Rainbow Salad Tahini Dressing (Printable)

A fresh mix of colorful vegetables coated in tangy tahini dressing for a bright, healthy dish.

# What You Need:

→ Vegetables

01 - 1 cup red bell pepper, thinly sliced
02 - 1 cup yellow bell pepper, thinly sliced
03 - 1 cup carrot, julienned
04 - 1 cup purple cabbage, shredded
05 - 1 cup cucumber, sliced
06 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
07 - 1/2 cup sweet corn kernels, cooked or canned, drained
08 - 1/4 cup red onion, thinly sliced
09 - 2 cups mixed salad greens (arugula, spinach, romaine)

→ Tahini Dressing

10 - 1/4 cup tahini
11 - 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
12 - 1 tablespoon maple syrup or honey
13 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
14 - 1 clove garlic, minced
15 - 2 to 3 tablespoons water, to thin dressing
16 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
17 - 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

→ Optional Toppings

18 - 2 tablespoons toasted sunflower seeds
19 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh herbs (parsley, cilantro, or mint)

# Directions:

01 - Prepare all vegetables as specified and combine them in a large salad bowl.
02 - In a small bowl, whisk together tahini, lemon juice, maple syrup or honey, olive oil, minced garlic, salt, and black pepper. Gradually add water until dressing is pourable.
03 - Pour dressing over the vegetables and toss gently to evenly coat.
04 - Sprinkle with toasted sunflower seeds and chopped fresh herbs, if desired.
05 - Serve immediately, or chill for 10 to 15 minutes for enhanced crispness.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The tahini dressing is so creamy you'd swear there's cream in it, but it's just tahini and a splash of lemon juice doing all the heavy lifting.
  • You can prep everything in advance and toss it together right before eating, making it perfect for busy weeknights or meal prep.
  • It's naturally vegan and gluten-free, but your non-vegan friends won't notice or care because it's genuinely delicious.
02 -
  • The dressing thickens slightly as it sits, so if you're making it ahead, add an extra tablespoon of water before tossing—otherwise you might end up with a paste rather than a dressing.
  • Don't add the dressing until right before you serve unless you want a slightly wilted salad, which honestly isn't bad but loses some of that crisp appeal.
  • If your tahini is separated with oil on top, stir it back together before measuring; one jar of broken tahini versus one that's well-mixed can change the whole dressing.
03 -
  • Keep a lemon in the fridge at all times because fresh lemon juice is the difference between a dressing that tastes alive and one that tastes flat and forgettable.
  • If your tahini seems thick or grainy, add lemon juice before the water—the acid helps loosen it more gently than water alone.
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