Cilantro tahini dressing is a refreshing and versatile sauce perfect for salads, wraps, bowls, or dip for vegetables. It’s packed with flavor and nutrients, thanks to the combination of fresh cilantro, tangy lime, creamy tahini, and garlic.
I love using tahini to make dairy-free sauces. You can also try it in this Miso Tahini Dressing and Maple Dijon Dressing.
Table of Contents
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Vegan, gluten-free and oil-free.
- Easy to make in 5 minutes.
- Make ahead and store up to 5 days.
- Use as a dip for raw veggies or tortillas.
- Drizzle over tacos, salads, bowls, meat or fish.
- Spread on sandwiches and wraps.
Ingredient Notes
- Tahini: Look for a tahini made from just sesame seeds with no other ingredients. A good tahini should be very smooth, drippy and not bitter. Give it a good stir before scooping it out for the dressing.
- Cilantro: You could substitute other herbs like parsley or basil or do a combination of fresh herbs for herb tahini sauce.
- Lime: You can use fresh lime or lemon juice.
- Maple Syrup: Technically optional but I recommend using it. I prefer the dressing with the acidity balanced by a touch of sweetness. You could substitute honey or agave syrup.
This list is not complete. Please see the recipe card at the end of the post for the complete ingredient list with measurements and detailed instructions.
How to Make Cilantro Tahini Sauce
To make this recipe, I recommend using something like a Nutribullet, or mini food processor or chopper. I used a Ninja Chopper. You’ll get a smoother result with a mini-blender like a Nutribullet.
To make it, add all of the ingredients and process until smooth, stopping to scrape down the sides. You may need to add a little more water to adjust the consistency after blending. You can also taste and season with additional salt or lime juice, as needed.
Recipe FAQs
You can store this dressing for 3-4 days in an airtight container in the fridge. It will thicken once chilled so you may need to add a bit of extra water to adjust the thickness after storing.
Chef’s Notes
- Start with 1/4 cup water and blend the sauce. If it’s too thick, add 1 tbsp water at a time until you reach your desired consistency.
- For a smooth, more emulsified sauce, you can add 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil to this dressing.
Did you try this recipe? I’d love to hear about it! Scroll down to the comment section to leave a star rating and review.
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Cilantro Tahini Dressing
This vibrant green tahini sauce is packed with fresh flavor and ready in minutes! Perfect for livening up any salad, wrap, or bowl.
Servings: 5 servings
Calories: 101kcal
- 1/2 cup cilantro lightly packed, 15g
- 1/3 cup tahini 80g
- 1/4 cup water
- 1/4 lime juice
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 tsp maple syrup
- 1/2 tsp salt
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Combine all the ingredients in a mini food processor or small blender. Blend until smooth, scraping down the sides of the container as needed.
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Taste and adjust seasonings. Add more lime juice to make it more tangy, more salt to taste or more water to adjust the thickness.
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Use dressing right away or store in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days.
For a creamier dressing, you can blend in 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil. This will give you a smoother mouth-feel more like a store-bought dressing.
Serving: 2tbsp | Calories: 101kcal | Carbohydrates: 5g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Sodium: 240mg | Potassium: 92mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 120IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 28mg | Iron: 1mg
