This effortless Tahini Dressing delivers bold, umami-rich flavor in minutes, making it the ultimate versatile condiment as a dressing, dip, or sauce. Once you experience its perfect harmony of savory, sweet, and tangy notes, you’ll want to pour it on absolutely everything!
Table of Contents
Tahini’s rich, savory, and subtly bitter nuttiness combines with pungent garlic, velvety olive oil, sweet maple syrup, and zesty lemon juice, creating a complex flavor profile that enhances roasted meats, vegetables, and grains. Unlike store-bought alternatives, you have complete control over the consistency and flavor intensity of this homemade version.
This straightforward dressing comes together in a flash with just a handful of simple ingredients, serving as the perfect secret weapon for elevating quick weeknight dinners. Keep a jar ready in the fridge to instantly upgrade salads, grain bowls, roasted veggies, zucchini fries, roast chicken, and beyond.
Ingredient notes
- Tahini – Tahini is a sesame seed paste that’s nutty and delicious! Look for it near the peanut butter in your grocery store, or order it online.
- Lemon juice – This will brighten the dressing. Lime juice can also be used.
- Water – Thins the dressing to your ideal consistency – less for thick dressing, more for drizzle-ready dressing.
- Garlic – Fresh clove peeled and smashed for punchy flavor.
- Olive oil – Use high-quality extra virgin olive oil. The oil emulsifies the dressing, giving it a silky and cohesive consistency.
- Maple syrup – A touch of natural sweetness to round out the flavors. Honey is another option.
- Salt and pepper – To taste.
How to make it
- Blend until smooth: Add all the ingredients to a blender or food processor. Process until completely smooth and creamy, scraping down the sides as needed to ensure even blending.
- Adjust consistency and season: For a thinner dressing, blend up to ¼ cup more water until it reaches your preferred consistency. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
- Store or serve immediately: Transfer the dressing to an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3-4 weeks or serve immediately with an array of dishes.
Ways to use it
This Tahini dressing is a quick and easy way to boost flavor in a variety of dishes, from snacks and appetizers to sides and main meals. Here are a few ways I love to use this simple tahini dressing – guaranteed to elevate any recipe:
- Tahini sauce and dip: Transform this simple tahini dressing into a luxurious sauce by thickening it with Greek yogurt or reducing the liquid called for in the recipe. It’s great for dipping these zucchini fries into or mixing into grain bowls, like this Crispy Rice Salad.
- Flavorful drizzle: This tahini dressing is perfect as a flavorful drizzle of side dishes, like roasted broccoli, as well as your main protein, like roasted chicken!
Tips and tricks
- Make a thinner sauce by stirring in a dash of water at a time until you reach your desired consistency.
- Thicken your sauce by mixing in another tablespoon or two of tahini to the blender. Blend until completely smooth and incorporated. Taste and adjust the other seasonings (like lemon juice, salt, or maple syrup) if needed, as the extra tahini will make it more robust and slightly bitter.
- Use broth instead of water to thin the sauce while preserving flavor. It will add a savory, umami depth that makes the dressing even more versatile, especially for grain bowls, roasted vegetables, and meat dishes.
- Make this dressing 3-4 days in advance – the flavors improve after resting in the fridge!
- Double the recipe and refrigerate for easy use later on.
- Stir in your choice of liquid when serving stored tahini dressing as the dressing will naturally thicken when chilled.
- Add a boost of flavor by using roasted garlic. Bake (425°F for 40 mins) or air fry a whole bulb of garlic. Learn how to roast garlic here.
- For ultra-smooth texture, strain through a fine mesh sieve after blending. I highly recommend this when mixing your dressing in a bowl.
- Add citrus zest (yuzu, lemon, or lime) for extra brightness.
Variations
This savory dressing is a versatile condiment that can be easily customized to suit your taste and pairing preferences. Try these simple twists to make it unique:
- Asian-inspired tahini dressing – Add 1 tablespoon of soy sauce, 1 teaspoon of chili crisp, and 1 teaspoon of fresh ginger (grated or minced) for a dressing that is perfect for Asian dishes.
- Zing – While I love the freshness that lemon or lime juice can bring to this homemade tahini dressing, feel free to use vinegar (rice, apple cider, or white wine) instead.
- Herbaceous twist – Make basil tahini dressing by adding about ¼ cup of loosely packed basil to the blender with the rest of the dressing ingredients.
- Alternative prep and cooking – No food processor or blender? Finely grate the garlic, then whisk vigorously by hand until smooth.
- Sweetener – Use honey instead of maple syrup, if you prefer. You could also reduce the maple syrup for a more savory profile, but I don’t recommend omitting it entirely as the dressing can be quite bitter without a sweetener.
- Ultra creamy tahini dressing – Mix this tahini dressing with Greek yogurt or blended cottage cheese for a creamy tahini dressing, sauce, or spread, depending on how you adjust the consistency with your choice of liquid.
Serving suggestions
The versatility of this tahini dressing makes it the perfect finish for countless dishes. Drizzle it over a fresh salad, coat warm pasta, or use it as a dip. It adds a flavorful punch to everyday meals. Here are some of my favorite serving suggestions:
Storing
- Store your tahini dressing in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week, and simply whisk in a little water or lemon juice to thin it if it thickens.
- While possible to freeze this dressing, I typically don’t as it alters the texture quite significantly.
Erin’s wine pairings
When selecting wines to complement this creamy tahini dressing, opt for wines that either contrast its richness with bright acidity or mirror its distinct nutty and earthy notes. Here are a couple that I enjoy:
- The crisp acidity of a dry Riesling or Pinot Gris cuts through the richness and cleanses the palate for this tahini dressing.
- A quality Rosé with its subtle red fruit notes is a safe, delicious bet for this tahini dressing, especially on vegetable or grain bowls.
More tahini recipes
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Full Recipe
Tahini Dressing
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup tahini
- 1/4 cup lemon juice
- 1/4 cup water (plus more as needed)
- 1 clove garlic (smashed and peeled)
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil (extra virgin )
- 2 teaspoons maple syrup ( or honey)
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- In a high powered blender, combine all ingredients.
- Blend on high until you have a smooth, creamy sauce.
- Add up to ¼ cup more water (blending again to incorporate) until you get the thickness you like. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
Notes
- Store your tahini dressing in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week, and simply whisk in a little water or lemon juice to thin it if it thickens.
- While possible to freeze this dressing, I typically don’t as it alters the texture quite significantly.
- Make a thinner sauce by stirring in a dash of water at a time until you reach your desired consistency.
- Thicken your sauce by mixing in another tablespoon or two of tahini to the blender. Blend until completely smooth and incorporated. Taste and adjust the other seasonings (like lemon juice, salt, or maple syrup) if needed, as the extra tahini will make it more robust and slightly bitter.
- Use broth instead of water to thin the sauce while preserving flavor. It will add a savory, umami depth that makes the dressing even more versatile, especially for grain bowls, roasted vegetables, and meat dishes.
- Make this dressing 3-4 days in advance – the flavors improve after resting in the fridge!
- Double the recipe and refrigerate for easy use later on.
- Stir in your choice of liquid when serving stored tahini dressing as the dressing will naturally thicken when chilled.
- Add a boost of flavor by using roasted garlic. Bake (425°F for 40 mins) or air fry a whole bulb of garlic. Learn how to roast garlic here.
- For ultra-smooth texture, strain through a fine mesh sieve after blending. I highly recommend this when mixing your dressing in a bowl.
- Add citrus zest (yuzu, lemon, or lime) for extra brightness.
- Asian-inspired tahini dressing – Add 1 tablespoon of soy sauce, 1 teaspoon of chili crisp, and 1 teaspoon of fresh ginger (grated or minced) for a dressing that is perfect for Asian dishes.
- Zing – While I love the freshness that lemon or lime juice can bring to this homemade tahini dressing, feel free to use vinegar (rice, apple cider, or white wine) instead.
- Herbaceous twist – Make basil tahini dressing by adding about ¼ cup of loosely packed basil to the blender with the rest of the dressing ingredients.
- Alternative prep and cooking – No food processor or blender? Finely grate the garlic, then whisk vigorously by hand until smooth.
- Sweetener – Use honey instead of maple syrup, if you prefer. You could also reduce the maple syrup for a more savory profile, but I don’t recommend omitting it entirely as the dressing can be quite bitter without a sweetener.
- Ultra creamy tahini dressing – Mix this tahini dressing with Greek yogurt or blended cottage cheese for a creamy tahini dressing, sauce, or spread, depending on how you adjust the consistency with your choice of liquid.
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