Easy Cucumber Tomato Tahini Salad
Make this restaurant-style tahini salad at home! It's fresh, creamy, and tossed with a tangy lemon-tahini dressing.
I remember the first time I had this creamy tahini salad at one of the best Lebanese restaurants in Saint Louis, called The Vine. It was crunchy, juicy from the tomatoes, and absolutely soaked in this tangy tahini sauce.
I started noticing how the best of Mediterranean cuisine didn't rely on complexity. It leans on strong, fresh ingredients like lemon, garlic, herbs, and really good tahini. That's the idea behind this salad: fresh, simple flavor you usually only get at your favorite shawarma spot, now made easy at home.
How to Make Tahini Salad
First things first, make the dressing and chop the vegetables.
I like to use a food chopper for the tomatoes, cucumbers, and red onion. It makes prep so fast. Sadly, parsley doesn't get the same treatment (wish it did). You'll want to chop that finely by hand.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the tahini, lemon zest, lemon juice, minced garlic, sumac, dried oregano, olive oil, salt, and pepper until smooth and creamy. Set that aside.
- Chop your tomatoes, cucumbers, and onion into a small dice (the food chopper does wonders here). Add in your freshly chopped parsley.
Tahini Tips
If your tahini is thick or clumpy... we've all been there. But if it's giving you paste instead of pour, just whisk in a tablespoon of water at a time until it loosens up.
Always make sure your tahini is nice and runny before measuring. It makes the dressing come together so much smoother.
P.S. I love the Al Kanater brand, it's pourable, and comes in a squeeze bottle. Game changer.
- Pour that creamy tahini dressing over the veggies and gently toss to coat.
As it sits, the juices from the tomatoes and cucumbers start to mingle with the dressing, turning everything into one ultra-saucy, crave-worthy situation. It only gets better the longer it sits.
How to Serve
If you love tahini (like me), then I highly recommend serving tahini salad with my Tahini Chicken Thighs with a side of Vermicelli Rice. That's the perfect well-rounded meal my family eats regularly.
And if you're planning a cookout picnic? This salad holds up well. The longer it sits, the better it gets.
Make-Ahead Instructions
You can absolutely make this salad ahead. Once tossed together, the salad will stay good for another day or two, but the veggies will start to release more water and soften. I love it even more the next day when the juices have time to mingle and build flavor.
If you make this tahini salad, I hope it earns a spot in your regular rotation.
And if you give it a try, let me know how it turned out! I'd love to hear how you made it yours. ♡
Similar Recipes
PrintTahini Salad
Make this restaurant-style tahini salad at home! It's fresh, creamy, and tossed with a tangy lemon-tahini dressing. Just like what you'd find in a shawarma wrap, but easy enough for weeknights.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Total Time: 15 minutes
- Yield: 4 as a side 1x
- Category: salad, side dish
- Method: chopped/ no-cook
- Cuisine: Mediterranean, Middle-Eastern
- Diet: Vegan
Ingredients
- 1 pound Roma tomatoes, small dice
- 1 pound Persian cucumbers, small dice
- 1 small red onion, small dice
- ½ cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
For the Tahini dressing
- 2 tablespoons tahini
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- ¼ cup fresh lemon juice
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- ½ teaspoon sumac
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- ¼ teaspoon cracked black pepper
Instructions
- In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the tahini, lemon zest, lemon juice, garlic, sumac, oregano, olive oil, salt, and pepper until smooth and creamy. If your tahini is thick or clumpy, stir in a tablespoon of water at a time until it becomes smooth. Set the dressing aside.
- Dice your tomatoes, cucumbers, and red onion into small, even pieces. A food chopper makes this step quick and painless. Chop the parsley finely by hand.
- Add the chopped vegetables and parsley to a large mixing bowl. Pour the tahini dressing over the top and gently toss to coat everything evenly.
- Give it a quick taste. Note that the tahini juices will develop over time.
Nutrition
- Serving Size:
- Calories: 158
- Sugar: 6.1 g
- Sodium: 316.1 mg
- Fat: 11.5 g
- Saturated Fat: 1.7 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 14 g
- Fiber: 3.1 g
- Protein: 3.6 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
