Cilantro Lime Tahini Dressing (Quick 5-min Vegan Recipe)

This delicious cilantro lime tahini dressing is such a breeze to make and can be whipped up within 5 minutes. It combines nutty tahini with tangy lime, garlic and fresh herbs. Such a simple sauce that delivers a huge amount of flavor, perfect for bowls, salads, to use as a dipping sauce and more. Naturally vegan, gluten-free and dairy-free.

If you love making grain bowls, then you must try this ultra-simple cilantro lime tahini dressing. 

It is so creamy and thick, perfect for drizzling over Buddha bowls, but also veggies, salads, tacos and much more. It is very versatile: you can just make a batch ahead and you will find tons of ways to serve it in the next few days. It even makes for a delicious dipping sauce that's packed with nutrients!

We especially love the perfectly balanced flavors from this amazing sauce: the nutty and earthy tahini flavor is brightened by the zesty lime juice, garlic and the generous handful of fresh cilantro. Then, add just a little salt and a splash of water to get it to the right texture. That's it!

This sauce is super addictive and I think the secret is in the creamy tahini. I have a few tahini-based sauces on the blog, with one of our favorites being this lemon herb tahini sauce, this couscous salad with tahini pesto and this popular creamy balsamic tahini dressing. Tahini is naturally already creamy, making it easy to whip up silky sauces and dressings without adding more oils. 

Plus, tahini is packed with healthy omega-3 fats! Combined with the nice boost in vitamin C from the lime juice and the fact that this is a no-added-sugar dressing recipe, it makes for a healthy and nourishing sauce you can feel good about.

Hope you give it a try! ❤️

What is tahini?

Tahini is made of ground sesame seeds that are turned into a butter or paste consistency. It is also called sesame seed paste.

It has a strong nutty flavor and is rich in healthy fats (omega-3 fatty acids). 

You can find tahini in pretty much any grocery store usually close to the peanut butter. You can also find tahini easily online.

It is worth nothing that different brands of tahini will have different consistency. Some might look like solid peanut butter while other tahini are thinner and even pourable. All kinds of tahini can be used for this recipe, you might just have to adjust the amount of water you need to add for the desired consistency.

Why you will love this recipe

• Super simple, quick and easy
• Essentially made using 4 simple ingredients, plus some water and salt
• Endless ways you can serve this recipe
• Packed with amazing bright and earthy flavors
• Ultra creamy texture, thanks to the tahini paste
• Healthy oil-free dressing made without added sugar
• Naturally plant-based (vegan), dairy-free and gluten-free

What you will need to make it

(more details down below in the recipe card)

• Tahini: I used the tahini from the brand 365 that I get at Whole Foods. 
• Lime: You will need 1-2 limes for this recipe, depending on how big they are and how zesty you want your dressing to be. Fresh lime juice is essential for the best flavor (not bottled juice). Can also swap for lemon juice.
• Cilantro: adds so much flavor and pairs well with the lime. If you don't like cilantro, then add some basil or mint to get that boost of freshness.
• Fresh garlic: I added 1 clove of garlic, but you could add more if you like a stronger garlicky flavor.
• Water: the sauce will be too thick at first, but then you can add as much water as you need to make it to the right texture.
• Salt.

How to make an easy tahini lime dressing

(the whole recipe is down below in the recipe card)

Prep the garlic

I like to start by processing the garlic alone in the food processor. That way, I make sure that there are no large chunks of garlic in the sauce. Just pulse the clove of garlic a few times until it mostly crushed.

You can also crush the garlic before adding it to the food processor.

Process

Then, add the cilantro, tahini paste, lime juice (start with the juice of 1 whole lime), a generous pinch of salt and a little water (you can start with about ¼ cup). Process until the herbs are broken down. The dressing will be too thick at this point.

Adjust consistency

Use a spatula to scrape the side and bottom of the food processor, then add more water and process again until you reach the desired consistency.

Also, make sure to taste: you might want to add more lime juice and salt. 

You can enjoy the tahini lime sauce right away or store it in the fridge for later.

Helpful tips

• Tahini is very sticky when processed, so you will have to take a few breaks to dislodge the sticky paste from the corners and sides and make sure it is all well incorporated. 
• Adjust the texture of the sauce depending on how you want to serve it: aim for a thick texture if using it as a dipping sauce and add a little bit more water to create a thinner consistency if looking for a pourable sauce to serve over grain bowls and salads.

Serving suggestions

This is an incredibly versatile sauce you can prepare to accompany so many meals. Here are a few of our favorite ways to serve it:

• Salads: works well with crunchy romaine and raw veggies, such as shredded carrots and cucumber. You can also use this dressing for quinoa salad, pasta salad, kale salad or a simple green salad.
• Bowls: this is the perfect Buddha bowl sauce recipe! Try pairing it with this Greek tofu Buddha bowl or this Mediterranean chickpea quinoa bowl.
• Dipping sauce: great to dip in French fries, falafel, or simply raw veggie sticks.
• Sandwich: try it over this falafel gyro sandwich or swap the mayo for this sauce in burgers and sandwiches for a healthier (and more flavorful) meal. You can keep the sauce a little thicker in that case.
• Tacos: drizzle the sauce over your favorite tacos (especially these mushroom and sweet potato tacos!) for a nice boost in flavor and nutrients. The cilantro and lime sauce would pair well with other Mexican-style ingredients.

Variations

This sauce is delicious and full of flavor, but also basic enough so you can tweak it as you wish. There is plenty of room for a new flavor profile! Here are a few variation ideas:

• Spices: feel free to add a dash or 2 of chili powder, smoked paprika, cumin powder, garlic or onion powder or even some turmeric.
• Herbs: as mentioned above, you can swap the cilantro for parsley, dill or mint if you prefer, or do a mix and match of different herbs. Dried herbs would also add more flavor.
• Spicy: if you would like to add some heat, then add some cayenne pepper, red pepper flakes or chipotle powder.
• Flavor boost: you can also experiment and add some Dijon mustard, soy sauce, nutritional yeast, balsamic vinegar and maple syrup (if you like your dressings a little sweet).

Storage tips

This dressing recipe is amazing for meal prep! You can make it ahead, transfer it to an airtight container (a Mason jar is great for that) and keep it in the fridge for up to 5 days.

Tahini firms up significantly once chilled, so try to take it out an hour before you need it so it has some time to get back to room temperature and be to the right consistency. In a pinch, just add an extra splash of water and stir before serving.

More vegan creamy dressing recipes to try

• Avocado green goddess dressing
• Vegan avocado lime sauce
• Vegan chipotle mayo
• Vegan buffalo sauce
• Sunshine dressing
• Vegan tzatziki sauce
• Cajun salad dressing
• Vegan honey mustard dressing

I hope you like this cilantro lime tahini dressing as much as we do! If you try it, please leave a comment below and rate the recipe to let me know how it was. Your feedback is so helpful!

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