Ditch the store-bought dressing and whip up a batch of homemade Lemon Tahini Dressing. With just a few pantry ingredients, you’ll have a versatile, delicious dressing for salads and roasted veggies.

Overhead shot of bowl of tahini dressing with spoon. Lemon halves and garlic cloves on tray with dressing.

Tahini Lemon Dressing

In culinary school, the instructors always told me I made GREAT salad dressings, and you know what? I believed them.

Old-school, gloppy, heavy dressings won’t find many friends around here. I prefer them to be light, made with fresh ingredients, and almost always, lots of lemon juice.

This Lemon Tahini Dressing is made using the same guidelines I used in school. It’s rich and creamy from the tahini while being light enough to use as more than than just a salad dressing. It’s a dip, a sauce, and yes, a really, really good dressing.

Why you’ll love this Lemon Tahini Dressing Recipe

  • It can be used in a variety of ways, making it a go-to condiment to keep in the fridge. Not only is it a great salad dressing, but it makes a nice sauce for grilled vegetables, spread for sandwiches, or dip!
  • Naturally vegan and gluten free, it’s a great choice for those with dietary restrictions.
  • It lasts up to a week in the fridge, meaning you can making a big batch and use for several meals.
Overhead shot of ingredients for lemon tahini dressing. Tahini, salt and paprika, dijon mustard, lemon halves and garlic cloves.

What is tahini?

The easiest way to understand tahini is that it’s just like peanut butter, except that instead of peanuts, it’s made with ground sesame seeds.

Check the label of tahini before purchasing. The only ingredient should be ground sesame seeds!

Tahini is common in Mediterranean and North African cuisine. It’s often served by itself as a dip or sauce (my local Lebanese restaurant serves it as the sauce for falafel).

It’s an important ingredient in dishes such as hummus and baba ghanoush. It can also be used as a substitute for peanut butter in recipes such as my Asian cold noodle salad.

Tahini Lemon Dressing Ingredients

  • tahini
  • lemon juice
  • Dijon mustard
  • garlic
  • paprika
  • salt and pepper
  • olive oil

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Overhead shot of bowl with chopped salad. Cucumbers, tomatoes and red onions dressed with tahini salad dressing.

Home Chef Tips for making the Best Tahini Dressing

  • The quality of your tahini really matters, and not all brands taste the same. You may need to try a few brands to find your favorite. The flavor should be nutty, creamy, and not overly bitter.
  • If you have time, let your tahini dressing rest in the fridge for 1 hour before serving to give the flavors time to meld.

How to use Lemon Tahini Dressing

Once you make a batch, you’ll soon discover that there is hardly anything this dressing is NOT good on.

I put it on classic green salads and Thanksgiving salad and salad for Christmas and turkey burger salads, as well as chopped “village” salads (no lettuce) like the one above.

Grilled chicken kabobs? They get a drizzle of this. Falafel? I dunk them right into this dressing. Grilled zucchini? Roasted carrots? Sautéed green beans? Yes, yes, yes.

How to store Lemon Tahini Salad Dressing

Just like my miso ginger dressing, keep this in a mason jar or other airtight container in your fridge for up to one week (if it lasts that long!).

Lemon Tahini FAQs

Is tahini vegan?

Because the only ingredient in tahini should be ground sesame seeds, it is absolutely vegan.

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Overhead shot of bowl of tahini dressing with spoon. Lemon halves and garlic cloves on tray with dressing.

Lemon Tahini

Author: Lori Yates
Yield: 4 servings
Prep: 5 minutes
Total: 5 minutes
Ditch the store-bought dressing and whip up a batch of homemade Lemon Tahini Dressing. With just a few pantry ingredients, you'll have a versatile, delicious dressing for salads and roasted veggies.
5 from 1 rating
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Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons tahini
  • 1 ½ tablespoons fresh lemon juice
  • 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
  • 1 teaspoon minced garlic
  • ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
  • ⅛ teaspoon ground black pepper
  • ⅛ teaspoon paprika
  • ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons warm water

Instructions

  • In small bowl, whisk together tahini, lemon juice, mustard, garlic, salt, pepper and paprika. Gradually add olive oil, while whisking, until all oil is fully incorporated. Gradually add warm water, while whisking, until all water is fully incorporated. 
  • Dressing can be stored in a jar or other airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.

Notes

  • The quality of your tahini really matters, and not all brands taste the same. You may need to try a few brands to find your favorite. The flavor should be nutty, creamy, and not overly bitter.
  • If you have time, let your tahini dressing rest in the fridge for 1 hour before serving to give the flavors time to meld.
Serving: 2tablespoons, Calories: 167kcal, Carbohydrates: 2g, Protein: 1g, Fat: 18g, Saturated Fat: 2g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g, Monounsaturated Fat: 11g, Sodium: 162mg, Potassium: 48mg, Fiber: 0.5g, Sugar: 0.2g, Vitamin A: 37IU, Vitamin C: 3mg, Calcium: 14mg, Iron: 0.5mg
This website provides estimated nutrition information as a courtesy only. You should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe using your preferred nutrition calculator.
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