2 Minute Lemon Tahini Dressing
on Apr 15, 2022
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5 simple ingredients, 2 minutes to make, and endless ways to serve!
My 2 Minute Lemon Tahini Dressing is creamy, zesty and great on just about everything 😋
I make a batch of this dressing almost every week to use for salads, grain bowls, and roasted potatoes. It’s also a great sandwich spread or veggie dip too.
I love tahini dressing because it’s:
- quick
- versatile
- keeps well in the fridge
- packs a nutritional punch with calcium-rich tahini and fresh lemon juice
Tahini Dressing Recipe Ingredients
You’ll only need 5 ingredients to make this quick tahini dressing recipe at home!
- Tahini – one of my most beloved pantry staples! I get SO many questions about tahini because they’re not all created equally. You’ll want to use a tahini that is thin and runny, pale in a color and made with only sesame seeds and salt. I’ve listed my favorite tahinis below!
- Lemon – nothing compares to the bright flavor of fresh lemon juice. I use both the juice and the zest to make this dressing.
- Dill – I often use dried but fresh is lovely too. Use what you have!
- Garlic Granules – adds lots of flavor without being as overpowering as raw garlic.
- Kosher salt – ties all of the flavors together
How to Make Tahini Dressing
Zest the lemon and set aside.
Then juice the lemon and add 2 tbsp of juice to a mixing bowl along with all of the tahini, garlic granuels, dried dill and kosher salt. Stir with a spoon. Important Note: The sauce will get clumpy as you stir and you will panic thinking something went wrong. Don’t worry, this is normal. At this point we’re basically creating a paste.
Next, add the water 1 tbsp at a time, and stir as you go. It’s important to just add one spoon of water at a time and mix it in completely before adding the next spponful.
Repeat this process with the remaining 3 tbsp of water. As you stir in the water you’ll see that the mixture lightens in color and turns from a thick paste to a smooth and creamy sauce.
Leave it on the thicker side if you plan to use it as a sandwich spread, or make it thinner by adding 2-3 more tbsp of water in at a time so that it’s pourable enough to drizzle over salads and grain bowls.
Once you’ve reached the desired consistency, mix in 1 tbsp of lemon zest then taste and add more salt if needed.
Store leftovers in the fridge and add a splash of water as needed to thin it back as out before serving (tahini sauce naturally thickens as it sits)
How to Use Tahini Dressing
I love using this lemony tahini dressing as a salad dressing, but it’s very versatile and can be used in so many ways!
- Drizzle onto roasted potatoes or serve as a creamy dip with sweet potato fries 🍟
- Use it as a sandwich spread instead of mayo 🥪
- Speaking of mayo alternatives, this dressing is great for potato salads and chilled pasta salads as well!
- Drizzle over falafels, grain bowls, or vegan “fish” tacos 🥙🥗🌮
- I love this dressing with roasted vegetables like roasted carrots. Spoon this creamy sauce over the carrots when they’re out of the oven and top with a handful of chopped pistachios and some chopped parsley for a simple but elegant side dish 🥕
- I use this dressing to make my Highly Adaptable Garden Veggie + Chickpea Salad recipe
- Spoon onto baked potatoes for a cool and creamy sour cream alternative 🥔
- Serve as a veggie dip with crudités 🥦
How to Store Tahini Dressing
This dressing will stay fresh for about a week (or more) in the fridge. Keep in mind that it will thicken up considerably as it sits, so you will need to add a small amount of water to the container and shake before use to thin it back out.
Tip: Just like when making the tahini dressing, add water gradually as needed for best results. It’s always easier to add more water than it is to thicken it up once you’ve added too much water.
What brand of Tahini Is Best?
These are my top three favorites and my go – tos for both sweet and savory dishes. They’re mild in flavor, silky-smooth and perfectly runny, which is exactly what I look for in a tahini to use for dressings and when making hummus.
If you like this recipe please leave a comment and rate this post below! And if you’re on Instagram, tag me in a pic so I can see your recreation! @nikkivegan
For more free vegan recipes, don’t forget to check out my YouTube channel here.
2 Minute Tahini Dressing Recipe
Ingredients
- 4 tbsp runny tahini, see post above for brands I use
- ½ tsp garlic granules
- ½ tsp dried dill
- ½ tsp kosher salt, start with 1/4 tsp at first if using salted tahini
- 1 lemon
- 4-6 tbsp water
Instructions
- Zest the lemon and set aside.Then juice the lemon and add 2 tbsp of juice to a mixing bowl along with the tahini, garlic granules, dried dill and kosher salt. Stir with a spoon. Important Note: The sauce will get clumpy as you stir and you will panic thinking something went wrong. Don't worry, this is normal. At this point we're basically creating a paste.
- Next, add the water 1 tbsp at a time, and stir as you go. It's important to just add one spoon of water at a time and mix it in completely before adding the next spponful. Repeat this process with the remaining 3 tbsp of water. As you stir in the water you’ll see that the mixture lightens in color and turns from a thick paste to a smooth and creamy sauce. Leave it on the thicker side if you plan to use it as a sandwich spread, or make it thinner by adding 2-3 more tbsp of water in at a time so that it's pourable enough to drizzle over salads and grain bowls. Once you've reached the desired consistency, mix in 1 tbsp of lemon zest then taste and add more salt if needed.
Notes
More Vegan Sauces and Dressings You Might Like:
Creamy Dill Dressing (made from hemp seeds)
Check out the Sauces and Dips page for more ideas!
Happy cooking 😊
