Sturdier types of salad greens take creamy dressings that cling to the leaves. That is why I created this creamy tahini dressing recipe. It dresses greens like kale and romaine deliciously. Make a batch on Sunday and your half way to a fast and terrific salad during your busy week ahead. It also works with fish, chicken or shrimp as a tahini sauce so it's multi-purpose.
Creamy Lemon Tahini Dressing
I created this dressing to go with a curly kale and avocado salad and found it works on other salads too, even on chicken and fish as a tahini sauce. It's a nice change from the simple French Vinaigrette that I often make. I posted this separately as it's too good to get lost in a salad recipe post and deserved it's own mention.
What is Tahini
Tahini sauce is sesame seed butter like almonds make almond butter. You might be familiar with it as an ingredient for making homemade hummus but is good for making dressings and other things too. Tahini has a mild, nutty flavor. I prefer the raw, untoasted type. Sometimes as the jar sits the oil separates from the paste and floats on top. Just get a table knife or something sturdy and mix it together.
A Note on Food Allergies and Sensitivities
Tahini is a great replacement for peanut butter if you have peanut allergies. If you have tree nut allergies you might be OK with sesame seeds as they are not considered tree nuts, but certain proteins in sesame seeds can trigger allergy symptoms related to a nut allergy. The bottom line is be careful. Here is a good article with more information on sesame allergies.
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Tahini Dressing Ingredient Tips and Substitutes
- To make the garlic blend in smoothly, chop the cloves as finely as possible and then using the back of your knife, smear it into a smooth paste
- If you don't have ketchup, use a little tomato paste mixed with a little water
- To make this vegan, use coconut aminos instead of soy sauce or tamari
- If you don't have unseasoned rice vinegar use white or champagne vinegar
- A great tool for making dressing, sauces, and smoothies is the Tribest Personal Glass Blender.
Histamine Friendly Notes
Skip the 2 teaspoons of ketchup and swap coconut aminos for the tamari (wheat-free soy sauce). If you are well managed, both are small amounts and might be fine. I don't have a problem with this dressing and it's so delicious.
📖 Recipe
Creamy Lemon Tahini Dressing
Ingredients
- 6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons tahini (sesame seed paste)
- 1 large garlic clove finely chopped
- 2 teaspoons low sodium tamari or soy sauce sub coconut aminos
- 2 teaspoons ketchup
- 2 teaspoons unseasoned rice or white vinegar
- 2 teaspoons Balsamic vinegar
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Instructions
- Place all ingredients in a jar with a tight fitting lid and shake well until creamy. Alternatively use a blender on low speed and puree until creamy. If dressing is too thick thin with a little water.
Michelle K says
Thanks Sally! Will be trying this soon. Trying to make more salad dressings and I just bought some Tahini from Whole Foods. 🙂 One question, after it's made, how long will it last in the fridge? A week? 🙂
Sally Cameron says
Hi M. There is nothing to really spoil in it, such as egg or dairy, but a week is safe.