Tahini Dressing
Servings: 6 people
Calories: 148kcal
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!
Print Recipe
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
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.
- 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.
Nutrition
Calories: 148kcal | Carbohydrates: 7g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Sodium: 8mg | Potassium: 110mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 14IU | Vitamin C: 5mg | Calcium: 33mg | Iron: 1mg