Salad With Tahini Recipe

Wash and dry herbs and vegetables

Rinse the parsley and mint under cold water, shake off excess water and spin or pat dry. Rinse the tomatoes, cucumber, and scallions.

Chop scallions

Trim root ends and any tough dark green tips from the scallions. Thinly slice the white and light-green parts (about 1/8–1/4 inch). Reserve a few dark-green tops for garnish if desired.

Dice tomatoes

Core the tomatoes if needed and cut into roughly 1/2-inch dice. If tomatoes are very juicy, gently scoop out and discard some seeds to prevent watering down the salad.

Dice cucumber

Peel if desired and cut the cucumber lengthwise if large; remove seeds if watery. Dice into roughly 1/2-inch pieces to match the tomatoes.

Chop herbs

Stack the parsley leaves and chop finely (roughly 1/4-inch). Do the same for the mint leaves and then lightly mix together. You want the herbs fairly fine so they distribute through the salad.

Combine salad components

In a large mixing bowl, add the sliced scallions, diced tomatoes, diced cucumber, and chopped parsley and mint. Drizzle 1 tablespoon olive oil over the mixture, squeeze the juice of 1 lemon, and season with 3/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. Toss gently to combine and set aside while you make the dressing so flavors mingle.

Combine tahini and lemon

In a medium bowl, add 1/2 cup tahini and 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice. Stir or whisk; the mixture will thicken and may seize up — that's normal.

Thin dressing to desired consistency

Whisk in warm water, 1 tablespoon at a time (total about 3 tablespoons), until the dressing becomes smooth and pourable but still creamy. Adjust to reach a consistency that will lightly coat salad ingredients.

Season dressing

Add 1 minced garlic clove, 1 tablespoon olive oil, 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin, 1/2 teaspoon maple syrup or honey (optional), 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/8 teaspoon black pepper. Whisk thoroughly, taste, and adjust acidity/salt/sweetness as needed (add more lemon juice, salt, or water as preferred).

Dress the salad

Pour about half to three-quarters of the tahini dressing over the prepared salad in the large bowl. Toss gently until vegetables and herbs are evenly coated. Add more dressing to taste — some prefer a lightly dressed salad, others creamier.

Plate and garnish

Transfer the dressed salad to a serving bowl or plate. Sprinkle toasted sesame seeds and a pinch of sumac if using. Garnish with reserved scallion tops (optional).

Final seasoning

Taste and adjust final seasoning with a small pinch of salt or an extra squeeze of lemon if needed. Serve immediately or let sit 10–15 minutes for flavors to meld. Leftovers keep covered in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours; herbs will soften over time.