Oil-Free Tahini Dressing

Of all the salad dressings, I feel this oil-free lemon tahini dressing is the most versatile. I love this tahini dressing because it is really easy to put together, is versatile and is oil-free. Tahini is also a great source of healthy fats and antioxidants. Read more about tahini and its benefits!

What is Tahini?

Tahini, or sesame seed paste, is made from hulled sesame seeds and is a staple in the Middle Eastern region. It has the same consistency of peanut butter but has more of an earthy, nutty flavor (and some may detect a hint of bitterness). Tahini made from roasted sesame seeds tends to taste more milder than tahini made from raw tahini. Tahini is best known for being blended into hummus but makes a great spread or dip on its own. You can find it hanging out with the other nut butters in your grocery store.

Is Tahini Healthy?

Tahini is a great source of healthy fats and antioxidants. Bonus is that if you are nut-free you can enjoy it since tahini is ground up seeds. Healthy benefits of tahini include:

• Antioxidants which protect cells from free-radical damanage
• Source of polyunsaturated fat which can help lower cholesterol
• Good source of nondairy calcium – just 2 tablespoons provide almost 15 percent of your RDA of calcium!

Ingredients for Oil-Free Tahini Lemon Garlic Dressing

• Tahini – My favorite brand is Once Again Unsweetened Creamy Tahini.
• Lemon juice – About two lemons juiced. You always need some acid to balance out fats in dressings.
• Maple syrup or honey – Use Grade A real maple syrup or raw honey. I prefer the taste of honey in the dressing but maple syrup lends a similar level of sweetness if you are vegan.
• Garlic – Use one clove if you like less garlic or if the clove is really large.
• Ice water – Instead of added oil, the water thins out the dressing. Using ice water with tahini helps prevent it from curdling.

The dressing comes together quickly in a food processor or blender. I find that a food processor works better when you are making a smaller batch of dressing (as written). A blender would work if you are doubling or tripling the recipe.

Tahini Dressing Serving Suggestions

This oil-free tahini dressing is not only great on salads, but here are a few other ideas:

• Serve it s a dip! Serve with fresh vegetables and pita.
• Spread it on a sandwich like you would hummus.
• Drizzle over roasted vegetables.
• Add it to a grain bowl! Use farro, brown rice or quinoa and combine with fresh or roasted vegetables and a protein like tofu or chickpeas.
• Try it on my chickpea spinach “glow” salad

If you’ve tried this tahini dressing, let me know in the comments! Would love to know how you used it!

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