This balsamic Dijon tahini dressing is equal parts sweet and tangy—in a wonderful way! If you love a traditional balsamic vinaigrette, then you’ll love this creamy alternative, which has the added bonus of nutrient density from sesame seeds.

This dressing is a marriage of two things that I love and rely on frequently in my cooking: balsamic vinegar and tahini.

While I love a traditional balsamic vinaigrette, this balsamic Dijon tahini dressing offers a slightly different vibe: the same tangy flavor, but with a creamy texture.

I first wrote about this dressing in 2018, but I had been making it for years prior. An earlier version featured similar ingredients, but without the mustard component that adds a zippy, slightly spicy quality.

This version is now a consistent go-to for vegan salads, bowls, and sandwiches. I’ve used it as a dip for baked tofu and veggies, too.

Once you get into the habit of making the dressing, I think you’ll find that it can pair with so many different foods! Let me tell you a little more about it.

The making of balsamic Dijon tahini dressing

This dressing is a hybrid of two favorites: the balsamic tahini dressing that I posted here years ago, and the maple mustard dressing in Power Plates (which you can find in this recipe).

It resembles the former in terms of ingredients—balsamic vinegar and tahini—along with a tangy flavor profile.

Like the latter, this dressing has got a touch of sweetness and some Dijon mustard for zippiness.

It’s sort of the best of both worlds, in other words. I’ve been calling it my “everything dressing” lately for obvious reasons.

Balsamic Dijon tahini dressing ingredients

The balsamic Dijon tahini dressing features many of the same ingredients that make frequent appearances in other salad dressing recipes of mine.

To begin, there’s tahini.

Tahini

Tahini is a ground sesame paste, or seed butter, that begins with sesame seeds.

These seeds can be roasted or unroasted, but in general, I prefer tahini that is made with roasted seeds. It has more depth of flavor and less bitterness than traditional tahini.

Tahini is versatile in that it’s savory, nutty, slightly bitter taste can work in many applications. It’s especially good for creamy dressings, like the balsamic Dijon tahini dressing that I’m sharing now.

Balsamic vinegar

The dressing also features balsamic vinegar. This is a type of vinegar that’s made with fermented, or partially fermented, grape must.

Balsamic vinegar is typically a very deep brown color with reddish tones. A less expensive bottling will have the same consistency as regular vinegar.

There’s also a type of aged balsamic vinegar that hails from the city of Modena in Italy. It’s called Traditional Balsamic Vinegar of Modena, and it has a syrupy consistency that makes it great for drizzling and finishing dishes.

Some brands, both in Italy and in the US, make balsamic “glaze” that’s a mix of balsamic vinegar and some sort of sweetener. This, too, has a syrupy texture, close to maple syrup. It’s acidic, like regular balsamic vinegar, but it’s quite sweet, too.

I use balsamic vinegar as a seasoning in so many of my recipes, from baked balsamic tofu to roasted eggplant cubes with balsamic vinegar to balsamic roasted vegetable pasta to balsamic grilled vegetable burgers.

It’s a wonderfully versatile seasoning.

For this balsamic Dijon tahini recipe, I use either regular balsamic vinegar or Traditional Balsamic Vinegar of Modena.

Dates

To accent the sweet notes in this dressing, I add one large, pitted medjool date before blending.

Dates are a wonderful means of sweetening dishes without cane sugar or syrup. For example, they add sweetness to my date BBQ sauce, salted date caramel sauce, and creamy orange walnut dressing.

Here, they simply augment the sweetness of balsamic and offer a counterpoint to its tangy, acidic flavor.

In place of a large, pitted medjool date, you can use two teaspoons of maple or agave syrup.

Dijon mustard

I’ve always thought that balsamic vinegar and Dijon mustard are a dreamy, sweet/savory/spicy combination.

In fact, that’s what I sometimes missed when I used to make this dressing without the Dijon bit—a tiny hint of heat.

Dijon mustard adds savoriness, acidity, and just the tiniest bit of heat to this recipe. In place of Dijon mustard, you can use yellow mustard.

Other seasonings

There are a few other ingredients that give the balsamic dijon tahini dressing its character: garlic, salt, and pepper.

Simple, right?

If you want to get fancier, you could include herbs, such as oregano or thyme.

Making balsamic dijon tahini dressing

Actually preparing the balsamic dijon tahini dressing couldn’t be easier! Basically, blend and serve.

A regular blender or mini blender will take care of this job for you.

If you trade the pitted medjool date for maple syrup, then you can whisk all of the ingredients together instead.

Meal prep & storage

The balsamic dijon tahini dressing can be prepared ahead of time and stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to five days.

You can also freeze the dressing for up to six weeks. It’s a great potential addition to your vegan meal prep.

More tahini dressing recipes to savor

If you love this dressing and are thinking about other tahini dressings to try, here are some suggestions for you:

• Dijon lemon tahini dressing
• Delightfully green tahini dressing
• Orange tahini dressing
• Turmeric tahini dressing
• Yum sauce

And if tahini dressing is something that you’d like to welcome into your life, and balsamic dressing is your go to, here’s a great hybrid to try.

Hope the balsamic Dijon tahini dressing is as versatile for you as it has been for me!

xo