Beetroot Tahini

This easy beetroot tahini is a striking and hearty vegan salad dressing. Loving its vibrant colours, earthy undertones, and nutty flavours.

Why You’ll Love Beetroot Tahini

This homemade beetroot tahini dressing recipe is positively stunning with those gorgeous vibrant colours. If you’re hoping to impress while you’re entertaining friends and family, these striking purple hues are so visually appealing.

This is also a healthy beetroot salad dressing as it’s filled with nutrients. Beetroot is packed with vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants, while tahini adds healthy fats, protein, and calcium to the mix, making this dressing both flavourful and nutritious.

If you’re after a beetroot tahini dressing without yogurt or a beetroot tahini dressing without oil, this recipe is for you.

And what an explosion of flavours, making it an incredible versatile dressing to add to a ton of different salads and vegetables.

What Is Tahini Sauce Made Of?

Tahini is a paste made from ground sesame seeds. It’s a staple in Middle Eastern and Mediterranean cuisines, often used as a dip on its own or as an ingredient in dishes like hummus, halva, baba ghanoush, and salad dressings. 

Tahini has a rich, nutty flavour and often described as also being slightly bitter. It has a smooth and creamy texture, making it a versatile ingredient in both savoury and sweet dishes. 

It’s also rich in healthy fats, protein, and various vitamins and minerals, making it a nutritious addition to your diet.

There are 2 types of tahini. Hulled or unhulled.

Hulled tahini means that the skin of the sesame seeds has been removed while the latter has not. Hulled sesame seeds are a lot less bitter and smoother so this would be the way to go for a gentler entry into the world of tahini.

We love our tahini based dressing such as tahini maple syrup dressing, tahini miso dressing and vegan tahini ranch dressing.

How To Make Your Own Tahini?

For those who love their tahini, have you ever tried making your own? It’s quite simple.

In a large saucepan or wide skillet, dry toast your hulled sesame seeds until they are golden brown. Add it into your food processor and give it a good whiz.

Then add some oil, preferably one that is flavourless, as you don’t want to drown the flavours of the main ingredient. The amount of oil you add will determine its viscosity. Add a little salt to enhance the taste. Voila! 

What Is Beet Tahini?

Beet Tahini is a delightful and colourful variation of traditional tahini. Beets are either boiled or roasted and blended in with the tahini with some other ingredients to form a fantastic gluten free salad dressing with nutty and earthy flavours.

Ingredients

These are the ingredients you need for beetroot tahini:

• Beetroot: Earthy and sweet root vegetable that is the basis of this dressing. Give it a good blitz to really give you a nice and pureed texture that will allow for spread and dipping.

• Tahini: Beautiful addition of this sesame-based paste makes it a truly diverse dressing. The beetroot gives this tahini a different flavour and something different from the regular tahini-based dressings you may be used to.

• Garlic: This dressing can’t live without some garlic and really adds to the overall flavours.

• Lemon: Juice the lemon to yield 3 tbsp. This will help to balance out the strong flavours of the beetroot and tahini.

Variations and Substitutions

Roast the beetroot: Instead of boiling the beetroot, you can roast them in the oven for a deeper, sweeter flavour. Simply wrap the beetroot in foil and roast at 200°C or 400°F for about 45-60 minutes, or until tender. Let them cool before peeling and using in the recipe.

If you’re roasting beets, no doubt you’re an avid fan. We have some awesome beetroot salads and sides you may also like such as our beetroot and feta salad or roasted baby beets with hummus.

Add some spices: Add a pinch of ground cumin, coriander, or paprika to the beet tahini for an extra layer of warmth to complement the beetroot and tahini.

Add some fresh herbs: Mix in freshly chopped parsley, cilantro, chervil or dill for a fresh twist.

Creamier texture: You can add in some plain or Greek yoghurt for a creamy texture or for a vegan version, a dairy free yoghurt alternative or silken tofu.

Added sweetness: If you prefer your pink tahini dressing to have a sweeter profile, add a drizzle of honey or maple syrup.

Add some heat: Add a pinch of red pepper flakes or a dash of hot sauce to this easy beetroot tahini dressing.

Instructions

Step by step instructions for how to make beetroot tahini:

Bring a small saucepan of water to boil.

Remove the leaves and stem from the beetroot and place into the saucepan. Reduce to a simmer and place the lid on. Simmer for at least 30 minutes until they are tender.

Remove beetroot from the saucepan. Let it cool down a little and then with your fingers, remove the skin, which should slide off easily. If it’s being stubborn, just use a peeler.

Cut beets into small pieces.

Add the beetroot, garlic cloves, tahini, lemon juice, and a pinch of salt and pepper into a food processor.

Blend until pureed. You should get a bright purple tahini dip with a creamy texture.

How to Store

Once blended, store your beetroot tahini dressing in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. The dressing may separate naturally. Simply shake it well before serving to recombine the ingredients.

Best Salad for This Dressing

Baby Cauliflower and Spiced Chickpeas with Beetroot Tahini

What could be more scrumptious than whole roasted baby cauliflower? Combine them with spiced chickpeas and beetroot tahini, and you’ll have a middle eastern inspired salad that won’t disappoint.