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You are here: Home » Salads

Spicy Tahini Dressing

Feb 16, 2021 -May contain affiliate links

37 shares
Jump to Recipe·Print Recipe·5 from 1 review
Scooping some spicy tahini dressing from a jar next to a lemon cut in half

This Spicy Lemon Tahini dressing has a spicy kick! It pairs perfectly with your favorite salads, grain bowls, burrito bowls, or roasted vegetables and it also tastes delicious as a dip for fresh vegetables or sourdough bread.

A jar with spicy tahini dressing  next to a lemon cut in half on a green wood surface

We absolutely love cooking with tahini! It’s one of the most versatile ingredients out there, and this tahini dressing recipe showcases exactly how delicious it can be. This is a simple salad dressing with just a few ingredients and a splash of dragon sauce to bring on the heat!

You only need a couple of minutes to make homemade salad dressing. This tahini dressing recipe is not only naturally vegan but it's also gluten-free. Making it at home vs buying saves you money and will take your salads, roasted veggies, and grain bowls to a brand-new level and it’ll taste totally luxurious!

What is Tahini?

Tahini is a paste made of ground sesame seeds and it’s used as a base in hummus and baba ghanoush. If you aren’t yet familiar with all the wonders of tahini, prepare to be impressed! You can use tahini not only in savory dishes but also in sweet recipes such as Tahini Date Caramel, Halva Bars, and sweet potato brownies. On its own tahini has a savory, nutty flavor that’s so good we often use it as a substitute for nut butters in recipes!

Ingredients to make Spicy tahini dressing labeled: tahini, lemon juice, water, maple syrup, apple cider vinegar, salt and green dragon sauce

Lemon Tahini Dressing Recipe Ingredients

You’ll only need a couple ingredients to make this incredibly flavorful homemade salad dressing!

  • Tahini - Buy a high-quality tahini!
  • Lemon juice - Use freshly squeezed if possible. When you whisk the tahini and lemon juice you’ll see the sauce start to thicken.
  • Apple cider vinegar or rice vinegar - This gives it the classic dressing taste with a little bite of vinegar.
  • Maple syrup - The sweetness of maple is an ideal balance for the other more savory, bitter flavors in this tahini salad dressing.
  • Spicy green dragon sauce - Any hot sauce will do here, which lets you adjust the spice to your own personal preference. We love spicy green dragon sauce!

How to Use Spicy Tahini Dressing

Our favorite thing about this creamy tahini dressing is how versatile it is! Put it over a summery salad with fresh tomatoes, crunchy cucumbers, and sweet corn. It’s also delicious on a savory winter bowl of root veggies and dark greens!

How to Make Homemade Tahini Salad Dressing

Making your own tahini salad dressing is incredibly easy. You only need a bowl and a whisk! Add the lemon and tahini and whisk until they thicken. Then add in cold water, salt, and the remaining ingredients. Store in a sealed container in the refrigerator until you’re ready to use it. You can also use a blender to make your tahini dressing, specially if you are using the thicker tahini found at the bottom of tahini jar.

  • Tahini paste in a bowl
    Mix tahini with lemon, the mixture will thicken
  • Mixing the tahini dressing in a bowl
    Add the rest of the ingredients until you get a smooth Tahini dressing
Scooping some spicy tahini dressing from a jar next to a lemon cut in half

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  • Vegan Tempeh Sheetpan Dinner
  • Warm Green Beans with Chestnuts, Pomegranates, and Tahini
  • Shawarma Veggie Tacos
  • Roasted Cauliflower Salad
  • Roasted Cauliflower Steaks with Tahini
  • Pink Salt & Tahini Double Chocolate Chip Cookies
  • Roasted Sweet Potatoes

DID YOU LIKE OUR SPICY TAHINI DRESSING?

If you enjoyed this recipe, it would help us tremendously if you left us a star rating in the comments below or on the recipe card. Do you have any questions about the recipe? Do you need a swap for any of the ingredients? We are here to help, just leave us a question in the comments below.

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A jar with spicy tahini dressing next to a lemon cut in half

Spicy Tahini Dressing


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5 from 1 review

  • Author: Vicky & Ruth
  • Total Time: 5 minutes
  • Yield: 1 ¼ cups 1x
  • Diet: Vegan
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Description

This Tahini dressing has a spicy kick! It pairs perfectly with your favorite salads, grain bowls, burrito bowls, or roasted vegetables and it also tastes delicious as a dip for fresh vegetables or sourdough bread.


Ingredients

Scale
  • ½ cup + 2 tablespoon tahini ( see note 2)
  • ¼ cup + 2 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
  • ¼ cup + 2 tbsp water
  • ½ tsp salt (or to taste)
  • 2 tsp apple cider vinegar or rice vinegar
  • 1 tbsp maple syrup
  • ½ -1 teaspoon spicy green dragon sauce, or any other hot sauce (optional)

Instructions

  1. To prepare the dressing, whisk together tahini and lemon juice ( the mix will thicken).
  2. Slowly whisk in water and salt, until well incorporated. Add vinegar, maple syrup, and green dragon sauce (if using) and mix well. (see note 2)  
  3. Refrigerate until ready to use ( see note 1)

Notes

  1. The dressing can be kept in the fridge for up to a week.  If the dressing thickens too much in the fridge, just add a little water to loosen it.
  2. If you are using the bottom of a jar of tahini where the tahini is thicker, it will be easier to use your blender or food processor to make the tahini dressing.
  • Prep Time: 5
  • Category: salad dressing
  • Method: raw
  • Cuisine: Middle Eastern

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 2 tablespoons
  • Calories: 78
  • Sugar: 1.4
  • Sodium: 120
  • Fat: 6.4
  • Saturated Fat: .9
  • Unsaturated Fat: 5.5
  • Trans Fat: 0
  • Carbohydrates: 4.4
  • Fiber: .6
  • Protein: 2.1
  • Cholesterol: 0

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Tag @mayihavethatrecipe on Instagram and hashtag it #mayihavethatrecipe #tahiniandturmeric

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Evelyn Neuhaus

    February 18, 2021 at 3:24 am

    Absolutely love tahini. Would even go so far as to say that I am addicted.
    Goes into all my homemade falafel, over roasted cauliflower and roasted veggies.
    Shall certainly try this latest tahini sauce recipe. I do not know what dragon sauce
    is. Can I substitute sweet chilli sauce or tabasco?

    Reply
    • Vicky and Ruth

      February 28, 2021 at 8:30 pm

      Of course, any hot sauce will do! We are obsessed with tahini as well, in case you can't tell ;-).

      Reply
  2. Funel Eudeline

    February 09, 2022 at 11:08 am

    i delicieux
    creL

    Reply

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We are Vicky & Ruth, authors of the vegan cookbook Tahini and Turmeric. Born and raised in a multicultural Jewish-Lebanese-Spanish household our culinary journey began in Barcelona, Spain where we learned from our family the rich flavors of Lebanon, Turkey, Israel, Morocco, and Spain. From our mother's fragrant Lebanese dishes to our grandmother's secret Sephardic Turkish specialties, our Moroccan friend's fragrant recipes, our sister's vibrant Israeli creations, and our neighbor's authentic Spanish fare, each dish was a key that unlocked new exciting yumminess.

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