This creamy, easy-to-make lemon garlic tahini dressing is the new homemade sauce recipe you’ll love having in your back pocket! Bright and nutty, it’s the perfect addition to salads, grain bowls, roasted vegetables, or a simple protein. Gluten free, vegan option, Whole30 option.
The best homemade tahini dressing
While I have previously shared recipes that include tahini sauce as a component (like these Mediterranean Chicken Bowls, Roasted Veggie Protein Bowls with Turmeric Tahini, or this Kale Apple Pomegranate Salad), I have yet to share my go-to basic tahini dressing recipe – until now!
It deserves its own recipe post because it is genuinely one of the most versatile, easy-to-make sauces that suits so many types of meals and elevates any simple flavor to the next level of DELICIOUS!
It is the perfect addition to so many types of salads as a wholesome salad dressing, and it also works beautifully with roasted vegetables and grilled chicken, as a condiment for your favorite savory bowl recipe, or as a dipping sauce for fresh-cut vegetables and pita bread!
(& speaking of tahini in dip recipes – if this idea piques your interest, be sure to try our Roasted Red Pepper Tahini Dip!)
Recipe features
- Ready in just 5 minutes. A restaurant-quality sauce that is not only delicious but also ready in a totally manageable amount of time for any day of the week?! That’s always going to be a yes from me.
- Made with simple, wholesome ingredients. The basic ingredient list means this dressing is pantry/budget friendly homemade alternative to store-bought dressings.
- Bright and creamy. Perfectly balanced in flavor, the nutty creaminess of the tahini is offset by the bright acidity of lemon juice for a delightful sauce you’ll put on repeat to enjoy with all kinds of meals!
Ingredients and substitutions
You can find the full list of ingredients, along with measurements, in the recipe card below. These are my ingredient notes and recommendations for easy swaps and substitutions!
What is this tahini dressing made of?
Tahini
Tahini is made from ground toasted sesame seeds, sometimes called sesame butter. It has an earthy, slightly bitter flavor and a soft, creamy texture. Tahini is the base for the tahini dressing.
The thickness of tahini can vary considerably from brand to brand. My favorite brand (which I use in this recipe) is Tarazi. A local Mediterranean store in the Seattle area called Goodies sells it, but it is also available on Amazon.
Garlic
I prefer to grate the garlic using a microplane for a nice, unobtrusive texture, but it can also be finely minced.
To reduce the sharp bite of the garlic flavor, let it sit with the lemon juice and salt for a few minutes before whisking in the remaining dressing ingredients. Garlic can easily be omitted or reduced based on your preference!
Lemon juice
For a bright, citrusy flavor and to balance out the creaminess of the tahini.
Kosher salt
Salt helps soften the garlic flavor and should be used to taste before serving the dressing.
I use kosher salt almost exclusively, but you can also use sea salt. Just keep in mind that the sodium content of kosher salt compared to the sodium content of sea salt is different, so your best bet is to always salt to taste!
Olive oil
Olive oil adds a complex, slightly herbaceous flavor to the dressing and helps thin the tahini base.
Honey
Honey adds a lovely aromatic sweetness. Maple syrup can be used in its place as a vegan alternative or omitted entirely for a Whole30 option.
Water
You will use water to thin the dressing to your desired consistency. The exact amount of water you’ll need will depend on the thickness of your tahini. As mentioned in the section above about tahini, the thickness can vary quite a bit from brand to brand.
This recipe is forgiving enough to adjust as you go – using more water if needed or adding a bit of extra tahini if the dressing gets too thin.
How to make tahini dressing
This simple homemade dressing recipe is ready in just 5 minutes with a little measuring and whisking!
Step 1: Stir together garlic, lemon juice, and kosher salt.
Allow to sit for a minute or two to soften the bite of the garlic.
Step 2: Whisk in tahini, olive oil, honey, and water.
Step 3: Thin dressing with water and season to taste.
What to do if your dressing is too thick or too thin
Because tahini can vary so much in consistency, you’ll likely have to adjust the amount of water used to thin the dressing to suit the tahini you’re using.
The tahini I use by Tarazi is on the thinner side compared to most other brands of tahini I’ve tried. I prefer this, as it makes it easier to work with.
But there’s an easy fix both ways if your dressing is too thick or too thin.
If your dressing is too thick: Add a little more water, 1 tablespoon at a time, whisking to combine between additions until desired consistency is reached.
If your dressing is too thin: Add a little more tahini, 1 tablespoon at a time, whisking to combine between additions until desired consistency is reached.
That’s it! Some of the most straightforward recipe troubleshooting you’ll probably ever do.
What to serve with tahini dressing
You can serve this versatile sauce with a large variety of dishes!
We love serving it with a simple green salad, with a heartier kale salad like this Apple Pomegranate Salad, as dressing for a cabbage slaw, or as a dressing for a tomato cucumber salad with thinly sliced red onion and fresh herbs.
How long will it last in the fridge?
You can make this dressing in advance and it should last in the refrigerator for 5-6 days.
It will thicken once it’s chilled. If desired, bring it to room temperature before serving or thin it with a little more water before using.
If you enjoyed this recipe, we’d love it if you would take 5 seconds to rate and review it below! It’s also super helpful for other readers if you share any modifications you made to the recipe.
Thank you for sharing your kitchen with NK. We’re so grateful you’re here!
Print
5-Minute Lemon Garlic Tahini Dressing
- Total Time: 5 minutes
- Yield: 1 1/4 cups 1x
- Diet: Gluten Free
Description
This creamy, easy-to-make lemon garlic tahini dressing is the new homemade sauce recipe you’ll love having in your back pocket! Bright and nutty, it’s the perfect addition to salads, grain bowls, roasted vegetables, or a simple protein. Gluten free, vegan option, Whole30 option.
Ingredients
Instructions
- Add the garlic, lemon juice, and salt to a medium sized bowl and stir to combine. Allow it to sit for a minute or so to take away some of the bite of the raw garlic.
- Add tahini, olive oil, honey, and water and whisk together until smooth, creamy, and pale in color.
- Add more water a little at a time if needed until desired consistency is reached. Tahini can vary quite a bit in thickness, so you may need to add less or more than the recipe calls for. If your dressing ends up too thin, add a little more tahini a bit at a time and whisk to combine until thickened to your liking. Alternatively, dressing can be mixed together in a blender or food processor. Season to taste with salt, honey, and more lemon juice if desired.
- Store in a covered container in the refrigerator until ready to use, or serve immediately as a dressing for your favorite salad, with roasted vegetables, grilled protein, or a dipping sauce for veggies, crackers, pita, etc, and enjoy!
Notes
You can make this dressing in advance and should last in the refrigerator for 5-6 days. It will thicken once it’s chilled. If desired, bring it to room temperature before serving or thin it with a little more water before using.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Category: Sauce
- Method: Whisked
- Cuisine: Mediterranean
Leave a Reply