This garlic and lemon tahini salad dressing is bursting with mediterranean flavors! It's simple and made with a base of creamy tahini, olive oil, lemon and garlic. A little red wine vinegar gives it a greek twist and it's perfect with fresh vegetable salads, roasted vegetables, or pasta salad.
With only 5 ingredients and 5 minutes, it's the perfect easy salad dressing for any night of the week!
I most frequently make this creamy tahini dressing in the spring and summer months with my Greek Tahini Pasta Salad or a salad full of fresh vegetables! It's bright and fresh flavors are perfect for warm and sunny days.
This recipe was inspired by my other mediterranean-inspired favorites like Canned Chickpea Hummus, Black Bean Hummus, and Sautéed Peppers and Onions.
It makes an excellent side salad dressing to serve alongside Baked Salmon Cakes, Tomato Soup with Shrimp, Dairy Free Shrimp Scampi and Air Fryer Lemon Pepper Wings.
This lemon tahini dressing is also an excellent alternative dressing for my Salmon Quinoa Bowl, Zesty Arugula Quinoa Salad, and Tuscan Chicken Salad.
How to make it (with photos)
Ingredients Notes + Substitutions
This tahini dressing uses only 5 ingredients plus salt and pepper. See the notes below the photo for substitutions and variations of this recipe.
- tahini - Choose a tahini that is made with only sesame seeds for the best flavor. I like Once Again Tahini but other brands will work too. In the USA, tahini brands can vary widely on their consistency. Therefore I recommend adding any water at the end to find the consistency that you like.
- red or white wine vinegar - You can add more lemon instead for a simpler lemon tahini dressing, but I really like the addition of vinegar because it tastes more like a traditional restaurant-style salad dressing. Choose red wine vinegar to go along with greek flavors or red meats. And choose a white wine vinegar if there is fish or seafood involved.
You also need olive oil, crushed garlic, lemon, salt, ground black pepper, and water to make this recipe.
See the recipe card for a full list of ingredients with quantities.
Variations
Alter this lemon and garlic tahini dressing recipe to fit your preferences with these simple suggestions.
- Make it your own - Once the tahini dressing is mixed, you can taste and add more flavors if you like! Consider spices like the options listed below, more garlic, more olive oil, or whatever suits your fancy.
- Without vinegar - You can simply omit the vinegar or replace it with more lemon. Taste the final dressing to see what it needs if you decide to omit vinegar entirely without replacement.
- Spiced - Add paprika, oregano, cilantro, parsley, or other spices you like to this dressing! I recommend testing a little bit of the new flavoring in a small amount of dressing first to make sure you like the combination before altering the full batch.
Step-by-Step Instructions
There's only 1 easy step and this tahini dressing recipe is done in under 5 minutes!
- Add all tahini dressing ingredients except water to a medium bowl or two-cup liquid measuring cup. Whisk until smooth. Note that it will be lumpy at first, but keep mixing until it's ultra creamy. Add water in small increments until you reach your desired consistency.
Expert Tip
Follow these expert tips for the best creamy tahini dressing on the first try!
The transition from lumpy to creamy dressing is pretty magical - keep mixing.
I promise that if you keep whisking it will get ultra creamy all of a sudden! If the dressing seems like it is too thick to mix well, dilute with a little more water.
Add any water at the end.
The water amount is simply a suggestion based on my experience with tahini in the USA. The thickness can really vary widely, and therefore your tahini could require more or less water than mine.
Recipe FAQs
Here I answered some frequently asked questions about this creamy Tahini Dressing recipe. Don't see your question? Leave it in the comments at the end of this post and I'll answer within two business days.
Store leftover tahini dressing in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Stir before each use if separation occurs.
Tahini dressing is excellent on fresh vegetable salads, pasta salads, quinoa salads, roasted vegetables, or as a tangy dressing for smashed potatoes or shoestring french fries.
Tahini is usually made from only sesame seeds, which are ground into a creamy paste.
Related easy salad recipes to consider...
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📖 Recipe
Tahini Dressing with Lemon + Garlic
Ingredients
- ⅔ cup tahini
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 3 tablespoons lemon juice , 1 large juicy lemon should do the trick
- 3 cloves crushed garlic
- 3 tablespoons red or white wine vinegar
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ¼-1/2 cup water , add last to thin as desired. The amount will depend on tahini texture which can vary a lot in the USA.
Instructions
- Add all tahini dressing ingredients except water to a medium bowl or two-cup liquid measuring cup. Whisk until smooth. Note that it will be lumpy at first, but keep mixing until it's ultra creamy. Add water in small increments until you reach your desired consistency.
Veri says
I used this creamy tahini dressing on a simple side salad with gyros and we loved it! The greek twist with red wine was very nice.