Lemon Tahini Dressing is the perfect addition to your favorite green salad, falafel, or a big plate of roasted veggies. We use it in the Mediterranean Meal Prep Bowl, of course. Honestly, though, this creamy, nutty dressing is good on so many things!
I cannot get enough of this dressing! I make a batch thinking that I'll have leftovers, and then, no matter what, we eat it all.
This recipe has been buried in my Mediterranean Meal Prep Bowl post, but this recipe is too good to keep hidden. I thought it deserved to have its own post.
This dressing is delicious on so many things, why keep it for just one single recipe?
What you're going to love about this recipe
- Easy. This tahini dressing recipe is so easy, it takes 5 minutes to whip up a batch.
- Delicious on EVERYTHING. Tahini dressing is fantastic with falafel and equally delicious on roasted vegetables or as a salad dressing.
- Healthy. When you make dressings at home, you know you are getting the cleanest ingredients. Why mess around with bottled dressing when you can make it from scratch in 5 minutes?
Recipe Notes
This lemon tahini dressing is so easy to make! Once you start making your own dressings at home, you will wonder why you ever bought the bottled stuff.
What you need to make this recipe
- Tahini (sesame paste): Tahini is simply ground sesame seeds. It's a little like peanut butter, but it has a bitter flavor. Don't let that word "bitter" scare you off, it's delicious!
- Lemons: Fresh lemon juice gives this recipe a fresh citrusy note that is typical in Mediterranean recipes.
- Olive Oil: I like to use flavorful olive oil for this recipe. Extra virgin olive oil is usually very mildly flavored. I like to pick varieties that have a stronger flavor.
- Honey: I love finding local honey. You can use honey or maple syrup in this recipe.
Step By Step Instructions
Making homemade dressing is simple. You just need a bowl and a whisk.
Step 1: Add the tahini and olive oil
I like to make thicker dressings in my 4-cup Pyrex measuring cup.
Step 2: Lemon juice
I usually use the juice of one lemon, which is typically ½ cup of juice. Sometimes, though, lemons are more or less juicy. It doesn't have to be exact, and you can always adjust the amount of lemon juice to your taste.
Step 3: Add salt
I use Kosher or Himalayan salt for most recipes. I also LOVE Redmonds Real Salt. With so many delicious options, I don't recommend using table salt, ever!
Step 4: Mix the ingredients together
The dressing will be pretty thick at this point. Don't worry, we aren't finished yet!
Step 5: Thin with water
Use a little water to thin the dressing to your desired consistency. Start with a tablespoon of water and whisk that in. Then add additional water one tablespoon at a time until you have the desired thinness. I like mine on the thin side.
Step 6: Add honey if desired
I like to add a little bit of honey and sometimes even a half teaspoon of garlic powder. Both of these are optional.
Step 6: Store in and airtight container
Tahini dressing will keep in the fridge for at least a week. If it does seperate, simply whisk it or shake it before serving.
FAQs and Expert Tips
Tahini is a sesame paste. It's a lot like peanut butter, but it's made from ground sesame seeds instead of peanuts. Tahini is typically used in Mediterranean cuisine to make tahini dressing.
Tahini has a nutty flavor with a hint of bitterness. Its flavor pairs well with falafel and roasted vegetables.
Tahini dressing will keep in the fridge for several weeks. Store it in an airtight container. If it does separate, simply give it a quick whisk before serving.
This lemon tahini dressing is fabulous with grilled chicken, my Mediterranean Baked Halibut, or the Mediterranean Quinoa Bowl. Don't reserve this dressing only for Mediterranean recipes, though! I love tahini dressing for vegetables, especially with roasted sweet potatoes.
Do you want more homemade salad dressings?
Hungry for more meal prep recipes
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Lemon Tahini Dressing Recipe
Ingredients
- ⅓ cup tahini
- 3 to 4 tablespoons lemon juice freshly squeezed
- 2 to 3 teaspoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 tablespoons water to thin, if needed
Optional Ingredients
- honey add a tablespoon or two of honey for some sweetness
- garlic add a minced clove of garlic or a ½ teaspoon of granulated garlic
Instructions
- Add the ingredients to a medium bowl. (Reserve the water for now)
- Mix with a whisk until the ingredients are well mixed and smooth.
- Add the water, if needed. Thin to the desired consistency. I like mine to be the consistency of Grade A Maple syrup.
