This vegan tahini dressing is the sauce you've been waiting for to drizzle over your vegan bowl to make it even more delicious. You can also use it on falafel, salads, or anything else you want a delightfully sweet and tart creamy vegan dressing for; this Buddha bowl dressing will make any plate more delicious.
Buddha bowls are a filling and satisfying vegan meal loaded with protein, healthy grains, fresh and roasted vegetables, and flavorful spices topped with the perfect Buddha bowl dressing.
This Buddha bowl sauce is going to take your favorite vegan meal to the next level. While many fresh vegetables and spices have a standout flavor all on their own, sometimes you encounter the perfect dressing that coaxes out even more flavor and enjoyment from a meal.
This Buddha bowl dressing hits that creamy goodness that marks an ideal salad dressing. And when you build that flavor with rich healthy fats, hints of sweetness, and slight tartness it's going to work well with such a variety of dishes. Plus, it's easy to make, and who doesn't love that?
What's In A Tasty Vegan Tahini Buddha Bowl Sauce?
The secret to this tangy Buddha bowl dressing is the layers of flavor created by lemon, maple, and sesame. When you merge the slightly nutty creaminess of tahini with sour lemon and sweet maple, the magic starts to happen.
To start, you can make your own homemade vegan tahini paste or buy your favorite already made. Add in lemon juice and maple syrup, sesame oil, and some salt and you've got the best Buddha bowl dressing around.
Just mix it up in a blender or use your favorite stick blender to mix it up right in your jar. It emulsifies beautifully and the various tastes combine to be the ideal topping for your favorite vegan bowl, along with another awesome sauce, vegan cashew mayo.
Why This Recipe Works
- This recipe uses easy to find ingredients you probably already have in your pantry.
- This tahini dressing is an easy way to bring up some extra flavor to your food.
- Tahini dressing goes with a wide variety of dishes.
What Goes With Buddha Bowl Dressing?
This maple tahini lemon sauce is great with more than just your ultimate Buddha bowl, too. Once you taste its refreshingly tangy flavor, you'll be looking for more ways to use it.
Fresh Veggies
Consider using it to dip your favorite bell peppers, carrot sticks, celery stalks, or broccoli into. The creamy lemon sauce will pair lovely with any summer vegetables you'd like.
Roasted or Grilled Vegetable Skewers
Savory grilled eggplant, acorn squash or zucchini, baked cauliflower, cabbage steaks, or veggie kabobs...this Buddha bowl sauce will work amazing with any of them.
Grain Salads
Quinoa salads, millet and broccoli, or brown rice and black beans will be enhanced by the bold and creamy flavors of this Buddha bowl dressing.
Appetizers
When you make up some vegan appetizers the next time you have friends over or you want a light, snack-like dinner, be sure to whip up this homemade vegan tahini dressing to go on the side. Imagine serving it with fresh vegan spring rolls or pita chips and veggies. Mmm.
Cook's Tips
- This tahini dressing can be stored in an airtight jar in the fridge for about 7 days.
- Depending on how thick your tahini paste is, you will need different amount of water to adjust the consistency. Start with 1 tablespoon and keep adding water until you like the consistency.
- Use it for my Ultimate Vegan Buddha Bowl for maximum taste.
Recipe Variations
- You can use any other sweetener of your choice instead of maple syrup: agave juice, honey or molasses.
- You can use lime juice in place of lemon juice for this tahini dressing. It'll taste just as good.
- Olive oil can be substituted for sesame oil.
What is your favorite way to use tahini dressing? Leave a comment below! Don't forget to give a star rating to the recipe if you like it!
Make sure to check 82 best tahini recipes for other delicious ways to use tahini.
Here is the recipe video and recipe instructions for this yummy vegan buddha bowl dressing. If you can't see the video, disable your AdBlock by clicking on the AdBlock button and selecting Don’t run on this page.
Creamy Vegan Buddha Bowl Dressing
Ingredients
- ¼ cup tahini paste
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon water + more if needed (up to ⅓ cup)
Instructions
- Add tahini paste, lemon juice, maple syrup, sesame oil and salt in a cup of a food processor or blender and blend until smooth, gradually adding water. Use the sauce for Buddha bowls, salads, falafel and more. Enjoy!
Notes
- This tahini dressing can be stored in an airtight jar in the fridge for about 7 days.
- Depending on how thick your tahini paste is, you will need different amount of water to adjust the consistency. Start with 1 tablespoon and keep adding water until you like the consistency.
- Use it for my Ultimate Vegan Buddha Bowl for maximum taste or dip vegan wraps, vegan German potato pancakes or zucchini corn fritters in it. Use it as a salad dressing, for example for vegan couscous salad or vegan coleslaw.
- Make sure to try my vegan mayo, roasted garlic sauce, vegan bechamel, mojo verde, vegan buffalo sauce, vegan blue cheese dressing, and avocado dressing to mix things up!
- See how to use the dressing in my buddha bowl dressing story.
- You can use any other sweetener of your choice instead of maple syrup: agave juice, honey or molasses.
- You can use lime juice in place of lemon juice for this tahini dressing. It'll taste just as good.
- Olive oil can be substituted for sesame oil.
Mary Zuccaro says
I live on Buddha bowls, so I'm always looking for a new dressing. This one is outstanding. Til now, my go to was a spicy peanut sauce, but this one is lighter and perfect for summer. Thank you!!!
Elena Szeliga says
I'm really happy to hear you enjoyed it, Mary! Thanks for the feedback 🙂
Red Mission says
@Mary Zuccaro, Oh - what's the spicy peanut one? 🙂 I made the https://happykitchen.rocks/vegetarian-pot-pie/ recipe exactly as-is, but in a rectangular baking dish, and it was great!
Elena Szeliga says
@Red Mission, Glad to hear that! You can try this one: https://happykitchen.rocks/vegan-spring-rolls-with-peanut-sauce/
Carolyn Moorman says
Loved this! Perfect for today!
Elena Szeliga says
Great! Thank you, Carolyn!
Gina says
Would I be able to substitute olive oil for the sesame seed oil?
Elena Szeliga says
Yes, absolutely! Enjoy!
kim says
adding a P.S. There are those recipes you "commit to memory" because you will be using over and over. This is one of mine!
kim says
This is a keeper! Tried a couple of other buddha bowl recipe. Always come back to this one. Use it on everything. Easy to make and deeeeeelicious!
Elena Szeliga says
Thanks so much Kim! Happy to hear you enjoyed the recipe 🙂
Sara says
Yummmmmm! So good, thank you!
Elena Szeliga says
Thank you Sara! I'm happy you enjoyed it 🙂
Christine says
Thank you for sharing your recipe. I made it for buddha bowls containing Farro, sweet potato, beets, black beans and massaged kale. One word: yum!
Elena Szeliga says
Thank you for your feedback! So glad you enjoyed the bowl!
Anna says
I really like it but it was just a hint too sweet for me to be perfect. Easily rectifiable next time by adding less sweetener though. 5/7, almost a perfect score!
Elena Szeliga says
@Anna, Thank you for your feedback! You can also add a little more lemon/lime juice to balance the sweetness
Alisa says
Delicious!! and so simple to make. I used date syrup and only 1 TBS. yummmmm. Thanks so much for the recipe!
Elena Szeliga says
Awesome! So glad you enjoyed the dressing 🙂
Emily Gauld says
Delicious! Exactly what I was hoping for.
Though it would be helpful to have the recipe written as 1tbsp water (+more if needed) rather than have it in the notes following the recipe. When making it repeat times, I find I convince myself I don’t “need to read the notes because I’ve made it before” but end up with a runny (but still tasty) sauce. User error really.
Sarah says
Made this tonight for our Buddha bowls. Sooo yummy!! It will definitely be part of our permanent recipe collection. : )
Elena Szeliga says
Thank you for leaving a comment, Sarah! I'm happy you enjoyed the sauce!
Carla says
Most of the buddha bowl dressings I've tried are either too acidic or too sweet. This recipe was absolutely perfect and will be the one I come back to again and again.
Elena Szeliga says
I'm so happy you like the sauce, Carla!
Peter Keil says
This dressing is, SOOOOO GOOD! 10/10
I recently went on a Buddha bowl dressing test spree and this won by a large margin.
I sometimes reduce the maple syrup depending on my sweetness mood but that is personal preference.
My girlfriend and I use this on anything and everything.
Thanks for this delightful recipe!
Elena Szeliga says
This comment has made my day! I'm so happy you and your girlfriend enjoy it so much!
Kelly says
I've been making this sauce ~ twice a month now for at least six months. It's made Buddha Bowls a favorite dinner in our house - much better than pre-made salad dressings I had been trying to use. Now that I've made it so much I'm trying some variations; most recently I added some avocado to the blender and it was exxxtra creamy!
Thanks so much for sharing <3
Elena Szeliga says
Thank you so much for your kind feedback, Kelly! You made my day! 🙂
Suzanne says
This looks so good! Do you use this dressing in any other recipes?
Elena Szeliga says
Hi Suzanne, glad you like the dressing! You can use it in a buddha bowls or pther bowl like this rice bowl with tempeh, as a dip for fresh and roasted veggies, in burgers, salads, and even casseroles. Everywhere where you need a creamy sauce, warm or cold. Hope that helps!
Janet Quintero says
Best tahini sauce recipe ever! Just made it and tried it. Can’t wait to have it with my dinner !
Elena Szeliga says
That makes me so happy! Thank you for your kind feedback, Janet!
cheg says
turned out absolutely amazing loved it
Elena Szeliga says
Glad you enjoyed it, Cheg!
judy says
Loved this dressing. We used it on our rice/veggie bowls with out the water for diluting. Sooo good! Thanks for posting.
Elena Szeliga says
SO glad you enjoyed the sauce, Judy! I love it on bowls like this rice bowls with tempeh.
Vanessa says
Thanks for sharing! Does it keep long?
Elena Szeliga says
7 to 10 days in the fridge. You can also freeze it for up to 3 months!
Suzanne says
This looks so good! What a healthy and versatile dressing to have ready in the fridge to spice up the good food!
Elena Szeliga says
So glad you like it Suzanne! 🙂
Red Steele says
This is really good. I added a pinch of garlic and red pepper for spice. 🙂
Elena Szeliga says
Awesome! Glad you enjoyed it 🙂
Ann says
Lovely recipe, thanks. Do you think this would freeze? I was thinking of making a big batch then popping little pots in the freezer for grab and go with salads.
Elena Szeliga says
Absolutely! That's a great idea! It freezes beautifully. I'm happy you enjoyed the recipe!
Lori Kane says
Is it wrong that I just want to eat it all with a spoon?!? So delicious, and perfect on a Buddha bowl. This is now my go-to sauce! Thanks!!
Elena Szeliga says
Hi Lori, I won't judge you because I did the same 😀 Glad you enjoyed the recipe!
Your mom says
Just enough to be stuck in the bottom of my vitamix :/ Maybe increase the recipe x 5
Elena Szeliga says
Good idea! 🙂
Carla says
@Elena Szeliga, I double mine, but use this attachment on the Vitamix. It works much better: https://www.williams-sonoma.com/products/vitamix-personal-cup-adapter/?catalogId=79&sku=5619577&cm_ven=PLA&cm_cat=Google&cm_pla=Electrics%20%3E%20Blenders&cm_ite=5619577&gclid=Cj0KCQiAkZKNBhDiARIsAPsk0WhhowkfokZ0uZhDqdP-fnVGzuCRtEjSiH-hLvLcXjqjZ1MVZuZMo1YaAn6VEALw_wcB
I do use a rubber spatula to pull any stuck tahini paste off the sides of the cup. Hope this helps!
.
Elena Szeliga says
@Carla, Thanks for the tip!
francalig says
delicious!!! what is the serving size for the nutritional information.?
Elena Szeliga says
Hey, I'm happy you like the dressing! This recipe makes about 2/3 cup (8 serving). The nutritional information is calculated for 1 serving which is roughly 1 1/2 tablespoons. Hope that helps!
Katie says
Should I use refined sesame oil or unrefined?
Elena Szeliga says
Hi Katie, I usually use refined sesame oil for this dressing but unrefined would work perfectly fine as well. Hope you enjoy the recipe!
Katie says
Thanks! I used refined as well as honey and it is delicious! Using it as a dressing on a Christmas super foods salad. When tossed with the beets it turns a beautiful festive pink!
Elena Szeliga says
What a lovely idea! I'm so glad you enjoyed it, Katie 🙂
Gayla says
No Pinterest button? Then I will never use this page.
Elena Szeliga says
Hey Gayla, there is a Pinterest button both on PC and mobile. Hope you can find it
Ctorh says
Good recipe, thank you. But by the time I got to the ingredients I was sick of scrolling. Do I really need to get THAT educated on all the details before I see what the actual recipe is?
Elena Szeliga says
There is a "jump to recipe" button on top that brings you down to the recipe ingredients and instructions.
Sofia says
I just made this! It was delicious however I found it a bit too 'nutty' for how I usually prefer my dressings - i like them lighter. So I have added a tablespoon of miso paste, a tablespoon of water and a teaspoon of nutritional yeast. Yum!
Elena Szeliga says
Hi Sofia, glad you like the dressing and good job tweaking the recipe to your liking!
Erica G says
I just made this & of course tried it immediately and YUM! So good,, so simple & exactly what I needed. Having a women’s fellowship potluck tomorrow & creating a Buddha Bowl Bar & this is the perfect finishing touch. Thank you! Definitely a recipe to keep.
Elena Szeliga says
Hi Erica, thank you for your feedback! I'm so happy you like the recipe, Buddha Bowl Bar sounds like a great idea! Hope the ladies enjoy it tomorrow 😉
Nicole says
Tahini is one of my favorite ingredients, and I’ve been on a Buddha bowl kick lately. So now I can’t wait to try this out. Looks delicious!
Jacqueline Meldrum says
That could be used on so many dishes. What a handy recipe. Sharing this now.
Elena Szeliga says
Glad you like it, Jacqueline!
debi at Life Currents says
Buddha bowls rock, and tahini is always a favorite of mine for dressings. I love how creamy and delicious your dressing looks. I look forward to making it soon.
Elena Szeliga says
Thank you Debi! If you like tahini based dressings, I'm sure you'll enjoy this one!
Anita @ Daily Cooking Quest says
I love everything with sesame seeds, tahini included. I can already tell I will definitely love this dressing. 🙂
Elena Szeliga says
Awesome, Anita! Hope you give this sauce a try!
Sophie says
When I saw creamy, I was expecting peanut butter. But tahini was a nice little surprise. Awesome recipe!
Elena Szeliga says
I love peanut butter dressing, too! But tahini is also good for a change!
Sherri says
Every vegan kitchen needs a "put in on everything" sauce like this! Love how versatile it is and that it can be made in just a matter of minutes! 🙂
Elena Szeliga says
I second this! It is such a universal dressing. Thank you Sherri!
Saima says
I love tahini and this recipe is very attractive because it is vegan. Making a buddha bowl just so that I can drizzle some of this amazing dressing on top! Your pictures absolutely clinched it for me!
Elena Szeliga says
Thank you, Saima! I hope you give this dressing a try! It's worth making, believe me 😉
Claire | The Simple, Sweet Life says
This dressing looks so delicious! You can never have too many sauce recipes, right? Definitely filing this away for later. I bet it would be perfect with some freshly grilled veggies!
Elena Szeliga says
Absolutely! This dressing is perfect for the grilling season! Thank you, Claire!
Analida Braeger says
This sounds amazing, I have never heard of a buddha bowl before this, but now I know I really need one !
Elena Szeliga says
Oh you should really try it then! Thank you, Analida!
Karyl Henry says
I'm always on the lookout for new and easy homemade dressings, and this one definitely fits the bill! I love that you can use for a variety of things, rather than just one recipe. I'm not vegan, but I'm not letting it stop me from making some !
Elena Szeliga says
Thank you Karyl! Yes! Vegan or not, it DOES taste amazing!
Tammy says
I'd drizzle this over everything and dip in it too! I love tahini and this dressing sounds fabulous 😀
Elena Szeliga says
Thank you, Tammy! So glad you like the sauce! I can't get enough of it 😉
Danielle says
Fantastic dressing and a wonderful recipe. I would almost make a lot of it beforehand and have it ready to use any time I need it - it can make so many dishes taste like culinary heaven!
Elena Szeliga says
That's true, this dressing is so universal! Great way to elevate any meal 😉 Thank you, Danielle!
Kylie | Midwest Foodie says
I'm ALWAYS on the hunt for new dressing recipes and this one looks amazing. I love to have a few go-to dressings that I can throw on a bowl of roasted veggies and quinoa for a quick meal during the week.
Elena Szeliga says
Thank you, Kylie! This dressing is perfect for roasted veggies and grain bowls, so I hope you give it a try 😉
Nicoletta De Angelis Nardelli says
I love the dishes you make and this creamy vegan dressing is no exception. I am already envisioning pouring it over a wonderful nutritious bowl of goodness 🙂 . Thank you for sharing!
Elena Szeliga says
Aww thanks so much Nicoletta! Hope you give it a try 😉
Veronika's Kitchen says
I am a big fan of Buddha Bowls and make them at least once a week, using different leftovers from the meal prep. Your dressing will be perfect for and and I will definitely try it out!
Elena Szeliga says
Awesome, Veronika! It's perfect for any kind of grains, proteins and veggies. Let me know how it turned out 😉 Thanks so much!
Aleta says
I've never used tahini paste before, but you have me sold on this dressing! I love the sound of lemon, maple and sesame and would love to smother a buddha bowl with it!
Elena Szeliga says
You will love it, I promise! Thank you Aleta!
Lori | The Kitchen Whisperer says
I am a total sauce junkie and the fact that this has tahini in it just makes me Uber excited!! It looks just so luscious and begs to be on a salad ... for dinner tonight!
Elena Szeliga says
Thank you so much, Lori! I'm glad you like the recipe! Please let me know how it turned out 😉
The Girl Next Door says
Oh, my! This dressing looks so creamy and gorgeous! I'm sure it tastes equally delightful. I'd love to try this out some time - bookmarked the recipe - to go with pan-grilled veggies.
Elena Szeliga says
Great idea! It would go so well with pan-grilled veggies, no doubts!