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    Home Β» Recipes Β» Salads & Dressings Β» How to Use Tahini for Creamy Salad Dressings [Dairy Free]

    How to Use Tahini for Creamy Salad Dressings [Dairy Free]

    Published: May 31, 2021 by Eric Samuelson

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    Learn how to use Tahini to make a creamy salad dressing that can be made without dairy and without oil. Includes recipes for a basic Tahini salad dressing, a Strawberry Tahini dressing, and a Peach Tahini dressing.

    My wife describes this dressing as having "a deep bold nutty flavor with a nice creamy texture. It is very satisfying, even for a ranch lover like me! I ate the entire salad with no trouble, when I usually pick at any salad that's not smothered in ranch dressing."

    A salad in a white bowl topped with tahini salad dressing with the words in a maroon box on top saying "how to make tahini salad dressing"

    This post includesΒ affiliateΒ links. This means that atΒ noΒ additional cost to you, I will earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase. These are products and services I recommend because I use or trust them. Cookies will be used to track theΒ affiliateΒ links you click.

    My wife loves ranch dressing.

    It is her go-to dressing for any type of salad. The problem is, I don't like Ranch. I am more of a vinaigrette kind of person.

    My wife really likes a dressing to have a creamy element.

    An idea came to me one day, why don't I use Tahini in a salad dressing? I am sure I didn't invent the idea, but I thought it up before I saw someone else do it, so that's counts for something, right?

    We had bought some Tahini to make hummus, but we don't make that much hummus. Thus it's important for us to come up with other ways to use Tahini.

    Jump to:
    • πŸ‘… What Does It Taste Like?
    • πŸ›’ Ingredients
    • πŸ“– Variations
    • πŸ“‹ Instructions
    • πŸ₯¬ What to Serve It On
    • πŸ₯— More Salad Dressings
    • Creamy Tahini Salad Dressing

    πŸ‘… What Does It Taste Like?

    Tahini is made from ground sesame seeds. It has a strong, assertive flavor, like peanut butter. When it is paired with the milder chick peas in hummus, they balance each other out nicely.

    When adding tahini to dressing you need to consider that. If you have a recipe you want to add it to, go slowly add first, even a tablespoon at a time. A small amount can really enhance a dressing.

    Something else to consider is that Tahini contains fat. It's a great choice if you do not want to include oil in your dressing. The recipe below is made without oil (although in my fruit versions I add some oil in).

    Tahini is great for thickening a salad dressing - giving it body. I see the same thing done with mustard in some dressing recipes. Again if you are going to try it, start slow.

    If you want tahini to be the main flavor of your dressing, let me share with you how I make it.

    πŸ“– RELATED - Learn About the Different Types of Sesame Seeds

    Dastony Sesame Tahini in a jar sitting on burlap on a counter top.

    πŸ›’ Ingredients

    Salad dressings don't need to be too complex. Some good simple ingredients is what you need. Here are the ones I used for this recipe.

    • Tahini 
    • Low sodium soy sauce
    • Honey
    • Rice wine vinegar
    • Large lemon
    • Garlic clove
    • Cold water
    • Kosher salt

    Here is my creative process as I was developing the Tahini salad dressing recipe you will find at the end of this post.

    My first decision was to pick which vinegar to use. I decided on a rice wine vinegar. It has a mild flavor that would add a kick without overdoing it. I think a balsamic would be too strong. Apple cider vinegar would be a fine choice as well.

    Next I chose soy sauce. I thought it complemented the other "Asian" ingredients well and it would be my source of salt.

    A single clove of raw garlic would provide a pleasant heat.

    I felt the dressing would need some sweetness but not in the form of sugar. A more natural option like honey would be an ideal choice. Maple syrup would work as well.

    Adding some lemon juice from a fresh lemon would keep the flavors and color bright.

    It all goes for a spin in the food processor and the dressing came out perfect tasting the first time, which I was thrilled about. I just needed to add a bit of water to thin it out and make it pourable.

    πŸ“– Variations

    I recently decided to add some fresh fruit to the dressing to give extra flavor. Strawberries and peaches both make a wonderful addition.

    Trying roasting the fruit before hand to bring out even more flavor and sweetness. Roasting them at 350 degrees for about 15 minutes should do the trick.

    Strawberry tahini salad dressing on a salad with fresh strawberries, spring mix, and croutons on a white plate.

    Strawberry

    When I add strawberries to the dressing, I made some changes to the recipe.

    1. Reduce the Tahini to 2 tablespoons
    2. Omit the garlic and soy sauce
    3. Add in Β½ cup of a neutral tasting oil

    I reduce the Tahini so the fruit flavor doesn't get overwhelmed. Same with omitting the soy sauce. And honestly the garlic didn't appeal to me with the fruit flavor - so no garlic was peeled for this version.

    Since I took out some Tahini, I needed to add some fat back in, which is why I added Β½ cup of oil. It's best to drizzle the oil in while the machine runs so that it can incorporate well and so you can monitor the oil you add and adjust if needed.

    If you are aiming to avoid adding oil, just forget using it in the fruit version and keep the Tahini amount as in the original recipe.

    The strawberries I used were ones that we picked ourselves at a local u-pick farm. The flavor of picked-yourself strawberries always beats what the grocery store offers.

    πŸ“ RELATED - Best Time of Year to Buy Strawberries

    Peach tahini salad dressing on a salad with fresh peaches and spring mix on a white plate. A fork is next to the plate and the plate is on a white towel.

    Peach

    For the peach I basically did as with the strawberry tahini dressing. One large peach is enough for the dressing. You can use 2 if your peaches are small. Nectarines would work just as well.

    The peaches were sent to me by Pearson Farm. They are from Georgia and were part of a Summer Classic series highlighting 4 classic varieties that Person grows. A new variety is shipped each week. It's super fun, tasting them all.

    πŸ‘ RELATED - When are Peaches in Season?

    πŸ“‹ Instructions

    Let me take you step by step in how I make Tahini dressing. For this example, I am going to show you how I made my Peach version. If you aren't using fruit, you can skip down to step 3.

    Step 1 shows peaches that have been quartered in a food processor.
Step 2 shows the peaches have been pureed by the food processor blade.

    Remove the pit from the peach and cut it into quarters. No need to peel it.

    Puree the peach in a food processor until smooth.

    Step 3 shows adding the Tahini and other ingredients to the peach puree.
Step 4 shows the dressing all mixed in.

    Add in the Tahini, honey, vinegar, and lemon juice. Mix until well combined.

    πŸ’‘ Tip - Make sure you stir the Tahini up well before adding. Like natural peanut butter it does separate.

    Step 5 shows adding the oil if using to the food processor
Step 6 shows the finished dressing in te food processor.

    Slowly drizzle in the oil while the machine is running, stopping to check to see if you have the right consistency. Depend on how juicy your peach is you may need to add a little more oil or you can add a little water if it's too thick.

    Store it in the fridge. It usually keeps well for a week or two. This recipe makes enough for about 4 people depending on how much dressing they like or if it's a main course or side salad.

    Recipe is easy to double or triple if you need more.

    πŸ₯¬ What to Serve It On

    A kale salad works really well as the strong flavor of the kale is balanced with the dressing. Spinach is a great choice as well. Really any salad greens will work.

    Dipping Sauce

    This dressing could easily double as a dipping sauce for veggies. An upgrade from ranch for sure. If you are going to use it as such you can may want it thicker, so adding any water wouldn't be necessary.

    πŸ₯— More Salad Dressings

    • How to Make Easy Homemade Salad Dressings
    • Avocado Salad Dressing
    • How to Make Sesame Ginger Salad Dressing
    • How to Make Blue Cheese
    • 3 Ingredient Peach Vinaigrette

    Creamy Tahini Salad Dressing

    A quick Tahini salad dressing that you can make in your food processor or blender. Ingredients for a strawberry and peach version available in the recipe notes.
    No ratings yet
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Dressing
    Cuisine: American
    Keyword: peach, salad dressing, strawberry, Tahini
    Prep Time: 10 minutes
    Total Time: 10 minutes
    Author: Eric Samuelson

    Ingredients

    • 8 tablespoons Tahini or Β½ cup
    • 2 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce
    • 1 tablespoon honey
    • 2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
    • 1 teaspoon lemon juice
    • 1 clove garlic minced
    • ΒΌ cup water
    • kosher salt to taste

    Instructions

    • Combine all the ingredients in your food processor. Process for about 30-45 seconds to combine.
    • Add in about ΒΌ cup of water to thin out, adding a little bit at a time until the dressing is your desired consistency. Make enough for about 3-4 average sized salads.
    • Salt to taste

    Notes

    You can use maple syrup in place of honey in the same amount.
    Here are how to make the fruit variations. If you still want to NOT include oil, just keep the 2 tablespoons of Tahini and don't add the oil.
    Strawberry Tahini Dressing
    To make the strawberry version
    1. Reduce the Tahini to 2 tablespoons
    2. Omit the garlic and soy sauce
    3. Add in Β½ cup of a netural tasting oil and 1 Β½ cups of strawberries.
    4. Puree the strawberries in the food processor first, then add in the rest of the ingredients except the water and oil.
    5. Add the oil by slowly drizzling it when the machine is running. Adjust the consistency with either a little more oil or some water to thin it out.
    Peach Tahini Dressing
    To make the peach version
    1. Reduce the Tahini to 2 tablespoons
    2. Omit the garlic and soy sauce
    3. Add in Β½ cup of a neutral tasting oil and 1 large peach, pitted moved, and quartered.
    4. Puree the peach in the food processor first, then add in the rest of the ingredients except the water and oil.
    5. Add the oil by slowly drizzling it when the machine is running. Adjust the consistency with either a little more oil or some water to thin it out.
    Tried this recipe?Mention @eatlikenooneelse or tag #eatlikenooneelse

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    Nice to Meet You,

    Hi! I'm Eric : Father of 4, living just south of Ann Arbor, MI. I'm a reformed picky eater finding a new way to not conform. Eating what's in season is my jam (I also make it!)

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