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Table Of Contents hide
- Why You’ll Love This Tahini Sauce Recipe
- What Is Tahini Sauce?
- How To Make Tahini Sauce
- Tahini Sauce Recipe Variations
- Storage Instructions
- Ways To Use Tahini Sauce
- Recommended Tools
- Tahini Sauce Recipe (5 Minutes!)
If you’re bored with the same old sauces, you need to change it up and learn how to make tahini sauce. It’s delicious, it’s versatile, it takes just 5 minutes, and I think you’re going to want to put this tahini sauce recipe on just about everything! Whether you use it as a salad dressing, scoop it as a dip, or drizzle it over your zucchini noodles, this sauce has become one of my new faves — and soon yours, too. 😉
Why You’ll Love This Tahini Sauce Recipe
- Nutty, tangy, and savory toasted sesame seed flavor
- Smooth, creamy texture
- Simple ingredients
- Naturally low carb, gluten-free, vegan, nut-free, and just plain healthy
- So many ways to use it
- The best tahini sauce in just 5 minutes!
What Is Tahini Sauce?
Tahini sauce is a creamy Mediterranean or Middle Eastern sauce made from ground sesame seeds and common pantry staples. The flavor is somewhat similar to hummus. Tahini paste by itself is like a nut butter in texture, but tahini sauce is thinner and used for drizzling over vegetables, salads, meats, and more.
Ingredients & Substitutions
This section explains how to choose the best ingredients for homemade tahini sauce, what each one does in the recipe, and substitution options. For measurements, see the recipe card below.
- Tahini Paste – Sometimes just labeled tahini for short, this is simply sesame seeds that have been ground to make a seed butter, similar to how almonds are ground to make almond butter. It’s the key ingredient in tahini sauce (and also the key ingredient in hummus).
VARIATION: Make your own tahini!
I usually buy tahini (this is my favorite brand), but you can also make your own from sesame seeds. Simply blend (raw or toasted) sesame seeds in a food processor for about 5 minutes, until a smooth sesame seed butter (tahini) forms. If it’s too thick, you can add a little sesame oil.
- Garlic – Fresh garlic cloves give this sauce the best flavor, but you could use 1 teaspoon jarred garlic instead. 1/4 teaspoon of garlic powder would also work in a pinch, but is less ideal.
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil – You can also try sesame oil, or a neutral oil like avocado oil.
- Water – Thins out the sauce.
- Lemon Juice – Adds a tangy flavor. Fresh lemon juice tastes best, but I sometimes use bottled lemon juice for convenience. You can also use lime juice for a different flavor.
- Spices – A combination of ground cumin, smoked paprika, sea salt, and black pepper.
How To Make Tahini Sauce
This section shows how to make basic tahini sauce, with step-by-step photos and details about the technique, to help you visualize it. For full instructions, including amounts and temperatures, see the recipe card below.
- Blend the ingredients. Combine the tahini, garlic, olive oil, water, lemon juice, and spices in ablender or food processor. Puree until smooth.
- Thin out as needed. Add more water, a tablespoon at a time, until the tahini sauce reaches your desired consistency.
TIP: Adjust the thickness based on how you’ll use it.
Leave it thicker if you plan on using it as a dip, and add water to thin it out if you are going to use it as a dressing or sauce.
Tahini Sauce Recipe Variations
This is a basic lemon garlic tahini sauce recipe, but you can also customize it with different flavors. Try these variations:
- Spicy – For a spicy tahini sauce, add a tablespoon of sriracha or a pinch of crushed red pepper flakes.
- Herby – Make a green tahini sauce by adding 1/2 cup of fresh herbs! Try fresh parsley, cilantro, basil, dill, chives, mint, or a combination.
- Sweet – Add a tablespoon of maple syrup or honey for a hint of sweetness. You can also use zero sugar maple syrup or zero sugar honey for this!
- Yogurt – Stir in 1/2 cup of plain Greek yogurt. Any of the fresh herbs above would also work nicely in tahini yogurt sauce.
Storage Instructions
- Store: Keep in a jar in the fridge for up to 1 week. If it gets too thick, bring to room temperature first, and if it’s still thick, whisk or blend in some water to thin it out again.
- Freeze: Transfer to an airtight container or freezer bag, and freeze for up to 3 months. I love freezing in this silicone tray for perfect portions!
Ways To Use Tahini Sauce
This tahini sauce recipe goes with all kinds of Mediterranean and Middle Eastern dishes, but it also works well on simple, neutral foods. Here are a few ideas:
- Salads – This sauce doubles as a tahini dressing! Swap out the dressing in a Mediterranean chickpea salad, classic Greek salad, Mediterranean quinoa salad, or a simple cucumber tomato salad.
- Raw Veggies – Use it as a dip for cucumbers, cherry tomatoes, carrots, or bell peppers.
- Cooked Veggies – Drizzle it over roasted asparagus (pictured above), sweet and smoky shish*to peppers, tender roasted cauliflower, or my personal favorite, sauteed eggplant recipes.
- Falafel – One of the most popular uses for tahini sauce!
- Bowls – Make a bowl with rice or cauliflower rice, your protein of choice, and veggies, then drizzle the sauce over it. I even like it on burger bowls!
- Noodles – The original reason I made this sauce was to serve over cucumber noodles, but it would be just as delicious on regular pasta if it fits your lifestyle, spaghetti squash, or zoodles.
- Meats – Pair it with lamb kofta kebab, use it instead of tzatziki sauce for gyros (with or without pita bread), or serve over grilled foods (I love it with Mediterranean chicken kabobs).
- Blender – I use this blender daily and it makes this tahini dressing recipe so easy.
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Recipe Card
Tahini Sauce Recipe (5 Minutes!)
Make this tahini sauce recipe in 5 minutes, with simple ingredients: tahini, olive oil, lemon juice, garlic and spices. Amazing on everything!
Prep: 5 minutes
Total: 5 minutes
Author: Maya Krampf from WholesomeYum.com
Servings: 6 (adjust to scale recipe)
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Ingredients
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Instructions
Tap on the times in the instructions below to start a kitchen timer while you cook.
Combine all ingredients for the tahini sauce in a blender. Puree until smooth.
Check the consistency and add more water, a tablespoon at a time, if needed to thin out to a dressing consistency.
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Recipe Notes
Serving size: 2 tablespoons
Makes 3/4 cup.
Nutrition Facts
Amount per serving. Serving size in recipe notes above.
Calories121
Fat12.1g
Protein1.9g
Total Carbs2.8g
Net Carbs2.2g
Fiber0.6g
Sugar0.2g
Nutrition facts are provided as a courtesy. Have questions about calculations or why you got a different result? Please see our nutrition policy.
Course:Condiment
Cuisine:Mediterranean
Keywords:tahini sauce, tahini sauce recipe
Calories: 121 kcal
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Tahini Sauce Recipe
