This creamy, garlicky tahini sauce is a Lebanese specialty and we drizzle it over everything from meat to rice to roasted veggies. This vegan tahini sauce is also great as a salad dressing, a dip for raw veggies, or used as a spread in your favorite pita wrap.
If you love Lebanese food as much as I do, then you’ll know how good tahini sauce is. And if you aren’t familiar with this delicious sauce, odds are you’ve enjoyed it with your falafel, hummus, or baba ghanoush at some point. It’s a staple in many Middle Eastern cuisines, and tastes delicious drizzled over meats and rice, or used as a dip for pita and veggies. If you truly haven’t tried it before, you’ll be converted in no time with my quick and simple Homemade Tahini Sauce recipe.
Ingredients
- Tahini: Also called tahina in some countries, is a ground paste made from sesame seeds, it’s a condiment commonly found in the Middle East that is naturally gluten-free.
- Lemon juice: Bright, acidic, and fresh flavor that elevates the sauce.
- Garlic: Nutty, aromatic, and strong, it pairs well with the nutty undertones of the tahini.
- Salt: Balances and enhances the flavors of the other three ingredients.
How to Make Homemade tahini Sauce
Start by pouring your tahini paste into a medium sized bowl.
Then, use a microplane or grater to freshly grate your garlic clove into the tahini.
Next add your lemon juice, either squeezing by hand or using a juicer. Just be sure you catch any seeds!
Use hot water to thin the sauce to your desired consistency.
Then season to taste with some salt. You could also add a pinch of cayenne, pepper, or cumin.
Once it’s all mixed in, you’re ready to drizzle, dip, spread your sauce on any number of dishes!
Recipes with Tahini Sauce
- Lebanese Baked Fish with Tahini Sauce and Pine Nuts
- Grilled Eggplant with Tahini Sauce
- Cauliflower Tacos with Chipotle Tahini Sauce
- Chicken Salad with Tahini Dressing
- Lebanese Kafta Kebabs with Tahini Dipping Sauce
Frequently Asked Questions:
Can you eat tahini sauce by itself?
Yes you can, but I enjoy it best mixed in to hummus, paired with pita bread, or drizzled over a number of Middle Eastern dishes.
What does tahini taste like?
Tahini has an earthy, nutty flavor that can also be quite biter. It works best in savory dishes.
Is tahini a good substitute for peanut butter?
While tahini might look like peanut butter, it doesn’t taste like it. It isn’t sweet, so if you’re looking to reduce your sugar intake, you could try it.
Eat it, Like It, Share it!
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Now you know how easy it is to make at home, you’ll be dipping and enjoying a taste of the Middle East in no time.
No fork required.
Tahini Sauce
Ingredients
- ¼ cup tahini
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 clove garlic (grated)
- salt (to taste)
- warm water (to thin)
- pinch cayenne (optional)
Instructions
- In a small bowl, whisk together tahini, lemon juice, garlic and a good pinch of salt. Slowly whisk in warm water, working 1 tablespoon at a time, until smooth and creamy.
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