This vegan tahini caesar dressing is bursting with flavor yet it's vegan, oil-free, dairy-free, and gluten-free. It's quick and easy to make in just 5 minutes with no special equipment.
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❤️ Why make this recipe
I love classic vegan Caesar dressing, but this tahini dressing is my go-to dressing when I want a healthier oil-free option. This dressing is rich and creamy yet doesn't contain processed oil. The nutritional yeast in the dressing gives it that classic cheesy flavor of authentic Caesar plus added nutrition.
🧾 Ingredients and substitutions
- Tahini - This is a paste made from ground sesame seeds.
- Lemon Juice - You can use fresh squeezed lemon juice or jarred.
- Bragg's Liquid Amnios - this gives it an umami flavor and saltiness. You can swap this out for Tamari, coconut amnios, or soy sauce. Note - Soy sauce is not gluten-free.
- Nutritional Yeast - for a cheesy flavor and added nutrition.
- Garlic - fresh minced garlic gives the most flavor, but you can swap this out for 1/4 teaspoon of garlic powder.
- Water - to achieve the desired consistency.
🔪 Helpful tools
You will just need a bowl and a spoon to make this dressing. No blender or special equipment is needed!
🥄 How to make Caesar dressing from Tahini
A full printable version of this recipe with ingredient measurements is available at the bottom of this post.
Step 1 - Add tahini, lemon juice, Bragg's Liquid Aminos, apple cider vinegar, nutritional yeast, and minced garlic to a bowl.
Step 2 - Stir well. It will become a thick paste that is much thicker than the tahini alone.
Step 3 - Slowly stir in water until your desired consistency is reached. This will be about 1/3 - 1/2 cups of water.
🥗 How to serve tahini dressing
Pour your tahini dressing over freshly chopped romaine lettuce. Add chopped cucumbers, sauteed chickpeas, and a sprinkle of vegan parmesan. You can also add carrots, cherry tomatoes, croutons, and/or olives if desired.
Add more protein to your Caesar salad by tossing in some sliced vegan chicken breasts or sliced vegan chicken patties.
This oil-free dressing also makes a healthy vegan chicken wrap for lunch or an easy dinner!
👩🏻🍳 Pro Tips
- Stir in the water slowly until the desired consistency is reached.
- Add 1/4 teaspoon of kelp flakes if desired for the classic anchovy flavor in classic Caesar.
🥡 How to store tahini dressing
Refrigerate: This tahini Caesar will keep well in the fridge for up to 2 weeks in an airtight container. You can also freeze it for up to 3 months in a sealed container.
Tahini dressing is just one of the many things that you can make with tahini. I also love to use it to make tahini pasta sauce or spicy tahini sauce. I even use it to flavor vegan cheeses like vegan Swiss and vegan goat cheese.
Top your salads with these delicious gluten-free chickpea croutons for some healthy vegan protein!
🌟 More vegan salad dressings
📌 Be sure to follow me on Pinterest for new vegan recipes!
📋 Tahini Caesar recipe
Tahini Caesar Dressing
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup tahini
- 1/4 cup nutritional yeast
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons Bragg's Liquid Aminios
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 2 cloves garlic pressed or minced very fine (or 1/4 tsp garlic powder)
- 1/3 cup water (plus a little extra until the desired consistency is reached.)
Instructions
- Add tahini, lemon juice, Bragg's Liquid Aminos, apple cider vinegar, nutritional yeast, and minced garlic to a bowl.
- Stir well. It will become a thick paste that is much thicker than the tahini alone.
- Slowly stir in water until your desired consistency is reached. This will be about 1/3 - 1/2 cup of water.
- Pour your tahini dressing over freshly chopped romaine lettuce. Add chopped cucumbers, sauteed chickpeas, and vegan parmesan.
Notes
- Stir in the water slowly until the desired consistency is reached.
- Add 1/4 teaspoon of kelp flakes if desired for the classic anchovy flavor in classic Caesar.
Nutrition
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Click the stars above or leave a comment! I'd love to hear from you!
Sorry to burst your bubble, but.... sesame seeds contain oils naturally. You can google it!
Here is some information I found to be more specific:
Nutrients per Serving
A quarter-cup serving of dried sesame seeds contains: Calories: 206. Protein: 6 grams. Fat: 18 grams.
and even more specific:
Nuts and seeds are rich in phytosterols, a family of molecules similar to cholesterol. When phytosterols are present, they lower total cholesterol, reduce bad cholesterol, enhance immunity, and support cardiovascular health. Sesame contains about 41% polyunsaturated fat, 39% monounsaturated fat, and 15% saturated fat.
That does not make them a bad thing! Our nerves and brain and other body parts need good plant fats to be healthy! So it's all good! I love sesame seeds!
So, you might want to say "no added oils"!
Thanks for the recipe! I'll try it this week!
All nuts and seeds have oil. No googling necessary. The recipe is perfectly presented. Oil-free means no EVOO or any other oil that comes in a container that was packaged in a factory. All bubbles are intact.
I did not say that this recipe was fat-free. It has no added processed oil like most salad dressings.
Hello Monica,
I don't see a nutritional yeast measure in your recipe above. Did it get left out, or do we just "add to taste?" Or maybe I just missed it?
Thanks for letting me know. It has been fixed, just hit refresh.