Cilantro Tahini Dressing
Cilantro tahini dressing is so easy to make and full of flavor. Ready in just 2 minutes, this healthy tahini cilantro dressing is perfect on salads, as a dip or as a spread for sandwiches or wraps. Once you try it, you are going to want to always have a batch of cilantro lime tahini dressing in the fridge!
If you love making your own homemade dressing, you should try Vegan Caesar Dressing or Basil Balsamic Vinaigrette.
Why you will love this recipe
- Easy to make – all you need is a high-speed blender and about 2 minutes to make this healthy homemade tahini dressing. This is a great recipe for beginner cooks, as it’s simply about measuring and blending the ingredients!
- Simple ingredients – this recipe is made with just 5 ingredients; all can be found at most local grocery stores. I consider tahini a pantry ingredient and always have it on hand so this is really a pantry/fridge staple recipe for me as well. This healthy cilantro tahini sauce is vegan, Whole30, gluten free, dairy free and egg free!
- Great for meal prep – this cilantro lime dressing lasts about a week in the fridge and is so easy to double or triple if you need it for multiple recipes during the week. You can even freeze extra for later in the month if needed!
- So many uses – use this tahini dressing on salads, as a dip for fresh, roasted veggies or potatoes, on falafel, as a spread for sandwiches or wraps or on top of burgers.
Ingredients
- Tahini – tahini is really the start of this dressing. Tahini is a paste made from ground sesame seeds and has the consistency of runny nut butter. It’s nutty and earthy and the perfect base for dressing. It helps give the dressing a creamy quality without and dairy and it’s seriously tasty.
- Cilantro – cilantro really shines in this recipe. It gives it a herby flavor and also helps it taste light and fresh. If you hate cilantro, you could use a combo of flat leaf parsley and fresh mint for an equally delicious dressing!
- Lime juice – lime juice is the acid for this dressing and helps to balance out the flavor from the tahini. It pairs so well with the cilantro and gives the dressing a slight sweetness.
- Water – water is needed to help thin out the dressing. You can always add more water if you like your dressing to be a bit thinner in consistency.
- Spices: Salt and garlic powder – these spices help to balance out the flavors. I prefer garlic powder in dressing recipes, as I find fresh garlic can sometimes overpower a dressing. If you just love fresh garlic, you can use 1-2 cloves in this recipe instead.
How to make cilantro tahini dressing
Check out the step by step process on how to make cilantro lime tahini dressing in this story!
Start by measuring all the ingredients into a high-speed blender.
Turn the blender on high and blend 30 seconds – 1 minute until all the cilantro is broken down completely in the sauce.
Use immediately or store in the fridge in a tightly sealed jar or bottle.
Top tips
- Tahini based dressing will firm up in the fridge. Let it sit out for a few minutes on the counter before you decide to add more water. You can thin this dressing out anytime by adding water. If you make it too thin, add ½ -1 tablespoon of tahini and blend again or stir well until the tahini is completely mixed in.
- Be sure to use a high-speed blender or the cilantro will not break down all the way. I have tried to make this in a food processor and the cilantro leaves never quite disappear into the dressing like they do with a high-speed blender. However, if all you have is a food processor, this will still work, it might just look a bit different.
- You can use the thin cilantro stems as well. They are packed with flavor. Try to avoid adding thicker stems that are towards the bottom of the plant though.
- Different brands of tahini can vary in taste. I recommend Trader Joe’s, Thrive Market, Whole Foods or Soom Foods brand.
Other additions to this dressing
- Spice: you can add ½ -1 fresh jalapeno (seeds removed), crushed red pepper flakes or even 1 chipotle in adobo.
- Creamy texture: Take the creaminess of this dressing to the next level by add ½ – 1 avocado!
- Sweetness: If you prefer a sweeter dressing, you may want to add 1-2 teaspoons of maple syrup or honey to the dressing.
Ways to use tahini cilantro dressing
- On salads (this would be great on taco salads or Mediterranean salads)
- As a dip for crudite, roasted veggies, sweet potato wedges or air fryer baby potatoes
- As the dressing for tuna salads, chicken salads or salmon salad
- Over tacos, burritos, taco bowls or burrito bowls
- As a sauce for sandwiches, wraps or burgers (especially this sweet potato lentil burger)
- Drizzled over falafel stuffed in lentil flatbreads or on salad greens
Common questions
What is tahini?
Tahini is a paste made from ground sesame seeds (just like nut butter). Typically it has a runny consistency and you often have to stir the oil back into tahini when you first open a jar. It taste nutty, earthy and just like sesame seeds.
Tahini is used in many Middle Eastern and Mediterranean recipes, as it’s often one of the key ingredients in hummus.
Tahini is creamy and creates the creamiest sauces with very little effort. I love it as a base for salad dressings and use it often!
Where can you buy tahini?
Tahini is sold at most grocery stores, sometimes it’s in the same area as the peanut butter and other nut butters, and sometimes it’s in the international or specialty food sections of the grocery store.
Tahini can vary in taste and texture, so depending on what brand you buy, the flavor may be more or less intense (I think this has to do with if they decide to roast the sesame seeds or leave them raw before pressing the seeds).
I personally prefer Trader Joe’s tahini or the tahini from Thrive Market, Whole Foods or Soom Foods Brand (which I buy online).
How long does tahini last?
Because of the high oil content in tahini, it’s recommended that once opened, you store it in your fridge. Personally, I go through tahini so fast, so I store it in the pantry (I’m a renegade). If you store tahini in the fridge, it can last about 6 months in a well-sealed jar/container. Note that when cold, tahini is very thick. You will want to leave the jar out on the counter for 10-15 minutes to warm up before using.
Other recipes that use tahini
Buffalo Cauliflower Salad with Tahini Ranch Dressing
Cruciferous Crunch Salad with Lemon Tahini Dressing
Can you eat cilantro stems?
Yes! You can eat the thin stems by the leaves. Typically, I just cut off the tough ends and use the rest of the cilantro, especially in recipes like this where you are blending the cilantro in the blender.
What if you don’t have cilantro on hand?
If you don’t have cilantro or don’t love it (some people say it taste like soap), you can make this dressing without it (check out this Lime Tahini Dressing), or you can use ¼ cup flat leaf parsley + 2 tablespoons fresh mint in place of the cilantro for a delicious alternative.
Storing leftovers
Fridge: Store leftover cilantro tahini dressing in the fridge for about a week. You will notice after 3-4 days the dressing will not be as green since the cilantro will start to fade in color, but the dressing is still good.
Freezer: You can freeze leftovers or if you make and extra batch for later! Freeze for up to 1 month. If you plan on using individual portions once frozen, you can freeze the dressing using a silicone ice cube tray or use Soupercubes in these convenient 2 tablespoon portions.
Substitutions
- Tahini – tahini is really the star of this recipe, but if you don’t have any on hand, you could also use a runny almond butter or sunbutter (make sure it’s unsweetened).
- Cilantro – if you aren’t a fan of cilantro or don’t have enough on hand, you can either omit it or use ¼ cup flat leaf parsley and 2 tablespoons fresh mint.
- Lime juice – lime juice helps to balance out this dressing. You could also use lemon juice or 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar or even red wine vinegar (the taste will be slightly different with vinegar but still good).
- Garlic powder – garlic powder helps to add to the umami of the dressing. You could also use fresh garlic (1-2 cloves) but I prefer garlic powder since fresh can overpower the dressing. You could also use onion powder or 1 tablespoon dried chives in place of the garlic powder.
If you love homemade salad dressing, you should try these
Cilantro Tahini Dressing
$1.58 Recipe/$0.40 ServingIngredients
- 3 tbsp. tahini - $0.62
- 1 medium lime, juiced - $0.33
- 1/4 cup cilantro - $0.50
- 3 tbsp. water - $0.00
- 1 tsp garlic powder - $0.10
- 1/2 tsp sea salt - $0.03
Instructions
- Measure out all the ingredients into the blender.
- Blend on high 1 minute until smooth.
- Use immediately or store in a well sealed jar for up to a week.
Equipment
Notes
- Tahini based dressing will firm up in the fridge. Let it sit out for a few minutes on the counter before you decide to add more water. You can thin this dressing out anytime by adding water. If you make it too thin, add ½ -1 tablespoon of tahini and blend again or stir well until the tahini is completely mixed in.
- Be sure to use a high-speed blender or the cilantro will not break down all the way. I have tried to make this in a food processor and the cilantro leaves never quite disappear into the dressing like they do with a high-speed blender. However, if all you have is a food processor, this will still work, it might just look a bit different.
- You can use the thin cilantro stems as well. They are packed with flavor. Try to avoid adding thicker stems that are towards the bottom of the plant though.
- Different brands of tahini can vary in taste. I recommend Trader Joe’s, Thrive Market, Whole Foods or Soom Foods brand.
- Fridge: Store leftover cilantro tahini dressing in the fridge for about a week. You will notice after 3-4 days the dressing will not be as green since the cilantro will start to fade in color, but the dressing is still good.
- Freezer: You can freeze leftovers or if you make and extra batch for later! Freeze for up to 1 month. If you plan on using individual portions once frozen, you can freeze the dressing using a silicone ice cube tray or use Soupercubes in these convenient 2 tablespoon portions.
