Lemon Tahini Dressing (5 Ingredients)

With zesty lemon and creamy tahini, this lemon tahini dressing is the perfect recipe to enjoy as a dip or salad dressing. I’ve got a secret trick for infusing the lemon juice with garlic while keeping the sauce silky smooth (no garlic clumps!). Ready in 15 minutes and great as a dip or dressing.

Tahini is something I have in the pantry at all times. It’s creamy and packed with flavor, making it a great vegan substitute for dairy products or an allergy-friendly substitute for nut butter.

One of my favorite uses for tahini is to make this creamy lemon tahini dressing. Inspired by a classic Mediterranean dip with garlic, lemon, tahini, and salt, this dressing is something I eat all the time. On a salad, in butternut squash wraps, as a dip, you name it.

The trick to making this dressing is to infuse the garlic in the lemon juice. This keeps the dressing super smooth but still imparts that delicious garlic flavor!

Why you’ll love it

• Garlic makes this dressing the best. Fresh garlic allows us to infuse the dressing in just 10 minutes.
• No sugar is needed for this tahini dressing since it uses fresh lemon juice. Many salad dressings will use a sweetener to complement the acid. But, this is usually because vinegar sold in the States is not the best quality so it’s too acidic.
• Versatile because you can adjust the thickness to your liking. This allows you to achieve perfect consistency for your uses.

You don’t need many ingredients

This is just an overview. Jump to the recipe card for the full quantities.

• Garlic & Lemon: To get the most flavor, use fresh minced garlic and freshly squeezed lemon juice.
• Tahini and Dijon Mustard: To make this creamy vegan dressing, you need tahini and Dijon mustard. Dijon adds an intense flavor and heat while helping to emulsify the ingredients (a.k.a. keeping them from separating).
• The Basics: You will need water and salt to help the dressing become a dressing.

How to make tahini dressing

This dressing is very easy to make, let me show you! Jump to the recipe card for the full instructions.

1. Marinate the garlic in the lemon juice, then strain out the garlic pulp.
2. Mix everything together until smooth!

Storage

You can keep this dressing in an air-tight container for up to 1 week in the fridge. You might just need to stir it a little before enjoying it again.

Why this Recipe Works

• Smooth tahini helps to make sure the consistency of this dressing is perfect!
• Infusing garlic means the garlic doesn’t need to be super finely minced. This keeps the recipe nice and simple since the garlic only has to be minced enough for the juices to release.
• No oil is needed thanks to the naturally high fat content in tahini. Oil tends to dilute dressings, so by having the right ratio of tahini to water the dressing is packed with flavor and ultra creamy.

ways to use tahini dressing

Tahini is great because the consistency lends itself to a dressing or a dip (my favorite is on these cabbage steaks). And I know I keep saying how versatile this dressing is, but to prove it I want to share some must-try ideas.

• As a dressing on this quinoa kale salad or your favorite salad!
• As a dip served with air fryer carrot fries.
• Drizzled on top of any air fryer veggie.