The BEST Tahini Sauce Recipe | Downshiftology (2024)

Home Recipes Courses Sauces, Dressings and Seasonings Tahini Sauce

by Lisa Bryan

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Updated Feb 04, 2024

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This authentic tahini sauce is the best I’ve tasted (after many travels to the Middle East) and it’s easy to make with only a handful of ingredients. Just whisk together tahini, water, lemon juice, garlic, salt and cumin and drizzle it on falafels, kabobs and roasted vegetables.

The Best Tahini Sauce Recipe

The best tahini sauce is creamy, tangy, garlicky, nutty and easy to make. While you can easily make variations on this sauce (which I’ll explain below) you can’t beat this classic, every day version.

I’ve enjoyed tahini sauce paired with a variety of foods while traveling Egypt, Israel and Jordan. It’s a staple item served at virtually every main meal in the Middle East and often accompanies falafel, hummus, baba ganoush, tabbouleh, lentil salads, roasted vegetables and more. When you’re dining mezze-style, you drizzle it, dip it and enjoy it on a variety of foods!

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How to Make Tahini Sauce

The main ingredient in tahini sauce is tahini, which made from ground sesame seeds (and tahini itself has an interesting history). Here’s how you make the sauce at home:

  • Start with the freshest ingredients,including a high-quality tahini (you’ve seen my homemade tahini recipe, right?), freshly squeezed lemons (no bottled lemon juice) and minced garlic (no garlic powder). With only a handful of ingredients, you’ll get the most powerful and robust flavor from fresh ingredients.
  • Whisk the tahini sauce ingredients together, until it’s creamy and smooth. When you first start whisking you’ll noticed some separation, due to the water. Don’t worry, just keep whisking. After another minute or so, it’ll come back together for an ultra-creamy sauce.
  • Taste it and make any variations based on your personal flavor preferences. Want it tangier? Add more lemon. Want it spicier? Add some cayenne powder. Want it green? Add some herbs.
  • Use it immediately or store for up to two weeks in the fridge. This recipe makes a little more than one cup of sauce, so you should have plenty to enjoy!
The BEST Tahini Sauce Recipe | Downshiftology (3)
The BEST Tahini Sauce Recipe | Downshiftology (4)

Tahini Sauce Variations

Roasted Red Pepper Tahini Sauce: This version is smoky and nutty with a simple blend of tahini, roasted red peppers, lemon juice, and garlic.

Green Tahini Sauce: Add your favorite green herbs, such as parsley, cilantro, dill or mint, along with the tahini sauce to a food processor and pulse until smooth.

Spicy Tahini Sauce: Whisk in some cayenne powder, chili powder, za’atar spice or a little more cumin. You could also blend the tahini sauce in a food processor with a jalapeno or serrano pepper for that spicy kick.

Garlic Tahini Sauce: If you’re a garlic lover, you could always add another clove or two of minced garlic. For or a sweeter, milder garlic flavor you could roast a whole head of garlic and then add that to a food processor with the tahini sauce and blend until creamy.

Tahini Dressing: I’ve shown you how to make this lemon tahini dressing or maple mustard tahini dressing before, and it’s simply a thinner version of this classic recipe. The thinner consistency makes it perfect to drizzle on all your favorite salads.

After you’ve made a batch of this sauce, make sure to store it properly. Keep it in the fridge in a sealed container. It’ll last for up to 2 weeks!

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The BEST Tahini Sauce Recipe (How to Make Tahini Sauce)

4.97 from 32 votes

Prep: 5 minutes mins

Total: 5 minutes mins

Servings: 8 servings

Author: Lisa Bryan

Description

Tahini sauce is made from tahini, water, lemon juice, garlic, salt, and cumin. Just whisk it together and drizzle it on your favorite Middle Eastern recipes. Watch how easy it is to make in the video below!

Video

Ingredients

  • ½ cup tahini
  • ¼ cup water, or more for a thinner consistency
  • ¼ cup lemon juice, from about 2 freshly squeezed lemons
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • ½ tsp sea salt
  • ¼ tsp cumin

Instructions

  • Whisk together. Add the tahini, water, lemon juice, garlic, salt, and cumin to a mixing bowl. Then whisk together until it's creamy. It may look a bit separated at first, but keep whisking until it's creamy. Alternatively, you could add all of the ingredients to a food processor and blend together.

  • Taste it. Taste the tahini sauce and adjust any flavors as desired to your liking, before serving.

Lisa’s Tips

  • If you use store-bought tahini, I recommend an organic brand like Kevala or Artisana.
  • But don’t forget that it’s easy to make tahini at home, especially if you have a Vitamix blender. Check out my Tahini Recipe and video for more information.

Nutrition

Calories: 92kcal | Carbohydrates: 4g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 151mg | Potassium: 77mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 10IU | Vitamin C: 3.8mg | Calcium: 23mg | Iron: 0.7mg

Course: sauce

Cuisine: Middle Eastern, North African

Keyword: How to Make Tahini Sauce, Tahini Sauce, Tahini Sauce Recipe

©Downshiftology. Content and photographs are copyright protected. Sharing of this recipe is both encouraged and appreciated. Copying and/or pasting full recipes to any social media is strictly prohibited.

Did you make this recipe?Mention @downshiftology or tag #downshiftology!

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About the author

Lisa Bryan

Lisa is a bestselling cookbook author, recipe developer, and YouTuber (with over 2.5 million subscribers) living in sunny Southern California. She started Downshiftology in 2014, and is passionate about making healthy food with fresh, simple and seasonal ingredients.

Read More About Me

The BEST Tahini Sauce Recipe | Downshiftology (2024)

FAQs

What's the difference between tahini and tahini sauce? ›

Tahini paste is just ground sesame seeds. Period. In comparison, tahini sauce is made by thinning the paste to a consistency similar to a thick cream, typically by adding other ingredients. My family's recipe adds lemon juice, garlic, and olive oil to our tahini sauce.

Why is my tahini sauce not smooth? ›

The key to smooth and runny tahini is to give it time, so keep blending. Transfer to a container and enjoy!

Why is my tahini not creamy? ›

Avoid using a food processor.

While food processors are a great tool for blending, they're not as powerful as blenders, so they can't deliver the creaminess (without double or triple the oil) that makes for the best tahini.

What is the best use of tahini? ›

Some common uses of tahini include making dips and hummus, adding a nutty flavor to desserts, using it in vegetarian dinner recipes, or as a base for salad dressings.

Is tahini more fattening than peanut butter? ›

Tahini is lower in carbohydrates and sugars than peanut butter is making it a better choice for people who follow low-carb diets, Politi notes. Both foods are predominantly fat, though peanut butter has a little more protein, Young adds.

Why is tahini so expensive? ›

Tahini crafted from premium sesame seeds often involves meticulous sourcing and production methods. Whether it's hand-selecting seeds or using traditional stone milling techniques, these processes can be more labor-intensive and time-consuming, driving up costs.

Does lemon juice thicken tahini? ›

When a small amount of lemon juice (or water) is added to the tahini or peanut butter, the hydrophilic dry particles are drawn to the water. As a result, it clumps up. As water is added, more clumps develop, causing the tahini to thicken overall.

What cuts the bitterness of tahini? ›

If you prefer a brighter sauce, add more lemon. If it is too bitter, stir in 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon maple syrup or honey.

Do you refrigerate tahini after opening? ›

How to Store Tahini. Since it's very high in oil, keep tahini refrigerated once you've opened it to prevent it from going rancid too quickly. It gets difficult to stir once it's chilled, so be sure to thoroughly mix it before putting it in the refrigerator.

Do you stir tahini before using? ›

Tahini has a long shelf life (2+ years) and can be stored like other nut and seed butters, either at room temperature or in the refrigerator. Always stir before using to incorporate any solids that have accumulated on the bottom.

Why does tahini seize with lemon juice? ›

Why the opposite? Tahini is simply sesame-seed butter, made by grinding hulled sesame seeds into a paste. Much of its makeup is carbohydrates, and when a small amount of juice (or any water-containing liquid) is added to tahini, a portion of each carbohydrate molecule is drawn to the water.

How to make tahini more runny? ›

Whisk cold water into the tahini to loosen it.

The water will cause the tahini to clump together at first, but these clumps will disappear as you add more water. Continue to add spoonfuls of water until the tahini is as thin as you want it. Keep in mind that the tahini may lose some of its flavor if you thin it a lot.

Is it OK to eat tahini everyday? ›

Tahini is an excellent source of minerals and heart-healthy fats and additionally, a versatile food that can be featured in every meal of the day, for five very good reasons. Sesame seeds contain sesamin and sesamolin, two powerful antioxidants that protect cells from free-radical damage and may prevent heart disease.

Is homemade tahini worth it? ›

Tahini is a paste made from sesame seeds.

It's vegan, gluten-free, tastes nutty, and is incredibly simple to make. Store-bought jars of tahini can be expensive. Homemade tahini is not only cheaper, but it also tastes amazing. Use tahini to make hummus, salad dressings, sauces, and more!

Can I use tahini straight from the jar? ›

Spread it Like Butter: Spreadable and rich, tahini straight from the jar is a delightful alternative to traditional spreads. Whether on a slice of warm toast or a rice cake, the nutty goodness of tahini can be enjoyed with minimal effort.

What is tahini sauce made of? ›

What is tahini sauce? Tahini sauce is a Middle Eastern condiment that is served with many dishes from the region. It's made with only 3 main ingredients: tahini paste, which is crushed sesame seeds, lemon juice, and garlic. Tahini is made by grinding toasted, hulled sesame seeds to create a creamy, smooth spread.

What is another name for tahini sauce? ›

Tahini, also known as sesame butter, is a condiment made from sesame seeds. It is similar to a nut butter in terms of texture and consistency, and the ingredients are usually pretty simple. Toasted or raw hulled sesame seeds are ground into a creamy mixture. In recipes for hummus and baba ghanoush, tahini is a staple.

Is tahini sauce the same as sesame sauce? ›

Tahini is sometimes listed as a substitute for sesame paste, but to me, the two aren't interchangeable. Though tahini is also made from white sesame seeds, those seeds are usually untoasted or lightly toasted. By comparison, toasted sesame paste is more assertive and aromatic and also thicker in texture.

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