Tahini Caesar Dressing

Creamy, salty, garlicky, and tangy, you won’t be missing any of your favorite flavors in this tahini Caesar dressing! It’s got all the yum and then some, with a Middle Eastern twist (or two) that gives it that extra something special. It’s great on romaine or kale or whatever you want to Caesar up, not to mention a bit healthier than your store-bought version.

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Caesar salad is such a dependable side dish that when I buy Caesar dressing, it never has the chance to expire. It’s probably on the table two or three times a week, either as a lunch or a side dish for dinner. I was getting kind of bored with it, but I was nervous to switch it up since it’s one thing I know everyone in my family will eat every time. I wish I hadn’t waited, because this tahini Caesar dressing is now the one everybody looks forward to.

Tahini dressing is all the rage right now, and justifiably so. There’s just something about tahini…it’s creamy, nutty, and packed with a respectable amount of nutrients, including healthy fats, phosphorus, manganese, and vitamins B1 and B6. Health-wise, it definitely beats the mayonnaise-based dressings you find at the store. It’s well worth the five minutes it takes to whip up a batch of this dressing each week. 

I developed this tahini Caesar dressing for my kale tahini Caesar salad with harissa roasted chickpeas. I absolutely love it with the spicy, crispy chickpeas in place of the croutons!

All about sumac

Sumac is a spice from the Middle East that is tart and tangy much like citrus. It is related to, but not the same as, the plant most Americans think of as sumac, which is quite poisonous. But the sumac berries from the rhus coriaria, which grows abundantly in the Middle East, are happily not.

Sumac is one of my regular substitutes for citrus, which I’m sensitive to, so I’ve used it a lot over the last decade. I’ve actually come to prefer it in some things, particularly creamy salad dressings like this tahini Caesar dressing. It has the tartness of citrus but it’s got a deeper flavor too, an earthiness that really adds to the richness of a lot of foods.

My favorite sumac, pictured above, is Al’Ard Sumac from Palestine. It was introduced to me during a cooking class called “The Middle Eastern Spice Cabinet,” taught by Nadia Tommalieh at The Pantry in Seattle. It totally redefined my concept of what sumac should look, smell, and taste like. I recommend getting the good stuff…and if you live in the Seattle area, looking up The Pantry and taking a class from Nadia!

Ingredients and substitutions

Tahini: I use Lebanon Valley Tahini or Soom Foods Pure Ground Sesame Tahini.

Garlic: I recommend either using fresh garlic or granulated garlic, not jarred garlic.

Red wine vinegar: If you don’t have sumac, you can substitute lemon juice for the red wine vinegar here. 

Olive oil: Always use the good stuff in salad dressing!

Sumac: My favorite is Al’Ard Sumac from Palestine. Cost Plus World Market also carries an inexpensive imported sumac. If you used lemon juice in place of red wine vinegar, you can omit the sumac.

Worcestershire sauce: Lea & Perrins is the classic. It’s what I use.

Parmesan cheese: I buy big blocks of Parmesan cheese at Costco and grate it myself. You’ll get no judgment from me if you buy it pre-grated, but please nothing out of a green can!

Water: Add enough cool water to make the dressing the right consistency for Caesar salad.

Salt and pepper to taste: I start with ¼ teaspoon salt and a pinch of pepper and adjust to taste.

Tips for the perfect tahini Caesar dressing

Use a stiff whisk to stir the dressing. Depending on the brand of tahini you have, it can be pretty thick and hard to stir. When it has separated, I stir it with a fork before pouring or scooping, but when I’m stirring it together with other ingredients, I use a stiff french whisk. 

Add water slowly. You want your tahini Caesar dressing to be pourable but not soupy, and the difference can be in just one or two tablespoons of water. I might start with two or three tablespoons at once, but as I get close to the consistency I want I add the water only one tablespoon at a time.

Adjust the seasoning carefully. Parmesan cheese and Worstchestershire are both relatively salty ingredients, so I do most of my seasoning after I’ve whisked everything else together…including the water. I always keep fine sea salt around specifically for seasoning salad dressing, since it’s a little less salty than kosher salt. This gives you more control over the saltiness of your final product.

Prep ahead and storage

This dressing can be made up to 3 days in advance if using raw garlic, and 5 days if using granulated garlic. Raw garlic has the tendency to foster the growth of botulism, so discard any dressing with raw garlic after 3 days. 

Store leftover tahini Caesar dressing in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

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5 from 5 votes

Tahini Caesar Dressing

This tahini Caesar dressing comes together in minutes and is great on kale, romaine, or anything else you want to Caesar up.

Cook ModePrevent your screen from going dark

Prep Time5 minutes mins

Cook Time5 minutes mins

Total Time10 minutes mins

Servings: 4

Calories: 342.3kcal

Author: Parsley & Parm

Equipment

• Whisk
• mixing bowl
• Measuring cups and spoons

Ingredients

• ½ cup tahini
• 2-3 cloves garlic crushed (or 1 teaspoon granulated garlic) See notes
• 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar or fresh lemon juice
• 4 tablespoons olive oil
• ½ teaspoon sumac omit if using lemon juice
• 4 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
• ⅓ cup Parmesan cheese grated
• Fine sea salt and pepper to taste I start with ½ teaspoon salt and a generous pinch of pepper
• Water as needed for consistency - I used about 5 tablespoons

Instructions

• Place the tahini, garlic, vinegar, olive oil, sumac, Worcestershire sauce, salt, pepper, and Parmesan in a bowl and whisk until combined. Depending on the consistency of your tahini, it may be very thick.
• Add water by the tablespoon and whisk vigorously until you get a creamy dressing consistency. Taste and adjust seasoning.
• Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days if you used fresh garlic, or up to a week if you use granulated garlic.

Notes

Using a pourable tahini may alter the results of this recipe.

I always use fine sea salt in my salad dressings. It is less salty than kosher salt and allows for more control when I’m seasoning small amounts of food.

Raw garlic has a tendency to produce botulism, so use any dressing made with crushed garlic cloves up within three days. Dressing made with granulated garlic can be kept for 5 days.

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Nutrition*

Calories: 342.3kcal | Carbohydrates: 8.4g | Protein: 8.3g | Fat: 32.1g | Saturated Fat: 5.5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 8.5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 16.9g | Cholesterol: 5.7mg | Sodium: 223.1mg | Potassium: 202.4mg | Fiber: 1.4g | Sugar: 0.7g | Vitamin A: 90.1IU | Vitamin C: 2.5mg | Calcium: 150.7mg | Iron: 1.8mg

*All nutritional values are estimates only. They are calculated by an online resource.