Citric Acid Free Creamy Tahini Lemon Dressing
Smooth, nutty, and just bright enough to make any salad feel like a real meal, this tahini dressing comes together in minutes with nothing but a bowl and a whisk. The base is well-stirred tahini loosened with cold water, which gives it that silky, pourable consistency without any emulsifiers or additives you'd find in a bottled version. Garlic-infused olive oil brings savory depth, while a touch of maple syrup balances the earthy bitterness of the sesame paste beautifully. Fresh lemon juice provides the citrus lift here — and since it's squeezed straight from the fruit rather than sourced from a processed additive, it works for those avoiding manufactured citric acid as an ingredient. A pinch of cumin rounds everything out with a warm, subtle spice that makes this dressing taste far more complex than the short ingredient list suggests. Drizzle it over grain bowls, roasted vegetables, or crisp greens, and finish with a scatter of fresh parsley if you want a little color and herby freshness. Once you see how quickly it comes together, store-bought dressing is going to feel like a lot of unnecessary effort.
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Learn more →Ingredients
8 servings
- ½ cup tahini (well-stirred)
- ¼ cup fresh lemon juice (from about 2 lemons)
- 3 tbsp garlic-infused olive oil
- 3–4 tbsp cold water, plus more to thin
- 1 tbsp maple syrup
- ½ tsp ground cumin
- ¼ tsp fine salt, or to taste
- ¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 1 tbsp finely chopped fresh parsley (optional)
Instructions
- 1
Add the tahini, lemon juice, garlic-infused olive oil, maple syrup, cumin, salt, and black pepper to a small bowl. Whisk together until the mixture is smooth and uniform — it will seize and look thick at first, which is expected.
- 2
Add cold water 1 tablespoon at a time, whisking after each addition, until the dressing is pourable and coats the back of a spoon — about 3 to 4 tablespoons total. The dressing should flow off the whisk in a thin, steady ribbon.
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