Lemon tahini salad dressing is a tangy, savory dressing that also happens to be gluten-free, dairy-free, and vegan. This creamy dressing is rich and nutty, with a hint of sweetness - made with a handful of simple ingredients.
Never had a tahini salad dressing before? You're in for a treat. If you're looking for a new salad dressing, I suggest giving this one a try. This lemon tahini salad dressing is rich and creamy, without any added oils or dairy.
Tahini on its own can be bitter. With the addition of fresh lemon juice, maple syrup, and dijon mustard, this dressing becomes bright, savory, and tangy, with just a hint of sweetness.
Tahini is a paste made from sesame seeds, similar to peanut or sunflower seed butter. If you have a half empty jar of tahini in your kitchen (like I did) after making some hummus, this may be the perfect recipe to try next.
Ingredients and substitutions
Tahini can often be found in the international section of your local grocery store. For this particular recipe, runny, thin tahini is ideal (not the thicker stuff at the bottom of the jar).
I highly suggest grabbing a lemon for this recipe, not lemon concentrate from a bottle. Using juice from a lemon adds a bright, fresh flavor to this dressing that can't be beat.
Maple syrup can be substituted with honey (keep in mind your dressing will no longer be vegan with this substitution).
What is tahini?
Tahini a smooth paste made from ground sesame seeds, similar to peanut butter. It is a common ingredient in dishes like hummus and baba ghanoush, and is widely used in Middle Eastern cooking.
It has a nutty, earthy flavor, and may taste slightly bitter when compared to a sweet nut butter, like peanut butter.
Where can you buy tahini? I find tahini at my local grocery store in the ethnic foods section. You can also buy tahini online: Amazon: Organic Sesame Tahini
How to make your dressing sweeter
Everyone's tastes are different, so you may want to adjust this dressing to make it sweeter. As is, this dressing is savory, salty, and tangy, with just a bit of sweetness.
If you'd like to make your dressing sweeter, add a small amount of maple syrup (1 teaspoon at a time), mix, and do another taste test. Remember, it's much easier to add more, but much harder to fix if you add too much!
How to make your dressing tangier
Love a tangy, savory dressing? Add more dijon mustard, 1 teaspoon at a time, and do a taste test. This will add more sharp, tangy flavor to your dressing.
How long does homemade dressing last?
Your homemade lemon tahini dressing will last for up to a week in a sealed container in the refrigerator.
It will also thicken slightly when cold. If your dressing gets too thick, add a splash of water to thin it out.
📖 Recipe
Lemon Tahini Salad Dressing
Ingredients
- ⅓ cup tahini
- ⅓ cup cold water
- 1 lemon, or 3 tablespoons of lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
Instructions
- In a bowl, add tahini and water. Whisk until smooth.
- Juice lemon into bowl, then add dijon mustard, maple syrup, minced garlic, salt, and pepper. Whisk to incorporate.
- Store in a tightly sealed container in the refrigerator for up to one week.
Equipment Recommendations
Notes
- This recipe makes about 1 cup of dressing. 1 serving = about 2 tablespoons
- To make dressing sweeter - add maple syrup 1 teaspoon at a time, mix, and do a taste test until desired flavor is achieved.
- To make dressing tangier - add dijon mustard 1 teaspoon at a time, mix, and do a taste test until desired flavor is achieved.
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