Walnut Free Creamy Tahini Lemon Dressing
Bright, nutty, and silky smooth, this tahini lemon dressing comes together in a single bowl with just a whisk and a few minutes of your time. Sesame-based tahini does all the heavy lifting here, delivering that rich, creamy texture you'd expect from a nut-based dressing — without a walnut in sight. Garlic-infused olive oil adds depth, fresh lemon juice keeps things lively, and a touch of maple syrup rounds out the acidity beautifully. The cold water trick is the real secret: adding it tablespoon by tablespoon transforms a thick, seized paste into a glossy, pourable ribbon that clings perfectly to whatever you drizzle it over. Ground cumin gives it a subtle warmth that makes the whole thing feel a little more complex than the short ingredient list suggests. A finishing scatter of fresh parsley adds color and a clean herbal note if you want to dress it up. This is the kind of versatile dressing you'll want to keep in the fridge all week — equally at home over roasted vegetables, grain bowls, or a simple green salad.
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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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