• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

Feasting not Fasting logo

  • Home
  • About
  • Recipes
    • Appetizers
    • Baked Goods
    • Breakfast
    • Desserts
    • Drinks and Smoothies
    • Lunches
    • Main Dishes
    • Salads
    • Sauces and Condiments
    • Side Dishes
    • Snacks
    • Soups & Stews
  • Collaboration
  • Contact
menu icon
go to homepage
subscribe
search icon
Homepage link
  • Home
  • About
  • Recipes
  • Collaboration
  • Contact
×

Home » Recipes » Course » Sauces and Condiments

Lemon Tahini Dressing

January 14, 2021 by Christy Leave a Comment

This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy.

Pin
Share
Tweet
Yum
Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

Lemon tahini dressing that is so creamy, tangy and full of rich lemon garlic flavor yet entirely plant based - perfect for salads or dipping!

Mason jar with lemon dressing on a blue and white towel

You're either already a lemon tahini dressing lover or soon to be one. There's no other option with this recipe! Its so zippy, yet a bit creamy, and so satisfying drizzled over your favorite salad.

Lemon is such a refreshing, energizing flavor that is so versatile it can pair with pretty much anything. The tahini gives a nice underlying creaminess and slightly nutty flavor and the rest of the ingredients add extra flavor to round everything out.

What makes this lemon tahini dressing recipe so good

This is the dressing you'll be wanting to keep in your fridge 24/7. I alternate between this and my lemon vinaigrette but have one on hand pretty much all the time. Ha, did I mention I like lemon? The weird thing is, I don't always, but on a salad, I could drink lemon dressing, but only if the flavors are well balanced and this recipe does that well.

Here are some of the things that make this the best lemon tahini dressing recipe:

  • entirely vegan (using agave or maple syrup instead of honey)
  • if you're doing Keto, whole 30, or another restrictive diet, you can even skip the honey altogether
  • incredibly versatile and can be used as a dressing, dip, marinade, etc.
  • it pairs well with everything (fish, chicken, meat, veggie entrées, you name it)
  • can be made in less than 10 minutes (takes me about 5)
  • it doesn't dirty the blender and only uses one container to make since you shake it to emulsify
  • the lemon is tart so a little goes a long way
  • it is absolutely teaming with antioxidants, healthy fats, and is a great healthy salad dressing
hand holding Mason jar with lemon dressing on a blue and white towel

Ingredients

This recipe has simple ingredients but they come together wonderfully. You'll need:

  • lemon
  • olive oil
  • Tahini
  • shallot
  • garlic
  • mustard
  • honey (or agave syrup to make vegan)
  • salt
  • pepper
  • water
lemon tahini dressing ingredients laid out on a gray background

How to make it

There are only two steps to this quick 10 minutes salad dressing recipe. Step 1- add ingredients to a jar. Step 2 - shake the jar. It's that easy!

Tips for making this dressing perfectly

It's honestly pretty hard to make this recipe wrong. There are a few things to watch out for:

  • if your tahini has separated, make sure to get some of the tahini paste and oil both
  • use fresh lemon juice (non-negotiable here!)
  • make sure to shake until honey and tahini both disintegrate since they're thickest
  • some tahini is very thick and doesn't dissolve easily so you may need to use a fork to smash up any tahini chunks against the edge of the jar before shaking more to fully emulsify
  • red onion can be substituted for shallot but you may want to use less and let the dressing sit for 20-30 minutes to take some of the bite out
  • in a pinch you can replace the shallot with 1/2 tsp. onion powder and the garlic with 1/4 tsp. garlic powder (won't be quite as fresh, but still good)
  • use a good Dijon or stone ground mustard
  • make sure the container you’re using seals tightly and if you plan to store it for more than a day, glass is best since the lemon is so acidic (I use pint mason jars)
Close up picture of mason jar with lemon dressing on a blue and white towel

What to serve with this dressing

This lemon tahini salad dressing's use extends beyond the salad. Here are some ideas of ways you can use it:

  • over a salad
  • as a gyro sauce
  • a dip for chicken strips, roasted cauliflower, carrot fries, sweet potatoes, regular fries, falafel, etc. (bonus points for making them in the air fryer!)
  • drizzled lightly over air frier asparagus or oven roasted asparagus instead of topping with lemon and parmesan
  • as a sauce for a buddha bowl or other vegetarian grain/veggie/protein bowl
  • as a marinade for chicken or fish
  • lightly drizzled or brushed onto cooked salmon or white fish
hand pouring lemon salad dressing over a green salad against a white background

What to pair with lemon tahini dressing

When serving as a salad dressing, this dressing pairs beautifully with:

  • oven roasted dill salmon and lemon herb brown rice
  • marinated chicken kabobs
  • these citrus chicken drumsticks and root veggies
  • roasted vegetable pasta
  • zucchini lasagna or eggplant lasagna rolls
  • these vegetarian spinach artichoke portobellos
  • this air fryer asparagus or this baked asparagus with pretty much any main dish
Close up picture of mason jar with lemon dressing on a blue and white towel
Print Pin

Lemon Tahini Dressing

Lemon tahini dressing that is so creamy, tangy and full of rich lemon garlic flavor yet entirely plant based - perfect for salads or dipping!
Course Sauces and Condiments
Cuisine American
Prep Time 10 minutes
Servings 8
Calories 111kcal
Author Christy

Ingredients

  • 1/4 cup lemon juice
  • 1/3 cup olive oil
  • 2 Tbsp. tahini
  • 1 Tbsp. minced shallot
  • 1 Tbsp. dijon mustard
  • 2 tsp. honey or agave syrup
  • 1 tsp. minced garlic
  • 1/2 tsp. salt
  • 1/4 tsp. pepper
  • 1-2 Tbsp. water

Instructions

  • Place all ingredients in a small jar with a tightly sealing lid. When scooping tahini, if the sesame paste is separated from the oil, make sure to get some of both (easiest to do at room temperature).
  • Seal the lid and shake to emulsify.
  • Pour over your favorite salad, toss and enjoy.

Notes

Storage
Dressing will keep in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to a week. Oil will solidify in the refrigerator so allow it to come to room temperature on the counter before using. Once the oil in the dressing has become liquid again, shake to re-emulsify right before use.
Tips
  • if your tahini has separated, make sure to get some of the tahini paste and oil both
  • use fresh lemon juice 
  • make sure to shake until honey and tahini both disintegrate since they're thickest
  • some tahini is very thick and doesn't dissolve easily so you may need to use a fork to smash up any tahini chunks against the edge of the jar before shaking more to fully emulsify
  • red onion can be substituted for shallot but you may want to use less and let the dressing sit for 20-30 minutes to take some of the bite out
  • in a pinch you can replace the shallot with 1/2 tsp. onion powder and the garlic with 1/4 tsp. garlic powder (won't be quite as fresh tasting, but still good)
  • use a good Dijon or stone ground mustard
  • make sure the container you’re using seals tightly and if you plan to store it for more than a day, glass is best since the lemon is so acidic (I use pint mason jars)

Nutrition

Calories: 111kcal | Carbohydrates: 3g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Sodium: 142mg | Potassium: 31mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 5mg | Iron: 1mg
Did you make the recipe? I love seeing your creations!To be featured tag @FeastingNotFasting on Instagram and use the hashtag #FeastingNotFasting - please leave a star rating below too! ★★★★★

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Primary Sidebar

  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter

Hi, I'm Christy - the foodie, photographer and recipe developer behind Feasting Not Fasting, a site centered on making it easier to eat healthy. More about me…

Footer

Copyright © 2022 · Privacy Policy · Feasting Not Fasting