Lemon Tahini Dressing Recipe: 6 Ways to Use Tahini Dressing

Lemon tahini dressing is a sauce featuring tahini paste and lemon juice. Made of just hulled, ground sesame seeds, tahini is a ubiquitous condiment in Middle Eastern and Mediterranean cuisine. When mixed with just a few seasonings, it forms the basis of an easy, oil-free dressing containing nothing but whole foods: tahini and lemon juice (which cuts through the sesame seeds’ richness with acidity and brightness), plus water, sea salt, and pepper—all in just the right proportions to yield an irresistibly creamy dressing.

Tahini is the basis of everything from hummus to baba ghanoush; falafel and gyro wouldn’t be the same without a generous dollop. In the form of this versatile lemony tahini sauce, it will uplevel nearly any meal. Here are some ways to use it:

1. 1. Crudités: Dip cucumbers, carrots, or any fresh vegetables into the creamy dressing for a nutritious alternative to sour cream–based dips.
2. 2. Grain bowls: A generous dollop of lemon tahini dressing brings cohesion and luxuriousness to quinoa or grain bowls, packed with healthy fillings like vegetables, grilled tofu, and sunflower seeds. Learn how to make a quinoa salad.
3. 3. Mayo replacement: Tahini dressing tossed into either potato, tuna, pasta, or egg salads will add nutritious richness in place of mayonnaise.
4. 4. Roasted vegetables: Drizzle tahini dressing over roasted veggies, like sweet potatoes or red peppers, for a rich, nutty accent. Tahini dressing works especially well to balance the richness of roasted sweet potatoes; learn how to roast sweet potatoes.
5. 5. Salads: Use this tahini salad dressing instead of vinaigrette on anything from Greek salad to chopped salad, or even a simple green salad with extra-virgin olive oil. Garnish with za’atar, toasted pumpkin seeds, and croutons to amp up the nutty, earthy flavor.
6. 6. Sandwiches: While falafel and tahini dressing is a classic combination, any sandwich will benefit from this condiment—avocado toasts, vegetable sandwiches, or grilled cheeses. Just wrap your favorite meats and vegetables in homemade pita bread and drizzle with tahini sauce.

With just a few ingredients—you can count them on your hands—lemon tahini dressing is a bona fide easy recipe. Here are a few tips on making and storing the dairy-free dressing:

1. 1. Just add water. When you add the lemon to the tahini, it will seize up and become thicker. That’s normal. Slowly drizzle in water to loosen it up. Though you can easily use a food processor, a whisk works fine.
2. 2. Accentuate the dressing with deep flavors. Add a sweetener, like maple syrup or date syrup, to balance the slight bitterness of sesame seeds or heighten the savoriness with salty miso paste. A spoon of Dijon mustard or even hearty peanut butter would be welcome additions. Alternatively, enjoy this humble-yet-complex dressing on its own.
3. 3. Make tahini from scratch. You can make homemade tahini in a food processor. Just blend sesame seeds (toasted or untoasted) until smooth, and add the paste to your homemade dressings.
4. 4. Store in a sealed container in the fridge. If the dressing thickens in the refrigerator, add water to loosen it up and stir until you’ve reached your desired consistency. Salt the adjusted dressing to taste.