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Home » Recipes » Salad » Salad Dressing

Creamy Tahini Caesar Dressing Recipe (vegan)

Gluten FreeGrain FreeNo OilVegan

Published: Apr 14, 2023 · Modified: Jan 29, 2026 by Debra Klein · This post may contain affiliate links · 61 Comments

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I love a good Caesar Salad Dressing, especially when it’s vegan…using capers for the tang, instead of anchovies and tahini as a substitute for mayo. I developed this insanely delish recipe that you can make in just 5 minutes….because a vegan caesar dressing that’s also gluten-free should be incredibly tasty, rich with umami satisfaction and accessible to all, all the time with a few pantry staples.

Creamy caesar dressing being poured over a bed of sliced romaine on a plate with a lemon.

This post has been updated from the original posted October 5, 2019

Use this dressing on a vegan kale caesar salad with chickpea croutons, or drizzle onto some romaine or baby gem lettuce. It’s also great as a dip for veggies, or as a substitute for mayonnaise in all your favorite recipes.

If you love the combination of tahini and capers, you will also adore my tofu piccata recipe

Plate of Salad with chickpea croutons, caesar dressing and lemon

Ingredient Notes

Labeled ingredients: dijon mustard, capers, tahini, garlic, pepper, lemon and nutritional yeast.
  • Tahini: Tahini is made by grinding sesame seeds. Find a brand that has just one ingredient, sesame seeds.
  • CAPERS: Traditional Caesar Salad is made with anchovies. If you don’t like the texture of anchovies or if you’re vegan, capers will give you a briny dressing with no gritty texture. Capers are rich in umami satisfaction…you’ll use the brine and the actual capers. Even if you don’t like capers, you’ll love the end result…..especially if you choose the blended variation.
  • Nutritional yeast: This one ingredient takes this dairy-free Caesar Dressing and makes you think there must be parmesan cheese in it. The nutritional yeast mixes beautifully into the dressing to create the perfect flavor and texture of classic caesar dressing.
  • Mustard: Egg-free caesar dressing gets some color from the dijon mustard. Also, with a no-oil and no mayo dressing, the mustard helps the dressing to emulsify and become thick and creamy without needing the egg yolk.

2 ways to make it

You can make this easy tahini caesar dressing using a small bowl and whisk, or for a smoother, creamier version, use an immersion blender or food processor.

Make it with a whisk

Tahini, mustard, nutritional yeast, capers, red pepper and maple syrup.

Pour tahini into a small bowl. Zest lemon and garlic over bowl with tahini. Juice the lemon right over the bowl, then add the caper juice and water. Whisk. Whisk some more and keep at it until the dressing has emulsified.

Capers chopped, garlic and lemon zested for a whisked bowl of dressing.

Chop 2 tablespoons capers until they resemble a paste. MAsh in some of the nutritional yeast into the paste and then dumo that into the tahini mixture.

Ingredients for dressing: capers, lemon, garlic, crushed red pepper.

Whisk in the dijon mustard, maple syrup, freshly ground black pepper and some crushed red pepper to taste.

Caesar Dressing with whole capers mixed in.

Taste for seasoning, adding a bit more caper brine or lemon juice for more tang. I like to add a few whole capers too.

Make it with an immersion blender

Capers, nutritional yeast, lemon zest, garlic, tahini and mustard in a jar.

Gather tahini, mustard, capers, caper juice, water, nutritional yeast and freshly ground black pepper in a tall container. Use a microplane to zest the lemon and garlic over the container.Juice the lemon directly into the jar.

Blending creamy vegan caesar dressing with an immersion blender.

Blend until creamy. If too thick, add water 1 Tablespoon at a time until desired consistency is achieved. Taste for seasoning. Add another splash of caper juice, some crushed red pepper or additional nutritional yeast to taste.

Debra’s Pro Tips

Bowl of caesar dressing with capers.
  • Short on time? Skip chopping the capers and mix them in whole.
  • If your dressing thickens up in the fridge, whisk in 1-2 Tablespoons water….or pour it into your jar and shake vigorously.
  • Store your tahini upside down in the pantry before opening and mix THOROUGHLY into a drippy consistency before first use.
  • Store tahini at room temperature for best results.
  • Sometimes tahini will seize up when mixed with liquid…that’s OK. Just keep mixing. As more liquid is added and the dressing emulsifies it won’t be so pasty.

Did you know commenting and rating recipes is one of the best ways to support your favorite food bloggers? If you made this recipe, please consider a five star rating below and leave a comment. Also, please share your photos on instagram by tagging me @dkhealthcoach and using the hashtag #debraklein

📖 Recipe

Small jar of creamy caesar dressing with a wooden spoon showing it's thickness.

Creamy Tahini Caesar Dressing Recipe

Author: Debra Klein
Oil-free Creamy Tahini Caesar Dressing with tons of flavor, rich umami satisfaction, dairy-free and ready in just 5 minutes.
4.96 from 88 votes
Rate this Recipe
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Prep Time 5 minutes mins
Total Time 5 minutes mins
Course Condiment
Cuisine American
Servings 1 cup dressing
Calories 44 kcal

Equipment

  • Mini whisks
  • Immersion blender
  • Wide-Mouth Glass Mason Jars

Ingredients
  

  • 2-3 teaspoons capers
  • ⅓ cup tahini
  • 1 lemon zested and juiced
  • 2 cloves garlic zested
  • 1 Tablespoon dijon mustard
  • 2 Tablespoons nutritional yeast
  • ¼ cup water
  • 3 teaspoons caper brining juice
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper
  • crushed red pepper to taste
  • Optional: 1 teaspoon maple syrup

Instructions
 

Immersion Blender Directions

  • Place all ingredients into tall cup or container wide enough to fit immersion blender.
  • Blend until smooth and creamy. Taste for seasoning. Add more nutritional yeast or caper juice, a splash of maple syrup or some crushed red pepper.

Whisk by hand method

  • Pour tahini into a small bowl. Zest lemon and garlic into bowl. Squeeze juice from lemon and add caper juice. Whisk. Add water slowly and keep whisking until dressing begins to emulsify.
  • Chop 2 teaspoons capers until they resemble a paste, add to dressing along with mustard, nutritional yeast and black pepper.
  • Taste for seasoning. Add a splash of maple syrup and some red pepper flakes, if desired. Whisk well. For a more briny dressing, add in a few whole capers. If too thick, add another tablespoon or two of water.

Video

Notes

*When you open a new jar of tahini, it’s super important to mix it WELL, until it’s uniform in texture. Otherwise, the recipes you use it for could be a little too runny or a little too dry.
** Roll lemon on countertop pressing down firmly to release the juices before zesting.

How to Store

  • Store in an airtight container in the fridge for 2 weeks.
  • I like to use a mason jar with wide mouth so the immersion blender fits right in and I can store it in the same jar in the fridge.
  • Freeze: use freezer safe containers, it will last 3 months. Thaw in the fridge or at room temperature. Whisk well before using.
 
 

Nutrition

Serving: 1TablespoonCalories: 44kcalCarbohydrates: 4gProtein: 1gFat: 3gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gSodium: 62mgFiber: 1gSugar: 2g
Note

The nutrition calculations were done using online tools. To obtain the most accurate representation of the nutritional information in any given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients you used. You are ultimately responsible for ensuring that any nutritional information is accurate, complete and useful.

Did you make this recipe? Please leave a review below, then snap a picture and tag me @dkhealthcoach or use hashtag #dkhealtcoach on Instagram so I can see it!!

Categories

Gluten FreeGrain FreeNo OilSalad DressingVeganTahini

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Reader Interactions

Comments

    4.96 from 88 votes (77 ratings without comment)

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    Recipe Rating




  1. Lisa

    August 17, 2025 at 7:04 pm

    5 stars
    Easy and delicious! Thank you.

    Reply
    • Debra Klein

      August 19, 2025 at 2:18 pm

      You’re welcome. We love this vegan caesar, it’s on weekly rotation over here.

      Reply
  2. Cyn

    May 09, 2024 at 9:11 am

    5 stars
    This dressing is the reason I eat salad every night! I use my smoothie maker to blend it. I also add a bit of soy milk to loosen it up and add extra creaminess. It is absolutely delicious on top of salmon!

    Reply
    • Debra Klein

      May 09, 2024 at 2:04 pm

      Fabulous….totally agree, this easy dressing recipe is a tasty reason to eat more greens.

      Reply
  3. Erinn

    February 09, 2021 at 2:08 pm

    Best dressing I have EVER made! Can be used on many things!! Thank you for all your wonderful recipes!

    Reply
    • Debra Klein

      February 09, 2021 at 10:17 pm

      Thank you…and, you’re welcome.

      Reply
  4. Tara Moffatt

    July 29, 2020 at 10:19 pm

    5 stars
    Ive been looking for a recipe that taste good for 5 years. Thank you so much i have just fallen in love with Cesar salad again. ❤

    Reply
  5. Natalie

    July 10, 2020 at 10:38 am

    Fantastic! I can’t wait to give this a try. I was looking for vegan caesar dressing. This is just perfect recipe, easy and looks delicious.

    Reply
  6. nicole

    July 09, 2020 at 4:52 pm

    love this recipe. so perfect!

    Reply
  7. Amy

    July 08, 2020 at 7:06 pm

    Fantastic vegan option for a dressing that I absolutely love! Great idea to substitute the anchovies with capers to give it the saltiness that it needs. I’m also a sucker for tahini so I’d have this on absolutely everything!

    Reply
    • Debra Klein

      July 08, 2020 at 10:26 pm

      Yes! Exactly what I was thinking.

      Reply
  8. Estelle Forrest

    July 07, 2020 at 11:43 pm

    I am going to try this on my caesar burger recipe….I know burgers arent vegan but I love tahini and want to try this out!

    Reply
    • Debra Klein

      July 08, 2020 at 10:27 pm

      Sounds like a great combo!

      Reply
  9. Sara Rodriguez

    June 07, 2020 at 10:19 am

    5 stars
    Love this Vegan Caesar dressing! Looks so creamy and easy to make.

    Reply
  10. Jen Talley

    June 06, 2020 at 4:16 pm

    This Caesar sounds delicious! I never buy anchovies so this vegan version will work perfectly for me! Thanks!

    Reply
« Older Comments

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Hi, I’m Debra, Holistic Health Coach and Culinary Instructor inspiring healthy choices with seasonal plant-based recipes. I'm also passionate about transforming Traditional Jewish Foods into dishes that are nutritious, delicious, beautiful and satisfying. Let's get into the kitchen and have some fun.

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