Maple Tahini Dressing
by Katie Webster
May 3, 2017 (updated 5/30/23) Jump To Recipe
This creamy Maple Tahini Dressing is made with just a handful of ingredients, including avocado oil, maple syrup, tahini (sesame paste), garlic and vinegar. Use it as a delicious dip for crudités, sauce for grilled fish or as a salad dressing.
Table of contents
Why We Love This Recipe For Maple Tahini Dressing
This dressing is similar to my original Tahini Dressing recipe except with maple syrup instead of honey and avocado oil instead of olive oil. It’s one of my go-to salad dressings and my kids love it when I serve it with roasted broccoli.
Recipe Highlights
- Only takes 5 minutes to make
- Vegan, gluten-free and paleo
- It’s versatile. Use it as a dip, dressing or sauce.
Key Ingredients For This Maple Tahini Vinaigrette
- Garlic
- Avocado Oil: I like avocado oil here for its neutral flavor. Alternatively you can use another neutral tasting oil like canola.
- Tahini: Made from ground sesame seeds, tahini is commonly used in Middle Eastern dishes. Find it in well stocked supermarkets.
- White Vinegar: You can swap in white wine vinegar, red wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar instead.
- Maple Syrup: Use pure maple syrup . Opt for dark syrup for a bolder more mapley flavor.
- Kosher Salt & Freshly Ground Black Pepper
How to Make This Tahini Maple Dressing
Puree the garlic, oil, tahini, vinegar, maple syrup, salt and pepper in a mini prep food processor or in a jar with an immersion blender, or whisk the ingredients together by hand in a medium bowl.
Cook’s Tip:
Some separation may occur, but that’s totally normal! If your tahini dressing separates a bit, just give it a good shake before pouring it onto your salad. Also, this dressing will pour more easily if you let it rest on the counter for a few minutes before using it (the oil may seize up in the fridge and sometimes needs time to thaw so it’s easier to serve).
FAQs and Expert Tips
Keep this vegan tahini dressing in the fridge for up to a week in a tightly sealed container.
Tahini is great in desserts like halva, mixed into dressings like the one I’m sharing with you today, incorporated into stir-fries and marinades, or of course blended into hummus. I love this recipe for Beets with Tahini and my Maple Tahini Chicken and Broccoli Stir Fry.
Ways to Serve This Dressing
- Pour it over this delicious Vegan Power Salad with roasted cauliflower and tempeh.
- Drizzle it over quinoa and chopped sautéed veggies to keep things simple.
- Toss it with a salad made with napa cabbage, cucumbers, daikon and toasted sesame seeds.
- Use to dress a chickpea salad with cucumbers, peppers and parsley like this one.
- Drizzle over grilled salmon. Make it a meal with whole-grain couscous and grilled asparagus.
Thanks so much for reading! If you are new here, you may want to sign up for my email newsletter to get a free weekly menu plan and the latest recipes right to your inbox. If you make this recipe, please come back and leave a star rating and review. I would love to hear what you thought!
Happy Cooking! ~Katie
Print
Maple Tahini Dressing
- Total Time: 5 minutes
- Yield: 1 cup plus 1 Tablespoon 1x
Description
This creamy Maple Tahini Dressing is made with just a handful of ingredients, including avocado oil, maple syrup, tahini (sesame paste), garlic and vinegar. Use it as a delicious dip for crudités, sauce for grilled fish or as a salad dressing.
Ingredients
- 1 small clove garlic, peeled and grated
- ½ cup avocado oil or organic canola oil
- ¼ cup tahini (sesame paste)
- 3 tablespoons white vinegar
- 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup, dark or amber
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground pepper or white pepper
Instructions
- Puree garlic, oil, tahini, vinegar, maple syrup, salt and pepper in a mini prep or in a jar with an immersion blender or whisk together by hand in a medium bowl.
Notes
Cooking Tip: Some separation may occur, but that’s totally normal! If your tahini dressing separates a bit, just give it a good shake before pouring it onto your salad. Also, this dressing will pour more easily if you let it rest on the counter for a few minutes before using it (the oil may seize up in the fridge and sometimes needs time to thaw so it’s easier to serve).
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Category: Salad
- Method: Blended
- Cuisine: Middle Eastern
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 Tablespoon
- Calories: 74
- Sugar: 2 g
- Sodium: 58 mg
- Fat: 8 g
- Saturated Fat: 1 g
- Carbohydrates: 2 g
- Fiber: 0 g
- Protein: 0 g
Keywords: tahini dressing, vegan tahini dressing
Katie Webster
Katie Webster studied art and photography at Skidmore College and is a graduate of the New England Culinary Institute. She has been a professional recipe developer since 2001 when she first started working in the test kitchen at EatingWell magazine. Her recipes have been featured in numerous magazines including Shape, Fitness, Parents and several Edible Communities publications among others. Her cookbook, Maple {Quirk Books} was published in 2015. She launched Healthy Seasonal Recipes in 2009. She lives in Vermont with her husband, two teenage daughters and two yellow labs. In her free time, you can find her at the gym, cooking, stacking firewood, making maple syrup, and tending to her overgrown perennial garden.
I really enjoyed this recipe but I had run out of white vinegar so substituted apple cider vinegar. I thought it was good. Once I can get back to market I will be trying it with the white as I’m sure it will be somewhat different. It is going to be one I will return to in the future. Thank you for your inspiration.
★★★★★
Sounds like it came out. Yes, def try again with the white vinegar. It is neutral by comparison.
I was wrong; I cannot rehabilitate this recipe. I think the maple syrup is a terminally wrong direction.
I’m sorry to hear you didn’t like it, Vincent. Perhaps you would prefer my Lemon Tahini Dressing which is not sweet at all. https://www.healthyseasonalrecipes.com/tahini-dressing/
Best maple tahini dressing I’ve ever had, and sooooo fast!
★★★★★
What a wonderful compliment, Bonnie! Thank you.
Absolutely love this dressing! I bought freshly ground Sesame seeds/Tahini so it came out just a tad thicker that I wanted. I just added a little water it was perfect! I used this dressing over a finely chopped bunch of kale, and added bacon, slivered almonds, dried cranberries and shredded parmesan cheese. AMAZING!!!!
★★★★★
I am so glad you found this recipe. Isn’t it the best?!!! It is hands down one of my favorite ever! That salad sounds so good. I will have to try it! Yum!!
Amazing! Finger licking good!
★★★★★
I am so glad you discovered this recipe Marian. It’s one of my favorite recipes ever. I appreciate that you came back to review and rate. Have a great week.
Love these simple dressings that have sooooo much flavor! Perfect addition to an amazing salad.
★★★★★
So glad you love this one too Jennifer. This recipe is one of my all time favorites. I make it regularly. Glad you’ve discovered it.
This dressing is seriously delicious. I was too lazy to whip out an immersion blender of whisk, so I lightly shook the ingredients together in a jar and was happy with the consistency. I especially enjoyed it over a simple salad of romaine, tomato, onion, carrot and avocado. The creaminess really accentuated the crispy romaine.
★★★★★
This looks insanely delicious!!! I hope to try this very soon!! Thanks for sharing!!
I often go to the internet for healthy food ideas, but until just now have never left a comment. I made a no oil maple-tahini dressing for my quinoa bowl and it was so sweet and unappetizing that it was about to be tossed down the drain. Then I came accross your recipe.Although I did not use oil I added the vinegar and the pepper…it made a huge difference. I will certainly make this again and look forward to your other receipes.
Thank you so much for leaving a comment Penny. I really appreciate it that you did. I am so glad you enjoyed the recipe.