It’s almost March – have the winter doldrums set in yet? It has for me in the frozen nordland. This time of year is when I start craving healthier food like salads with bright dressings, like Lemon Tahini Dressing.
Lemon Tahini Salad Dressing
You’re not going to get any brighter than this simple & fast creamy Lemon Tahini Salad Dressing. It’s like a little ray of sunshine and hope breaking over the dull winter horizon! Bonus that it’s not only oh so tasty, but it’s healthy, too.
About Lemon Tahini Dressing:
Lemon Tahini Salad Dressing is just a little tart and a little unexpected in a way that can only be described as fun. Drizzle it over your sturdy winter greens and drizzle it over your winter salads. But if you want to, one the best places to drizzle this dressing is over my Shaved Brussels & Kale Salad with Chicken Breast.
Any of the heavier cruciferous veggies: kale, cabbage & Brussels sprouts, go so well with the Lemon Tahini Dressing; the lemony flavor is bright enough to work well with them.
It can also brighten up the “healthier” salad add-ins which could have the potential to be a little dull, a little ho-hum, like sweet potato, chickpeas, or any of ancient grains. You’ll have no dull salads with this dressing!
Making Lemon Tahini Dressing:
There’s nothing to the recipe. The ingredients are added to a bowl and whisked together. If you’d like to massage your kale, save a bit of the lemon out of the dressing and spinkle it, along with a little more oil, over the kale. Rub i thoroughly.
This does not make much dressing; since it is so convenient to make dressings in larger amounts to have on hand, you might with to double or triple. Store in the fridge, tightly lidded in a small jar.
About the Miso:
Miso is a fermented paste usually made from soybeans and used primarily in Japanese cooking. It exploded on the scene of general American cooking a few years ago when Miso Soup became popular.
While there are hundreds of varieties, they can usually be broken down into three main categories, white, red, and awase. Generally the darker the miso, the funkier.
This recipe is best made with white, which is the one you will most often find in the grocery. If it isn’t in the store, check any Asian markets nearby or order online. You shouldn’t have any problems finding recipes to make with any remaining miso. Of course, Miso Soup is a great option, but also check out my Miso Glazed Salmon.
Miso Glazed Salmon
Saving Money on Lemon Tahini Dressing:
I always like to leave you with a few (or more) good hints for shopping for your ingredients, especially if they include a couple of potentially pricey ones.
tahini:
Tahini is definitely a specialty item in most American supermarkets and the pricing reflects that! While there are many items whose quality doesn’t seem to have any relation to a “best buy” date, tahini is one item you shouldn’t let languish too long in your cupboard. I’m not saying it’s good one day and not the next but it would be a shame to open a jar and upon giving it the sniff test (you can tell if your tahini is no longer good because it will smell rancid) realize it is past it’s prime.
- Look for Tahini in any Greek, Turkish, or Mediterranean market or the “ethnic” sections of the grocery store. Look for it, too, in any sale bins or carts at your grocery. Specialty items are often found there for a great price.
- My jar ran around $8.00 bucks, so this sauce isn’t dirt cheap to make. I used about a third of it. Don’t let an open jar of tahini languish too long, keep it in the fridge and be prepared to spend a bit of time stirring it back together. I store the jars upside down which keeps it fresher a bit longer.
lemons:
In season in the winter months here – lemons are often on sale throughout the year 2 to 3 for a dollar. Choose the heaviest lemons; they’ll have the most juice. Variations in color are ok, but leave behind any that are browning, dried, shriveled, or mushy. Be wary of bagged lemons: make sure they are all sound. If they are small, they may not be worthwhile because they’ll give so little juice. You may not always have much choice in pricing (although if you use them often pick up extra when they’re on sale) but you do have the choice of making the most of what you have.
- Microwave your lemon for a bit if it’s hard and/or roll it on the counter before you juice it and it will break down easier and give more juice. If you just need a small amount, pierce your lemon with a fork and squeeze it, then remember to use the rest of the lemon – later. I bag it and put it in the door of the fridge where I’ll see it and remember it.
- The rind holds as much or more flavor than the juice, so I often grate it off before using it and store it in a Ziploc in my freezer – the little bit dries up but still holds more flavor than the store-bought. If I’m in a pinch and don’t have a lemon, I’ll use it instead.
- Toss the rinds into a jug of water and put them in the fridge for your own lemony “Spa Water” or toss them in your morning Green Smoothie. They won’t improve the taste of that smoothie any but you can’t beat the vitamins and fiber!
miso paste:
- Look for miso in the Asian area of your store. If not found there, you’re going to be limited to visiting an Asian market, if there is one nearby, or to buying online.
- As far as money-saving hints, it is likely you’ll need to pay whatever price is posted. It’s unlikely you’ll see it on sale at the grocers unless it’s being discontinued.
Lemon Tahini Salald Dressing served with Shaved Brussels & Kale Salad with Chicken Breast
Lemon Tahini Salad Dressing
A creamy, bright and healthy lemon salad dressing.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Total Time: 5 minutes
- Yield: 1/3 cup 1x
- Category: Salad
Ingredients
- 1/2 large lemon, juiced
- 1 tablespoon white miso
- 1 tablespoon tahini
- 2 teaspoons oil
- 1 teaspoons honey
Instructions
Whisk together the lemon juice, miso, tahini, oil & honey.
Notes
No tahini? Use almond butter, instead, in this salad dressing for a different but just as good taste.
If you’re making a kale salad, save out a teaspoon of the lemon juice to “massage” your kale. Sprinkle the lemon juice, an additional tablespoon of oil and a little salt over your kale & rub briskly with clean hands for about a minute.
This dressing is a part of my Chicken Breast Meal Prep Lunches for Two.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 1/2 tablespoons
- Calories: 58
- Sugar: 1.7g
- Sodium: 1.5mg
- Fat: 4.5g
- Saturated Fat: .6g
- Carbohydrates: 4.1g
- Fiber: .4g
- Protein: 1.2g
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I’m sharing this recipe at Fiesta Friday #213 this week. It’s a fun round up of recipes shared by bloggers all over the world. Stop by and take a peek!
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