Vegan Tahini Salad Dressing (Oil-Free)

This Vegan Tahini Salad Dressing tastes just like Annie’s Goddess Dressing but with a lot fewer calories since it is oil-free! Same great flavor!

We have started a new Spectacular Summer Salad Extravaganza Challenge over in our BNV Community Support Group. The goal is to eat a big salad every single day for a month.

Last week I made this incredibly tasty Sangchu Geotjeori (Korean Lettuce Salad) so I thought this week I would try to make a copycat version of one of my old favorite salad dressings, Annie’s Goddess Dressing.

It came out pretty darn good I think, and without the oil it has considerably fewer calories.

Why I Love Tahini Salad Dressing

100% Vegan, Oil-Free, and Gluten-Free: Like all of my recipes, this recipe is made without any animal products or bottled oils and can easily be made gluten-free as well.

Super EASY to make: Seriously, you add everything to a blender. Easy peasy 🤣.

No Cooking Involved: No stoves, no air fryers, no instant pots, not even a microwave. Just you and a salad bowl (and maybe a blender).

Real Food Ingredients: No ultra-processed junk food here and no weird ingredients to order from Amazon. Just everyday pantry items everyone probably already has.

Dressing Ingredients & Substitutions

Tahini

You’ve tasted tahini if you’ve ever tried hummus. Its creamy, nutty flavor comes from toasted sesame seeds that have been ground into a paste. Some people avoid tahini due to its high percentage of fat, but with the fiber still intact – tahini has many surprising health benefits. If you need a substitute, almond butter comes the closest in texture and flavor.

Note: many people who are allergic to tree nuts are also allergic to tahini.

Aquafaba

If you’ve ever opened a can of chickpeas (garbanzo beans) you’ve seen aquafaba. You probably poured it out – as it is the liquid or juice from a can of chickpeas. Not only can you whip it into amazing meringues, but it also makes a decent replacement for oil in many recipes. Choose a “no-salt-added” or “low-sodium” can of chickpeas if you are watching your sodium intake. And while technically, any bean juice can be called aquafaba – stick to chickpeas if you can for the best results.

Red Wine Vinegar

I like the tartness of red wine vinegar but feel free to substitute apple cider vinegar instead if you need to.

Lemon

Freshly squeezed lemon juice is always going to taste best, but feel free to use bottled lemon juice if you have it on hand.

In Addition:

• 2 green onions
• low-sodium tamari or soy sauce
• minced garlic
• toasted sesame seeds
• fresh parsley
• salt & pepper

*See the recipe card at the bottom of the page for exact quantities and detailed cooking directions.

Making The Dressing

Equipment Used

When I first made this recipe I used my Kitchen Aid Mini Food Chopper and… made a bit of a mess. It is, after all, a food processor and not a blender, so what did I expect?

I knew my Vitamix could certainly have handled the job, but I was only making a single serving or two of the dressing, and my Vitamix jar was huge! So what to do?

Nutribullet to the rescue. I know, I know, you don’t need yet another kitchen gadget. But I’ll tell you what – for making small batches of dressing? This thing is AMAZING.

I picked up this one at Walmart for $58 or here is my Amazon Affiliate Link.

Note: Magic Bullet and Nutribullet are NOT the same thing. Magic Bullets ARE cheaper, but generally – you get what you pay for.

Storing Your Dressing

Store your vegan tahini dressing in a sealed container in the fridge. I love using little Mason jars for this. It should keep for up to a week. If it thickens, just thin it with a little water.

Tips for Working With Tahini

Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:

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