Add some Middle Eastern flair with a tahini and cilantro salad dressing. Bonus points because it’s super easy to whip up. Our Salad Dressing topic is brought to you by Stonyfield Organic.
Let’s face it, most of us eat salad to get the dressing, right? But that leaves the question of what kind of dressing you want. Are you a light oil and vinegar lover or are creamy dressings more your style? If thick and creamy is your thing, you should try making your salad dressings with a tahini base.
Tahini, Greek yogurt, and fresh cilantro come together beautifully for this easy creamy dressing. Read more about the ingredients or click here to head straight to the recipe.
What Is Tahini?
Tahini is a Middle Eastern sauce made from sesame paste (think nut butters) that can be found in the international section of most grocery stores. Sometimes you can buy it already prepared, but making your own is easy and allows for much more customization.
A classic tahini sauce is made with equal parts sesame paste and water, with the addition of garlic, lemon juice, and salt to taste. But adding Greek-style yogurt gives it a wonderful creamy texture and it pairs well with a large variety of spices and herbs.
Making Tahini Dressing
Cilantro is also popular in Middle Eastern cuisine, so it goes well with tahini. And I love the fresh, herby taste and smell it adds to fresh vegetables.
To make this homemade dressing, use a food processor to combine the Greek yogurt and tahini, along with some water, lemon juice, and a clove of garlic. Puree it until smooth and then add fresh cilantro and pulse. Give it a taste and add salt and pepper to your liking.
Serve this on your favorite salad and add some grilled chicken to make it more of a hearty lunch. You could also use it as a dip for falafel.
Store any extra in the fridge, but be warned that it’ll thicken up and you’ll likely need to add more water or lemon juice to thin it out again. Enjoy!
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Cilantro Tahini Dressing Recipe
Add some Middle Eastern flair with a tahini and cilantro salad dressing. Bonus points because it’s super easy to whip up.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Total Time: 5 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Sauce
- Method: Blended
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
- ¼ cup plain Greek yogurt
- ¼ cup sesame paste
- ¼ cup water
- 2 Tbsp. lemon juice
- 1 clove garlic, peeled and chopped
- 2 Tbsp. chopped fresh cilantro
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Add the Greek yogurt, sesame paste, water, lemon juice, and garlic to a small food processor and puree until smooth.
- Add the cilantro and pulse a few times to combine.
- Season with salt and pepper to taste.
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Notes
The dressing will thicken up in the refrigerator so just thin it out with a little water or lemon juice.
This post originally appeared in April 2016 and was revised and republished in February 2023.
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