This buddha dressing will make any salad and any buddha bowl insanely delicious!
This oil-free vegan dressing will become a new favorite recipe. You will want to drizzle it on everything from salads to vegan bowls, to sweet potatoes, sauteed greens, and cooked quinoa.

Well, those are some of my favorite ways to use this Buddha Dressing – I expect you will have many others… because this dressing is stellar!
When I hosted polls to find out which dressing from the Salad Bowl chapter of Dreena’s Kind Kitchen you all wanted, it was a close race. The Cilantro Lovers Dressing and Guac Your World Dressing pulled in some votes, but most votes went to this recipe and my oil-free Italian Dressing. Buddha took the win!
I know many of you already love it. The combination of tahini with nooch, apple cider vinegar, a touch of sweetness, and a few other flavor accents give this oil-free dressing wow factor.
This recipe hails from Dreena’s Kind Kitchen, and in the book, I pair it with the Cornucopia Salad (below). It works so beautifully with the kale and sweet potatoes in that dish.
For effortless blending, I use my Blendtec with the twister jar or mini wildside jar. Pick one of these handy jars up, you will love it for dressings, dips, puddings, and more. Use Blendtec discount code: YAY-BLENDTEC for 20% off.
You can watch me demo this salad on WGN-TV from when DKK was launched.

Ultimately, though, this dressing will be enjoyed in many more ways. It will become a go-to, staple dressing in your home – far beyond buddha bowls.
I’d love to hear how YOU most love using this dressing. Share in the comments below.
Want to see the two other recipes that pulled in the most votes? Here are the Awakened Pad Thai and the Potato-Cauliflower Scramble.

Buddha Dressing
Ingredients
- 2-3 tbsp water
- 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
- 1/4 cup nutritional yeast
- 1 1/2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
- 1 tablespoon tamari
- 1 1/2 tablespoons tahini see note
- 1 small clove garlic halved
- 1/2 teaspoon yellow mustard
- 1/4 teaspoon sea salt or to taste (see note)
Instructions
- Starting with 2 tablespoons of water, combine all the ingredients in a blender (or in a deep cup if using an immersion blender) and puree until smooth.
- Taste and add additional seasonings if needed; thin with additional water if desired.
- Serve immediately or store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week.
Laura says
This sounds delicious, but I’m allergic to sesame, so no tahini! Is there a recommended substitute?
Dreena Burton says
Hi Laura, for sure, you could use a raw almond butter or raw cashew butter – if you can use those, that would be my best idea for a sub. You can also try omitting it, but a small amount of whole foods fat goes a long way in the dressing!
Dee says
Is there a substitute for the tahini (not nuts or seeds)? I’d like a no fat dressing, not just a no oil dressing.
Dreena Burton says
Hi Dee, I’d have to test it out, I’m working on some now with Survival Moss powder: https://bit.ly/survivalmoss
You could use a tbsp of powder for thickening, but I haven’t tested it.
You can also try this dressing: https://bit.ly/XrKyLd
Hope that helps!
Taya Wyss says
Absolutely delicious! THANK YOU!