Best Tahini Dressing

5 from 1 vote

As someone who has been a tahini lover for years, I've made my fair share of incredible AND lackluster tahini dressings. I would run into a lot of issues like the dressing seizing up and becoming too thick. Sometimes the flavor was too bitter and other times it would measure flat. Now I'm making 10/10 creamy tahini dressing - every time - thanks to this recipe that has the perfect blend of garlic, lemon, maple, and more. I'll give you tips on the best grocery store tahini, what type of water to use for mixing, and what to do if the dressing seizes up. You'll want to drizzle and dip this stuff in/on everything!

Prep Time5

Total Time5

Course: Condiment

Diet:

Servings: (2 tbsp) servings

Calories: 194kcal

Author: Allie Petersen

Ingredients

1/4 cup smooth, drippy tahini see notes for best tahini
3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
2 tsp maple syrup
1/2 tsp soy sauce or tamari for gf
1/2 clove grated garlic*
1/4 tsp fine salt add more taste
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
2 tbsp cold ice water add more to achieve desired texture

Instructions

In a small bowl or jar, add your tahini, lemon juice, olive oil, minced garlic, soy sauce, salt & pepper. Whisk with a fork or kitchen whisk until well-combined.
At this point, your dressing may actually be quite thin if you used a drippy, thinner tahini. You can enjoy the tahini dressing as is right now without the addition of the water, however, I find the addition of water adds a creaminess and balances the flavors well - but this is based on taste preference!
Start by adding in 1 tbsp of ice water & mixing well. At this point your tahini may actually thicken from the water, and may even seize up, but don't worry! As you add more water it will thin out again.
You will notice over time the dressing lightens in color and becomes creamier. Continue to add more ice water 1 tbsp at a time until you get the consistency you are looking for. (For example, a salad you may want a thinner dressing vs a dip or sauce may be thicker)
Taste your dressing and adjust the seasonings as needed such as a touch more lemon, salt, or maple syrup.
Enjoy your tahini dressing right away or store in the fridge for up to a week!
*This recipe yields 1/2 cup of tahini dressing.

Notes

The best tahini to use:

It should be smooth, creamy with a drippy texture. Check to make sure it's made from 100% sesame seeds.
If the oil/paste as separated, make sure to stir it well until combined.
My favorite tahini is from Ziyad.

Grated vs. minced garlic

Grated garlic: created using a microplaner or fine grater. Creates a smoother "paste-like" garlic that blends well
Minced garlic: created using a knife of garlic press. Creates small pieces.
Grated garlic is better for this recipe so we have a more cohesive garlic flavor without chunks. I find you only need 1/2 a clove for the perfect garlic flavor. 1 clove was too potent with a "bite".
Don't have fresh garlic? I found 1/4 tsp of garlic powder still works well.

Why does tahini "seize up"? Tahini is rich in oil and considered "fat-based". The addition of the water disrupts the emulsion & can cause the tahini dressing to become clumpy and very thick.

Don't worry! You fix this by slowly incorporating more ice water and whisking. The dressing will slowly loosen and become super creamy and delicious - just keep mixing!

Nutrition