Cilantro Tahini Dressing
A fantastic dressing recipe is sometimes very hard to find! Sure, you can use your usual vinaigrette or a boring bottle from the grocery store, but is that what you really want? Wouldn’t you be more satisfied with something fresh, homemade, and absolutely spoon-licking, like this delicious, vegan cilantro tahini dressing?
Tahini is so incredibly creamy with a super sesame seed aftertaste that has you going back for more…and more! Imagine adding to that a touch of tangy, tart lemon juice, savory spices, and a tiny bit of sweet and salty flavor. Absolute heaven!
Why This Creamy Dressing is So Awesome
Here’s why we keep coming back to this dressing!
- Big Flavor. Tahini makes this dressing rich and super satisfying without any dairy and tastes good on almost everything.
- Easy to Make. You can blend the whole recipe together in just a few minutes.
- Super Versatile. You can use it as a salad dressing, veggie dip, sandwich spread, or sauce for roasted veggies and grain bowls.
- Packed with Fresh Ingredients. Fresh cilantro, garlic, and citrus juice give the dressing a fresh homemade taste.
- Easy to Customize. You can make it spicy, extra garlicky, thinner, thicker, or even a little sweeter depending on what you like. For a balsamic variation, try this tahini dressing recipe.
Key Ingredients and Substitutions
Once you make this cool and creamy sauce, you’ll be hooked––and hungry! If you’re low on pantry staples, we have a few easy substitutions for you:
- Tahini – Gives the dressing its creamy texture and rich, nutty flavor. Use smooth tahini for the creamiest result, and stir the jar well before measuring since the oil can separate. You can also swap it with sunflower seed butter or cashew butter.
- Lemon Juice – Brightens the dressing and keeps it tasting fresh. Fresh lemon juice gives the best flavor, but bottled can work in a pinch. Lime juice is an easy substitute and tastes great with cilantro too.
- Soy Sauce – Adds salty and savory flavor. Tamari or coconut aminos both work well as gluten-free substitutes.
- Cilantro – Gives the dressing its fresh flavor and bright green color. Use fresh leaves and tender stems for the best taste. If you are not a cilantro fan, fresh parsley or a mix of parsley and basil can work instead.
- Ginger – Adds a slightly spicy flavor that makes the dressing taste more vibrant. Fresh ginger gives the boldest flavor, and a little goes a long way. Ground ginger can work if needed, but the flavor will be less fresh.
- Garlic – Lends a bold savory flavor. Fresh garlic tastes best, but roasted garlic will give you a milder and slightly sweeter flavor. Garlic powder can also work for a quicker option.
How to Serve It Up
This dressing is literally delicious on anything—and everything! But here are a few suggestions to get you started:
- Start With Salad – Add a few spoonfuls to your simple salad. Check out our vegan salad guide for recipe inspiration!
- Terrific Taco Topping – You’ll love how this scrumptious sauce will make your tacos and burritos 10x better. Just substitute some cumin or chili spice for the ginger.
- Crudite Cravings – Use as a delectable dip for your colorful carrots, crisp cucumber, and crunchy celery. For a thicker consistency, use less water. Excellent choice for a hummus platter or charcuterie board, too!
- Pour Over Potatoes – Your baked potatoes, air fryer sweet potato fries, and stuffed potatoes will thank you for the addition of this savory sauce!
- Break Out the Buddha Bowls – Give some razzle dazzle to your rice dish by drizzling some of this dressing over the top. Our easy vegan pad thai recipe or even this vegetable pasta dish would sparkle with a little bit of ginger-spiced sauce!
FAQs
Pour any of your leftover vegan cilantro tahini dressing into a mason jar with a lid and refrigerate. This dressing will easily last 5 days and, if it’s too thick after that time, just add a little bit of warm water, lemon juice, or vegan milk and shake well.
Yes, you can! You can peel the garlic and wash and dry the cilantro ahead of time. Pour the dressing into sealed jars or airtight containers. Small mason jars work really well for this. Store the dressing in the refrigerator and keep the lid tightly sealed. Divide the dressing into smaller containers for salads, wraps, or veggie snack packs.
Yup! You can easily even triple this recipe if it’s a family favorite. Just make sure that this amount will be used within the week. If not, make less.
More Delicious Dressings to Try
Listen while you cook! Tune into my podcast, The Plant Powered People Podcast, while you’re cooking, folding laundry, or taking a bath. It may just change your life!
Cilantro Tahini Dressing
Ingredients
- ½ cup tahini
- ½ cup water
- ¼ cup lemon juice
- 2 cloves garlic, chopped
- 6 sprigs cilantro
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon fresh ginger
- 1 handful spinach
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon sugar
Instructions
- Add all the ingredients to a blender and blend on high until completely smooth and creamy.
Notes
Nutrition
We want to thank our amazing recipe testers Anne Sparks & J.J.Steele for helping us perfect this recipe!
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Leave a Comment
This sauce is really delicious! I was looking for a tahini sauce with no oil, something a little different—and this was perfect! Thanks!
If you’re a cilantro lover, you’ll love this!
This sauce looks like it will definitely add a unique flavour to any dish.
Such a perfect dressing for colorful bowls! Yum!
I love all things tahini! An herby and creamy dressing that makes any salad 10x better!
Yum! Love how colorful this is! Looks delicious!
One of my favorite bowls!
This is such a beautiful green dressing! I LOVE cilantro, so this is definitely up my alley 🙂 Great on tacos too!
Love this fresh and easy recipe! Cilantro dressing goes so well with so many foods 🙂