Creamy Lemon Herb Tahini

Recipe features

• Vegan, dairy-free, gluten-free, and oil-free
• Ready in about 10 minutes
• Creamy, bright, and fresh tasting
• Great for bowls, salads, roasted veggies, and dipping
• Meal prep friendly

Ingredient notes and substitutions

This lemon herb tahini dressing uses simple ingredients, but please see the recipe card below for the full list and exact measurements.

Tahini -Tahini can vary a lot by brand. If there's oil on top, stir it back in before measuring. The bottom of the jar is usually thicker/drier, so give it a really good stir to redistribute. Since tahini is the main flavor, use a good-quality tahini that's runny. If your tahini is thick, you may need a bit more water.

Fresh Lemon juice - Fresh lemon works best to give the dressing a bright, tangy flavor.  If you're out of fresh lemon juice, try a tahini lime cilantro dressing.

Fresh garlic - Fresh garlic has the best bite, but you can swap in ¼ teaspoon garlic powder if needed.

Maple syrup - It cuts the bitterness of tahini. You can leave it out, or swap in agave or date syrup.

Dijon mustard - Adds a subtle, sharp, tangy flavor. Stone-ground mustard is fine, but I wouldn't use yellow mustard. You can also leave it out.

Cumin - The spice adds a more complex flavor to the tahini sauce recipe.

Ice cold water -  Thins the sauce and helps make it extra creamy and pourable.

Fresh Cilantro - Fresh herbs are best!  Measure the cilantro leaves and tender stems near the leaves for a loosely packed ½ cup.  Swap with flat-leaf parsley, or use a mix.  If you want to substitute with fresh dill, start with one tablespoon of chopped dill.  Taste and add more if you want a more dill-forward flavor.  If you have leftover cilantro, try cilantro lime brown rice or cilantro cashew dressing.

How to make lemon herb tahini

There are two easy ways to make this sauce: whisk it in a bowl or blend it until smooth.

Whisk

If you're mixing the sauce by hand, ice-cold water is how you'll get a creamy texture without oil.

1. Mince the garlic and chop the cilantro.

2. In a medium bowl, whisk together: tahini, lemon juice, garlic, maple syrup, Dijon, salt, and cumin.

3. Once the lemon juice hits the tahini, it may seize up and look thick or grainy.  This is normal.

4. Whisk in ice-cold water 1 tablespoon at a time, until you reach your desired consistency.

5. Stir in the chopped cilantro. Taste and adjust.

Choose your consistency:dip, drizzle, or dressing

How much water you add depends on your tahini and how you plan to use the sauce.

• Thick (Dip): Use less water so it's scoopable and holds its shape.
• Medium (Drizzle): Add enough water so it pours in a slow ribbon off a spoon.
• Thin (Dressing): Add more water so it easily coats greens and grain bowls.

Tip: It's easier to thin a thick sauce than fix one that's too watery, so add water a tablespoon at a time.

Make it taste like CAVA lemon herb tahini

This recipe is inspired by CAVA's lemon herb tahini. The store-bought version is a simple blend of tahini, lemon juice, water, cilantro, garlic, and salt. My homemade sauce adds maple syrup to balance tahini bitterness, Dijon mustard for a subtle tang, and cumin for extra flavor.

If you want a more "CAVA-style" flavor, here's how to tweak it:

• Keep it pourable (aim for a drizzle consistency, not a thick dip).
• Use fresh lemon juice and don't skimp on the salt.
• Skip the Dijon and cumin for a cleaner, simpler flavor.
• Skip the maple syrup for a closer match (or add just a tiny amountif your tahini tastes bitter).

Tips

• Use a good-quality, runny tahini. Thick tahini (especially from the bottom of the jar) may need extra water.
• Use ice-cold water. It helps the sauce turn creamy and smooth.
• Prep your garlic if needed. If your blender struggles, crush or mince it first.
• Stick to herb leaves and tender stems. Finely chop any thicker stems so you don't get stringy bits.
• Want more lemon flavor? Add a little lemon zest.

Troubleshooting

My tahini seized or thickened -That's normal when tahini meets lemon juice. Keep whisking and add ice-cold water 1 tablespoon at a time until it turns smooth and creamy.

If the sauce tastes bitter - Try a different tahini brand (some are more bitter), add a little more salt, or add a small drizzle of maple syrup to balance the bitterness.

If it's too tangy - Add a bit more tahini (and a splash of water if needed).

If it's too garlicky - Blend in a bit more tahini, water, and lemon juice to mellow it.

Serving suggestions

The tahini dressing works in so many ways.  Here are a few ideas:

Bowls and salads

• Drizzle over rice bowls or Buddha bowls
• Use as a dressing on sweet potato chickpea salad with kale
• Top a simple bowl with chickpeas, quinoa, shredded kale, and steamed broccoli
• Swap the tahini in the vegan chickpea salad recipe for a brighter, herby twist, and skip the dill in the recipe

Roasted veggies

• Drizzle over roasted cauliflower, broccoli, or carrots
• Serve with sweet potato fries or roasted potatoes

Dips and sandwiches

• Dip for fresh veggies or pita
• Dip for crispy baked tofu nuggets
• Let it thicken in the fridge and use it as a spread on a hummus cucumber sandwich

Storage

Refrigerator - Store herbed tahini sauce in an airtight container for about 5-7 days.  It may thicken in the fridge.  Stir in 1 tablespoon of water at a time to loosen it up.

Freeze - The sauce can be frozen up to 3 months in an airtight container.  Thaw overnight in the fridge, then whisk to combine if the sauce separated.

Lemon herb tahini sauce FAQs