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Hungry Healthy Happy » Recipes » Sauces

Tahini Dressing

Published: Mar 15, 2023 · Written by Dannii Martin · This post may contain affiliate links which earn us commissions if purchases are made · 9 Comments

27 shares
  • 2
Diet: Gluten Free / Vegetarian
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Tahini dressing with a text title overlay.
Tahini dressing with a text title overlay.

This Tahini Dressing is creamy and nutty and our go-to dressing for salads, Buddha bowls or a dip with homemade falafel. Just a few staple ingredients and it's ready in a couple of minutes.

A bowl of tahini dressing in front of a bowl of salad.

This tahini salad dressing is like liquid gold. It's so easy to make, and has the most incredible flavour. Silky smooth, naturally nutty and fresh and zesty from the added lemon. An easy way to give a salad a lift, but there are so many other ways to use this tahini dressing recipe.

If you are looking for some more recipes with tahini, why not try our Roasted Carrot Hummus or Butter Bean Hummus?

Jump to:
  • Why you will love it
  • Ingredients and substitutions
  • How to make tahini dressing - Step by step
  • Ways to serve tahini dressing
  • Variations
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Extra tips
  • More sauce recipes
  • Recipe
  • Feedback

Why you will love it

  • Quick and easy - This tahini dressing recipe takes just 5 minutes to make and it's as easy as mixing everything together in a bowl.
  • Versatile - There is so much that you can do with this dressing, and it makes a great dip too.
  • Adaptable - Keep this dressing as it is, or use our suggestions for additional ingredients.
  • A good way to use up tahini - If you have some tahini leftovers from making hummus, then this is a good way to use it so nothing goes to waste.

Ingredients and substitutions

All the ingredients needed for this recipe with text overlay labels.
  • Tahini - Tahini is sesame seeds that are ground into a paste and it originates in the Middle East. It's what is used in hummus, but it also makes a delicious dressing. Try to use the best quality one you can. We have given instructions below for if you want to make your own.
  • Lemon - This adds a lovely freshness to the lemon tahini dressing. Feel free to adjust it if you want more.
  • Liquid sweetener - You can use honey or maple syrup here.
  • Garlic - Always use freshly crushed if you can. You can also adjust it if you want a more garlicky dressing.
  • Oil - This adds flavour and thins the dressing out. Use extra virgin olive oil. If you really love the sesame flavour, you could use sesame oil.
  • Water - This thins the dressing out further. Feel free to adjust depending on how runny you want the tahini dressing.
  • Mustard - This adds a lovely pop of flavour. We used Dijon, but remember that a lot of brands are not vegan, so look out for that if you are vegan.
  • Salt and pepper - Generously season.

A full ingredients list with measurements is in the recipe card below.

How to make tahini dressing - Step by step

All the recipe ingredients in a mixing bowl.

One: Add the tahini, lemon juice, sweetener, mustard, garlic, salt and pepper to a bowl.

Everything in the bowl whisked together.

Two: Whisk together while slowly adding the water. Continue whisking until creamy.

Ways to serve tahini dressing

This is SUCH a versatile dressing. If you wanted to serve it on a salad, then we recommend our Rocket Salad, Roasted Vegetable Winter Salad, Lentil Salad or Little Gem Salad.

It also makes a delicious dressing on things like Vegan Burrito Bowls or our Air Fryer Roasted Vegetables. We also love it drizzled over our Roasted Tenderstem Broccoli.

But, it is more than just a dressing as it makes an incredible dip. Why not serve it with our Oven Baked Falafel? It's also a good addition to a vegetable platter for a party.

You can use this tahini dressing recipe as a replacement for mayo in sandwiches. Although it does have a different flavour, it has that creamy consistency.

A small spoon drizzling dressing over salad leaves.

Variations

We have made this a lemon tahini dressing, so that is the main flavour that comes through alongside the sesame seeds. However, if you wanted to add some other flavours, here are some suggestions:

  • Smoky - For a smoky flavour, add a little smoked paprika.
  • Spicy - For a kick of spice, you could either add a splash of your favourite chilli sauce or some cayenne pepper.
  • Green - If you want to give this a herby twist, then you could blend it with some fresh herbs. Use leafy herbs like coriander or parsley instead of woody ones.
A creamy salad dressing in a small bowl with a spoon.

Frequently Asked Questions

How to make homemade tahini

To make this a really quick dressing, we used store bought tahini. But, if you wanted to make your own then it's the same process as nut butter. Toast sesame seeds in a dry pan and then put them in a food processor and blend. Stop every 30 seconds to scrape the sides down and then carry on blending until you have a smooth consistency.

How to store tahini dressing

Leftovers can be stored in an air tight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Adding fresh herbs would mean it wouldn't last as long.

Can you freeze tahini dressing?

No, we wouldn't recommend freezing it as the texture isn't great after defrosting.

Is tahini dressing vegan?

If you use maple syrup instead of honey and make sure the mustard you are using is vegan, then this can be a vegan salad dressing.

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Extra tips

• Feel free to adjust the flavours to suit your own tastes. You might like extra lemon or mustard. You can always add more of something as you taste it, but you can't remove it.
• Dijon mustard isn't vegan, so use a vegan mustard if you want to keep this recipe vegan.

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If you’ve tried this tahini dressing recipe, let us know how you got on in the comments below.
Tag us in your creations on Instagram @hungryhealthyhappy - Use the hashtag #hungryhealthyhappy too.

Recipe

Tahini dressing in a small bowl with a small wooden spoon.

Tahini Dressing

By: Dannii Martin
Create a creamy and nutty tahini dressing perfect for salads, Buddha bowls or dipping your homemade falafel. Simple ingredients and ready in minutes!
A circular logo saying GF.
Gluten Free
An illustration of a v-shaped plant.
Vegetarian
4.91 from 11 votes
Pin Print Save recipe Saved!
Course: Sauce/Spread
Cuisine: Middle Eastern
Prep: 5 minutes mins
Total: 5 minutes mins
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 138kcal
Allergens:
An illustration of a mustard bottle.
Mustard
An illustration of sesame seeds
Sesame

Ingredients

  • 40 g (1.5 oz) Tahini
  • 0.5 Lemon - juice only
  • 1 tablespoon Liquid sweetener
  • 1 Garlic clove - crushed
  • 2 tablespoon Olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
  • 4 tablespoon Water
  • 1 pinch Sea salt and ground black pepper

Instructions

  • Add 40 g Tahini, juice of 0.5 Lemon, 1 tablespoon Liquid sweetener, 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard, 1 Garlic clove (crushed), 2 tablespoon Olive oil and 1 pinch Sea salt and ground black pepper to a bowl.
  • Whisk together while slowly adding 4 tablespoon Water. Continue whisking until creamy.

Recipe Tips

  • Feel free to adjust the flavours to suit your own tastes. You might like extra lemon or mustard. You can always add more of something as you taste it, but you can't remove it.
  • Dijon mustard isn't vegan, so use a vegan mustard if you want to keep this recipe vegan.

Nutritional Information

Serving: 1portion | Calories: 138kcal | Carbohydrates: 6g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Sodium: 19mg | Potassium: 70mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 11IU | Vitamin C: 8mg | Calcium: 20mg | Iron: 1mg

The nutritional information provided is approximate and is calculated using online tools. Information can vary depending on various factors, but we have endeavoured to be as accurate as possible.

As all appliances vary, cooking times are a guide. Please note that by changing the serving size, the cooking time may also need to be altered.

 

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Comments

  1. Sara Welch says

    March 20, 2023 at 2:31 am

    5 stars
    This was such a quick and easy sauce to make from home and way better than the store bought version! Easily, a new favorite recipe!

    Reply
  2. Tara says

    March 19, 2023 at 9:02 pm

    5 stars
    I can see why this is your go-to dressing for salads. It looks so good and I love how easily it all comes together.

    Reply
  3. Natalie Marie says

    March 19, 2023 at 7:37 pm

    5 stars
    I love tahini and how simple this recipe is. I feel like I always struggle to make dressings because I feel like they need to be complicated, but this is going to be my new go to.

    Reply
  4. Sue says

    March 19, 2023 at 7:06 pm

    5 stars
    I've just started making my own falafel and really wanted a dipping sauce - this fit the bill perfectly!

    Reply
  5. Nikki says

    March 17, 2023 at 1:35 pm

    5 stars
    I really like making homemade dressings like this fabulous tahini dressing. I can't wait to try it on my salad.

    Reply
  6. Ned says

    March 17, 2023 at 1:17 pm

    5 stars
    This dressing is incredible! I cannot wait to use it again today for my salad at lunch. Thank you!

    Reply
  7. Katherine Kyle says

    March 17, 2023 at 10:35 am

    5 stars
    So delicious! This recipe is so fast to throw together and tahini dressing goes so well with so many meals. I use it on everything! Thanks for making this so simple.

    Reply
  8. Hayley Dhanecha says

    March 17, 2023 at 10:24 am

    5 stars
    Tahini dressing is one of my favourite dressing, so easy to make and packed with flavours. Bounus, it's vegan too!

    Reply
  9. Sangeetha says

    March 17, 2023 at 9:49 am

    5 stars
    This tahini dressing recipe looks so delicious and versatile! I can't wait to try it on my salads and roasted veggies. Thank you for sharing!

    Reply
4.91 from 11 votes (2 ratings without comment)

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My name is Dannii. Here you will find easy family recipes with a healthy twist.

Established in 2011, Hungry Healthy Happy has become one of the UK's most popular food blogs, with two successful recipe books published.

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