This Tahini Dill Dressing has been my go-to salad dressing for years! It’s easy to make with simple ingredients, takes less than 5 minutes, and instantly makes any veggie taste better.
Stop letting those greens go to waste and start making salads you actually enjoy.
Homemade dressings beat store-bought every time, and this tahini lemon herb dressing is easily in my top five favorites!
It's nutty, sweet, savory, and super versatile.
Drizzle it over roasted veggies. Spoon it onto grain bowls. Toss it with salads. Use it as a dip for crunchy veggies.
If you love this salad dressing, try this Vegan Couscous Salad and Vegan Caesar Salad next!
Update: This post has been updated with more tips and step-by-step photos. The recipe is the same.
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Ingredients
This tahini dressing is creamy with a perfect balance of sweet, savory, and tangy.
Enjoy it on salads, grain bowls, or as a dip!
Tahini: When buying tahini, choose a high-quality, runny one with a mild, nutty flavor. Bitter tahini won’t work as well in this dressing since it’s tahini-forward. My favorites are Soom Foods and the 365 brand from Whole Foods.
Lemon Juice: Fresh squeezed lemon juice provides the best flavor.
Olive Oil: Adds richness and a smooth, silky texture.
Maple Syrup: This adds sweetness and balances the acidity from the lemon and the strong flavor of the tahini.
Dijon Mustard: Adds tang.
Garlic: Fresh minced garlic is best. Garlic powder will work in a pinch!
Water: When mixing the dressing ingredients, it might look a bit thick and weird at first. Just keep adding water little by little, and it will smooth out. Add enough to reach a pourable texture.
See recipe card for quantities.
How to Make This Recipe
This tahini herb dressing comes together in no time with just a whisk and a bowl.
The full written recipe can be found in the recipe card below.
Step 1: In a medium bowl, add the tahini, lemon juice, olive oil, maple syrup, Dijon mustard, minced garlic, pinch of salt, and pepper.
Step 2: Whisk until smooth. It will be thick.
Step 3: Gradually add the warm water whisking until the dressing reaches your desired consistency. I used the entire ¼ cup.
Step 4: Add the dill and whisk once more to combine. Taste and adjust the salt and lemon juice as needed.
Serve on salad, with veggies, or as a drizzle of roasted vegetables. Enjoy!
Note: The dressing may start thick and clumpy, but adding water gradually will make it smooth and pourable.
Substitutions & Variations
Change it up by adding different herbs! If you’re out of fresh dill, dried dill will work as well. You could also try parsley, basil or cilantro.
Change up the spices depending on what you're making. Try adding garlic or onion powder, cumin, or red pepper flakes!
Serving Ideas
Drizzle it over salads, grain bowls, or roasted veggies, or enjoy it as a dip for fresh raw vegetables. The options are endless!
Salad: Drizzle this tahini dill dressing over leafy greens, or try it with a kale salad (my fave!)
Roasted Vegetables: Perfect over warm, roasted veggies like cauliflower, carrots, potatoes, or zucchini.
Grain Bowls: Spoon it over a bowl of quinoa, crispy tofu, roasted chickpeas, steamed greens, and avocado.
Wraps and Sandwiches: Spread it inside wraps or sandwiches with crisp veggies, roasted chickpeas, cauliflower, or falafel.
Dip: Serve as a dip with sliced cucumbers, bell peppers, snap peas, or warm pita for a simple snack or appetizer.
Tips & Tricks
Add water slowly to reach your preferred consistency without thinning it out too much.
Use high-quality, runny tahini for a smoother texture and milder flavor.
If your tahini sauce tastes too bitter, try balancing it with a bit more lemon juice. The bitterness can come from the type of sesame seeds used, how much they were roasted, or if the outer hull was included during processing.
Storage
Store any leftover dressing in an airtight jar in the fridge for up to 1 week.
The dressing will naturally thicken as it chills in the fridge. If it becomes too thick, simply stir in a splash of water to reach your desired consistency.
Frequently Asked Questions
Balance bitterness with more lemon juice and maple syrup. For better flavor, choose a smooth, runny tahini like Soom or 365 from Whole Foods next time!
Parsley, chives, green onions, basil, or cilantro can all be used in place of dill or mix a few together for extra flavor!
More Salad Recipes
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
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Recipe
Tahini Dill Dressing
Ingredients
- ¼ cup Tahini
- 3 tablespoons Lemon Juice
- 2 tablespoons Olive Oil
- 1 tablespoon Maple Syrup
- 2 teaspoons Dijon Mustard
- 2 Garlic Cloves minced
- Pinch of Kosher Salt to taste
- Pinch of Black Pepper
- ¼ cup Warm Water as needed
- 2 tablespoons Fresh Dill
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the tahini, lemon juice, olive oil, maple syrup, Dijon mustard, minced garlic, pinch of salt, and pepper until smooth.
- Gradually add the warm water whisking until the dressing reaches your desired consistency. I used the entire ¼ cup.
- Add the dill and whisk once more to combine.
- Taste and adjust the salt and lemon juice as needed.
- Serve on salad, with veggies, or as a drizzle of roasted vegetables. Enjoy!
Notes
Disclosure: This page contains some affiliate links. Please know that I may receive a percentage or commission from a link included on this page, at no extra cost to you. I will only ever recommend a product that I have used and believe has substantial value to my readers.
Rachael M. says
10/10! So simple and delicious. I have been using it on everything from salads, as a dip with veggies, dressing on grain bowls, and plan to use it with some tofu this evening. Definitely needed some thinning out with the hot water, thank you for the tip.
Liv says
So happy you are enjoying this dressing!