern ingredients like boxed falafel mix. You can also find it in Middle Eastern grocery stores or online.
When you first open a jar of tahini, be sure to stir it well. The natural oils often separate & float to the top of the jar. If you don’t stir well, the oil may settle higher, leaving the bottom part of the jar very dry.
Tahini lasts for months in the refrigerator. So you don’t have to worry about using it quickly.
Lemon juice
As always, fresh is best when it comes to lemon juice. I always have lemons in the refrigerator for dressings or squeezing into sparkling water.
Bottled just can’t compete with the bright flavor of fresh.
Depending on how you plan to use the dressing, you can increase or decrease the amount of lemon juice.
If you’re using it on a mild flavored green like romaine, you can go lighter on the lemon. If you want it to stand out on something bitter like kale, go a little bolder.
Step by step instructions
Here’s how to make this recipe at a glance. For complete ingredient amounts & instructions, keep scrolling to the recipe card below.
In a small to medium sized bowl, combine the following with a spoon or whisk:
- Tahini
- Water
- Lemon juice
- Salt
At first, the tahini will seize up and look thick. That’s normal.
Add more water & keep stirring until it has the consistency of a thick ranch dressing. You want it to be creamy but pourable.
Taste and add more lemon juice or salt, if needed.
Make it your own
You can easily personalize this vegan tahini dressing to suit your tastes or mood by tweaking the ingredients.
- Add maple syrup for sweetness
- Add minced garlic or Dijon mustard for bite
- Add tamari or miso for salt and umami
- Add sesame oil for nuttiness
- Add apple cider vinegar or rice vinegar for tang
- Add nutritional yeast flakes for cheesiness
- Add cayenne or chili flakes for heat
- Add chopped fresh herbs like cilantro, dill, or parsley for freshness
- Add seasonings like pepper, smoked paprika, cumin, or garam masala for variety
How to use vegan tahini dressing
Tahini sauce is wonderful on salads, bowls, wraps, and air fryer falafel (or oven baked).
Drizzle it on any of the following dishes:
How to store
Leftover tahini dressing will keep in an airtight covered container in the refrigerator for 5 days.
It will thicken as it cools. So when you’re ready to use it again, add a splash of water and/or lemon juice and stir until it reaches your preferred viscosity.
If needed, add another pinch of salt.
More salad dressings
Keep the leafy greens going with these other salad dressing recipes you’re sure to love.
If you try this recipe and love it, let me know! Leave a comment and ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating in the comment section below. It truly makes my day and is such a help!
📖 Recipe
Easy tahini dressing
Ingredients
- 3 Tablespoons tahini
- 2 to 3 Tablespoons water plus more as needed
- 2 to 3 teaspoons lemon juice
- Pinch of salt
Instructions
- In a small or medium sized bowl, combine tahini, 2 Tablespoons of water, 2 teaspoons of lemon juice, and a pinch of salt with a spoon or whisk.
- At first the tahini will seize up and look very thick. That's normal. Stir in another Tablespoon of water until it has the consistency of a thick ranch dressing. (Add more water, if needed, by a small splash at a time.)
- Taste and add the final teaspoon of lemon juice, if you'd prefer it to be more sour, plus more salt, if desired.
Notes
Nutrition
Content, recipe, and photos updated February 21, 2022. Originally posted March 15, 2017.
David
This is my all-time favorite dressing! I make it at least once a week. So delicious!
Cadry Nelson
That’s great to hear, David! Glad you’re a fan!
Glenda Stormes-Bice
I was slow to try this, as although I use tahini, I wouldn’t consider myself a fan favorite flavor. All that has changed. This is an amazing dressing!!! and she is right, it is perfect for everything. I use quite a few seasonings from a place in Iowa called Saltlickers (worth checking out) and I am looking forward to cycling thru those additions to start pairing this amazing dressing with even more meals! Thanks!!!
Cadry Nelson
That’s great to hear, Glenda! I’m so glad you’re enjoying the dressing.
I will have to check out Saltlickers. Do you get their blends at the Des Moines farmers market or elsewhere? It doesn’t look like they have a brick and mortar store.
Glenda Stormes-Bice
They do not have a brick and mortar store, but they are at both the DM and Ames FM pretty regularly, as well as a ton of other markets. They will also ship. Or if you want free delivery, I drive by them on the way east to my Mom’s in Clinton monthly, so if you want to meet up in CR along highway 30 for a pass off, I’m happy to make that happen. They are in Nevada. I can also give you some suggestions if you want to know where to start.
Glenda Stormes-Bice
Just saw their schedule. DM FM on May 7 and 14th, and 28th, as well as June 4th. And Ames on May 21. They also do Beautiful Land Market here in Ames on June 5th.
Cadry Nelson
Thank you! That’s all super helpful. I’m curious to hear your suggestions. When you get a chance, shoot me an email at cadry@cadryskitchen.com. And that’s so thoughtful of you to offer a meet-up drop-off. I may take you up on that sometime!
Dianne's Vegan Kitchen
I’ve been on a lemon tahini kick lately, too! It makes everything a little better. I love the addition of wheat berries in this salad!
Cadry
As much as I love cashew based dressings, tahini based dressings are so easy with minimal clean-up required. Plus, they’re delicious! It’s a win all around.
Amy Katz from Veggies Save The Day
Looks fabulous, Cadry! I’m always looking for new kale salad recipes to try, especially with delicious dressings like this!
Cadry
I’m so glad to hear that, Amy! Thanks!
Adri
I am unable to find the Kale & Wheat Berry Salad recipe or a link to it. I am eager to try it w/your Tahini Dressing. Please help… & thanks!
Cadry Nelson
Hi, Adri! Sorry for the confusion. I updated this recipe to be for the dressing alone, and got rid of the salad portion. However, here it is for you! I hope you enjoy it!
Kale & wheat berry salad
1/2 cup wheat berries
1 3/4 cups water
Pinch salt
3 cups chopped curly kale
2 cups chopped green leaf lettuce
1 medium-sized carrot, grated
1 celery stalk, sliced
1/2 red bell pepper, chopped
Put wheat berries, water, and a pinch of salt into medium pot. Bring to a boil, and then lower to a simmer. Cover with a lid and simmer for an hour, until the wheat berries are tender. Drain any excess liquid from the wheat berries and set aside.
In a large salad bowl, briefly massage kale with hands. Then add green leaf lettuce, carrot, celery, and bell pepper to the bowl. Toss in the wheat berries and combine.
Spoon salad into 4 bowls and top with lemon tahini dressing.
Becky Striepe
Wow, a daily salad is a great goal! I don’t eat salads much lately, but now that it’s warming up, I may steal this idea. This recipe looks like a great way to kick off a spring and summer of salads!
Cadry
Yes, it’s a nice way to focus on the positive – more salad as opposed to less other stuff. I always feel good when I pack some raw, leafy greens into my day. Good luck with your salad making, Becky!
Bianca Phillips
I love wheat berries, and I always forget about them! I need more wheat berries in my life. As for tahini, well, I LOVE IT. Esp with lemon or just on its own. I could basically just sit and eat a whole jar of tahini. But that’s probably a bad idea.
Cadry
I forget about wheat berries oftentimes too! I need to think of more ways to use them, so that they’ll stay in the regular rotation. I completely agree on the tahini love. So good.
Shell
You had me from “My goal is to eat at least one salad every day”. I recently made it a priority to add more vegetables to my diet each day. A salad like this way would be a great way to do that!
My favorite new habit that has resulted from my new goal is my morning snack of veggies with Oasis hummus. 🙂
Cadry
That’s great, Shell! Everything is better with Oasis hummus. I think you’d like wheat berries. They’re kind of like rice but chewier.