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Easy smoky tahini dressing, it’s great on buddha bowls, roasted vegetables, as a dip, roasted sweet potato bowl, or as a creamy dressing for your salad. This is a simple sauce for mealtime, I love throwing the ingredients together and being able to whip this up in just a couple of minutes.

For more tahini-based dressings try lemon herb tahini sauce or Dijon tahini dressing.
How to Make Smoky Tahini Dressing
All you do is whisk the ingredients together, then thin it out with water.

Add all of the ingredients except the water to a bowl.

Whisk until combined, when you mix everything together it will thicken up.

Then add the water and keep whisking and it will thin out. How much water you need depends on how smooth your tahini is and your desired consistency. Start with ⅓ cup for a thicker sauce and ½ cup for a thinner sauce.

It will also last up to a week in the refrigerator in an airtight container, so it’s great for meal prep. If the recipe makes more than you need, it can be halved pretty easily.
What is Tahini
Tahini is made by grinding up sesame seeds to create a creamy paste. It’s a great alternative to use as a base for nut-free dairy-free creamy dressings. It has a nutty flavor and tends to be a little bitter, which will vary from brand to brand. To cut through the bitterness I like to add a touch of sweetness with maple syrup.
Tips
- If you can’t find smoked paprika you can substitute it with the more widely available sweet paprika but you won’t get that little hint of smokiness. Or add ⅛ teaspoon of liquid smoke along with the sweet paprika.
- How much water you’ll need depends on how thick the tahini is and your desired consistency, start with ⅓ cup then add more if needed.
- Leftovers may thicken when the sauce is chilled, add a tablespoon of water at a time and whisk with a fork. Add more water until it reaches your desired dressing/dip consistency.
More Oil-Free Dressings
- Dijon Tahini Dressing
- Lemon Herb Tahini Dressing
- Strawberry Vinaigrette
- Creamy Cashew Dijon Dressing
- Peanut Dipping Sauce
- Oil-Free Hummus
As always, I hope you enjoy this plant-based oil-free smoky tahini dressing!
Need inspiration on how to use the dressing? Try it on roasted sweet potato bowls.


Smoky Tahini Dressing
- Total Time: 10 minutes
- Yield: 1 cup 1x
- Diet: Vegan
Description
Easy smoky tahini dressing, it’s great on buddha bowls, roasted vegetables, as a dip, or just a creamy dressing for your salad.
Ingredients
- ½ cup tahini (stir well before measuring)
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
- 2 teaspoons tamari
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¾ teaspoon smoked paprika (or ⅛ teaspoon liquid smoke and ½ teaspoon paprika)
- ⅓-½ cup water
Instructions
- Add all of the ingredients except the water to a bowl, and whisk until combined.
- When you mix everything together it will thicken up, then add the water and keep whisking and it will thin out. How much water you need depends on how smooth or thick your tahini is and your desired consistency. Start with ⅓ cup for a thicker sauce and ½ cup for a thinner sauce.
- Store for up to a week covered in the refrigerator.
- If the dressing thickens up once chilled in the fridge, whisk in a tablespoon of water at a time to thin it out until you reach your desired consistency.
Notes
You can also add just a portion of the water needed in the recipe to the ingredients when you first whisk them together for ease, then add more to thin out.
How much water you'll need will depend on your tahini, if it's pourable or not (thick).
- Prep Time: 10 mins
- Category: dressing, sauce
- Method: mix
- Cuisine: American
Keywords: Smoky tahini dressing without lemon, smoky tahini dressing with apple cider vinegar, Vegan oil free
Kim
I just made this and it is delicious!!! Planning to put it on my buhhda bowls for lunch next week. Thank you for the recipe!!
Allie
You're welcome, I'm so glad you enjoyed the recipe!
Jamie
Came out delicious, I used it on your sweet potato bowl! I will definitely make it again.
★★★★★
Allie
I'm glad you enjoyed the recipe and thanks for commenting!