Low FODMAP tahini salad dressing

My mum recently made an Ottolenghi potato recipe that used a tahini dressing. It was so good that it reminded me how much I love tahini. The creamy, sesame flavoured heaven that is tahini feels criminally under represented in my recipes. Today that changes with this easy low FODMAP tahini salad dressing.

This salad dressing is a creamy and delicious, sesame flavoured number. It is vegan, gluten free and only uses a small amount of oil. There is no onion or garlic which means people on a low FODMAP diet can enjoy it’s creamy deliciousness too.

You can use this dressing for salad, but also on anything you’d like to jazz up. I love it on roasted potatoes (thanks Ottolenghi) but it also works on other roasted vegetables. With a little flavour profile tweaking (which we’ll discuss below) it becomes a delicious addition to Asian greens or on noodles.

Is tahini low FODMAP?

Yes, tahini is low FODMAP. Hulled tahini is low FODMAP in serves of up to 183g per person. In larger serves, it contains moderate amounts of GOS. Unhulled tahini is low FODMAP in 102g serves. In larger serves, it contains moderate amounts of GOS.

This dressing uses 75g, which is safely under a low FODMAP threshold using either variety of tahini. As always, assess your own tolerance and see what works for you.

These FODMAP thresholds are current as of August 2026. They will be periodically reviewed to ensure they remain current.

Tips for changing the flavour profile of this low FODMAP tahini salad dressing

Use lime juice in place of lemon, a splash of Tamari and some low FODMAP chilli oil in place of sesame oil for Asian leaning dishes. This could include sauteed Asian greens or a crunchy Asian style slaw. A grating of fresh ginger would also be delicious.

Add some zaatar for a Middle Eastern inspired flavour, or oregano (and honey, if you’re not vegan – 1 tsp honey is a low FODMAP serve) for a Greek inspired dish. I’d drizzle this over my cucumber and tomato salad with the quinoa option.

For a garlic hit, use garlic infused oil instead of sesame oil. You could also experiment with adding some pickled garlic, which now has a low FODMAP threshold of 3g and up to 29g.

Fresh dill and parsley would give this tahini dressing a ranch inspired flavour.

I have also used chopped chives for a garlic hit, and basil (because I had some on hand).

A teaspoon of smoked paprika and some chilli would add a Tex Mex flavour. I used this (plus some liquid smoke and chilli flakes) on the potatoes photographed for this post. Note that Monash gives paprika quite a low threshold these days (FODMAP Friendly is more generous).

To make a kale salad with low FODMAP tahini dressing

1. Use 1/2 – 1 bunch of Tuscan kale that has been de-ribbed, chopped, washed and massaged with oil and salt. I like to use 1/2 bunch kale and 1/2 head lettuce.
2. Add some flavours – I used pomegranate seeds, goat’s cheese, cucumber, parsley and some leftover chives. I also used a savoury granola I’m working on, but a nut like walnut would have been lovely.
3. Add the dressing!

More low FODMAP tahini and sesame recipes

• Vegan tahini cookies
• Dukkah roasted carrots with zucchini hummus and green tahini dressing
• Low FODMAP chilli oil noodles
• Gluten free bagels with low FODMAP everything bagel seasoning
• Peanut butter noodle stir fry (gluten free and vegan)