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This creamy tahini dill dressing is bright, fresh, and so easy to use. It has that nutty tahini richness, fresh lemon, lots of dill, and a little fruity tartness from fresh apple cider that makes the flavor taste more rounded. One spoonful and you’ll want to drizzle it on everything.
I love it as a salad dressing, but it’s also great as a creamy sauce for bowls, roasted vegetables, and simple proteins—or even as a quick veggie dip. It’s dairy-free, no mayo, and easy to thin depending on how you want to use it.
Why this tahini dill dressing tastes balanced
- Fresh apple cider softens the sharpness. It adds fruity tartness without the harsh bite of vinegar.
- Dijon and olive oil help it emulsify. This gives the dressing a creamy, pourable texture.
- A little coconut brown sugar rounds it out. It balances the lemon, mustard, and tahini without making the dressing sweet.
- The texture is easy to adjust. Keep it thicker for dipping or thin it until pourable for salads. I’ll show you the simple visual cues below so the dressing turns creamy and smooth, not watery.
Ingredient Notes
This tahini dill dressing uses simple pantry ingredients, plus fresh dill and lemon for a bright, creamy finish.
- Tahini: Use a smooth, good-quality roasted tahini. I like Mighty Sesame squeezable roasted tahini, Soom, or Seed + Mill. Avoid unroasted tahini, which can taste more grassy and bitter in this dressing.
- Dijon mustard: Adds a gentle tang and helps give the dressing a smoother texture.
- Fresh lemon juice: Fresh lemon gives the dressing a brighter flavor than bottled lemon juice.
- Fresh apple cider (not apple cider vinegar): This adds a fruity tartness that makes the dressing taste rounder and more balanced. If you can’t find fresh apple cider, use unsweetened apple juice.
- Coconut brown sugar: Just a small amount softens the sharp edges from the lemon, mustard, and tahini. The dressing won’t taste sweet.
- Extra virgin olive oil: Adds richness and helps the dressing feel creamy but still pourable.
- Ice-cold water: Used to adjust the texture since every tahini brand has a different thickness.
- Fresh dill: Fresh dill gives this dressing its clean, herby flavor. Semi-dried dill can work in a pinch, but I don’t recommend regular dried dill here because it won’t give the dressing the same fresh flavor.
How to make tahini dill dressing creamy
A good tahini dill dressing should be creamy, smooth, and pourable—not thick, clumpy, or watery. The key is to whisk the base first, stream in the olive oil slowly, then thin it only as needed. This gives you more control, especially since every tahini brand has a different texture.
- Start with well-mixed tahini: Tahini can separate in the jar, with the looser oil near the top and the thicker paste toward the bottom. I like to stir the jar first with a butter knife or sandwich knife to bring everything together. This is also why I like squeezable tahini—it tends to be smoother and more even.
- Whisk the base until smooth: Stir the tahini, Dijon mustard, lemon juice, fresh apple cider, salt, pepper, and coconut brown sugar together first. The mixture may look thick at this point, and that’s normal. If it feels very thick and hard to whisk, add 1 tablespoon of ice-cold water to loosen it slightly before adding the olive oil. The apple cider and a little sugar also help round out the flavor, so the dressing tastes bright and balanced instead of sharp, bitter, or flat.
- Add the olive oil slowly: Stream in the olive oil while whisking. This helps the dressing emulsify and gives it a creamy body. Take your time here—the slow pour helps the dressing come together better.
- Thin only as needed: After the dressing emulsifies, check the texture again. For my batch, I added 3 tablespoons of ice-cold water total to make it pourable but still creamy. Use less water for a thicker dip or bowl sauce, and a little more for a thinner salad dressing.
How to use tahini dill dressing
This creamy tahini dill dressing works as more than a salad dressing. Keep it thicker for dipping or bowl sauce, or thin it slightly so it drizzles easily over salads and roasted vegetables.
- Salads: Toss it with Cucumber chickpea salad or drizzle it over Chopped kale salad. The creamy texture works especially well with crisp vegetables, chickpeas, and sturdy greens.
- Roasted vegetables: Spoon it over Air fried oyster mushrooms or Roasted beets and carrots. The lemon, dill, and apple cider brighten up sweet or savory roasted vegetables.
- Bowls: Use it as a sauce for Green buddha bowls, rice bowls, or grain bowls. It adds creaminess without mayo or dairy.
- Simple proteins: Drizzle it over Air fryer salmon bites for an easy lemon-dill style sauce. It also works well with grilled chicken, shrimp, or other simple proteins when you want something fresh and creamy.
Make ahead and storage
This tahini dill dressing keeps well in the fridge for up to 1 week. Store it in a sealed jar and shake or whisk again before using.
If it thickens after chilling, add a small splash of ice-cold water and whisk until it turns creamy and pourable again.
Tahini dill dressing recipe
Ingredients
- 4 tbsp tahini
- 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
- 3 tbsp lemon juice
- 4-5 tbsp fresh apple cider not apple cider vinegar
- ½ tsp coarse sea salt or more to taste
- a few rounds Freshly ground black pepper
- 1 tsp coconut brown sugar
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1-3 tbsp ice-cold water start with 1 tbsp
- 0.07 oz fresh dill loosely chopped, plus more for garnish (about 2.5 tbsp loosely packed, or ¾ to 1 tsp semi-dried dill)
Instructions
- In a large measuring cup, add the tahini, Dijon mustard, lemon juice, apple cider, salt, pepper, and brown sugar. Stir until smooth.
- If the mixture feels very thick, add 1 tablespoon of ice-cold water to loosen it slightly. If it looks pourable, hold off on adding more water for now.
- Slowly stream in the olive oil with one hand while whisking with the other. The dressing will thicken as it emulsifies. After that, decide if you need more water to thin it.
- For reference, I started with 1 tablespoon of water, then added 2 more tablespoons to make the dressing pourable but still creamy.
- Add the chopped fresh dill and stir to incorporate. Taste and adjust with more salt, if needed.
Notes
- Apple cider substitute: Use unsweetened apple juice. Do not use apple cider vinegar.
- Can I use dried dill? Fresh dill gives the dressing a brighter, cleaner flavor. You can use dried dill, but the flavor will be softer and less distinct. Start with ¾ teaspoon, then add up to 1 teaspoon if needed.
- How much water should I add to thin the dressing? Tahini brands vary in thickness. You might not need much water at all. Start with 1 tablespoon first, whisk in the olive oil, then add more water only if needed.
- Make-ahead and storage: The dressing keeps well in the fridge for up to 1 week. Shake or whisk again before using.
- Try the dressing with my Cucumber chickpea salad!
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
FAQs
No. Use fresh apple cider, not apple cider vinegar. Apple cider vinegar is much sharper and will make the dressing too sour. If you can’t find fresh apple cider, use unsweetened apple juice.
Tahini brands vary in thickness, and the dressing can also thicken after chilling. Whisk in a small splash of ice-cold water until it turns creamy and pourable again.
Use a smooth, good-quality roasted tahini and avoid unroasted tahini, which can taste more grassy and bitter. The fresh apple cider, lemon juice, Dijon, and a little coconut brown sugar also help round out the flavor.
I don’t recommend regular dried dill for this dressing because it won’t give you the same fresh, herby flavor. Fresh dill is best. A semi-dried dill can work in a pinch.
More dressings and sauces
If you love creamy, flavorful dressings, try my Miso ginger dressing or Roasted sesame dressing next. Both are great with salads, bowls, and simple vegetables.
For something brighter and a little more tangy, my Creamy ginger dressing and Thai sweet chili lime dressing are also easy ways to add more flavor to everyday meals.
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