This easy tahini sauce recipe is creamy, nutty and zesty, full of punchy flavor. We love it as a salad dressing or sauce, perfect with falafel, Buddha bowls, roasted veggies and more!
Here is a basic recipe for tahini sauce that is incredibly easy to make with punchy flavor! Tahini Sauce is a creamy flavorful Middle Eastern sauce or dressing made from sesame paste with garlic and lemon, perfect for drizzling! It tastes rich, bright, nutty and creamy while being totally vegan.
We have several versions on the blog- but this basic version is the one I turn to most when time is short. Growing up with an Egyptian father, authentic tahini sauce was always on hand. It was our “go-to” dressing and sauce for practically everything. I honestly feel strange if I don’t have some in the fridge at all times!
Why you’ll love Homemade Tahini Sauce!
- Perfect Creamy Consistency. This recipe has the perfect consistency; smooth and creamy and thick enough to use as a “sauce” and thin enough to use as a “dressing”.
- Vegan & Oil-free. This recipe is rich and creamy without any dairy or added oil. Pure, clean ingredeints.
- Great for Meal Prep. I like to make a big batch on Sunday for meal prep and use it throughout the week. It keep for 5 days in the fridge in an airtight container.
- Easy to make- no need to pull out the blender or food processor! Just place everything in a jar and mix!
Tahini Sauce Ingredients
- Tahini paste—Freshness and quality really matter here! Tahini paste is ground sesame seeds that can dry out and go rancid really quickly. We love this Tahini Paste Brand out of Seattle—it is creamy, nutty, sweet, and not overly bitter. TIP: Always refrigerate tahini paste so stays fresh longer.
- Water – to loosen up the tahini sauce to your desired consistency.
- Fresh Lemon juice – to add brightness and zesty flavor
- Fresh Garlic cloves- to add a nice punchy bite. Grate it or use a garlic press.
- Salt and Pepper to taste.
- Optional additions: extra virgin olive oil, chili flakes or chili paste (like sambal olek or sriracha) for a spicy kick, a dash of soy sauce or liquid aminos, for more depth, a dash of toasted sesame oil ( for extra sesame flavor), a tablespoon of zhoug for a burst of flavor, a teaspoon or two of zaatar spice, fresh chopped chives, cilantro, dill, Italian parsley, mint or basil.
How to make the Best Tahini Sauce
Homemade Tahini Sauce is incredibly versatile and simple to make. I love making it in a jar so that it will get stored with no need to wash anything afterward!
Step 1: Stir. If there is sesame oil on top of your tahini paste, stir it first.
Step 2: Combine in a jar. Place all the ingredients in a storage jar or mason jar: add the tahini paste, water, lemon juice, finely minced garlic, salt, and pepper, and whisk until creamy and smooth.
It may stiffen up a bit at the start, but don’t worry, just keep whisking; it will get nice and creamy!
Step 3: Taste. Adjust salt and lemon to your liking. Add any of the optional additions!
Tahini Sauce Variations
We love this basic tahini sauce recipe just as it is, but we like to vary it up a bit every once in a while, depending on what we are serving it with! Here are a few optional additions to give tahini sauce a burst of flavor.
- Make Green Tahini Sauce –add fresh herbs like basil, mint or fresh parsley. This is easiest to make by placing everything in a blender.
- Make it Spicy! To give your tahini sauce a hot, punchy flavor, add a tablespoon of zhoug, hot sauce, or sriracha. Perfect for Middle Eastern tacos or falafel sandwiches.
- Make it Golden– Add a pinch of turmeric for a beautiful golden hue, perfect for Buddha Bowls.
- Season it up. Add cumin, coriander, zaatar, sumac, or Dukkha for delicious flavor.
- Make Tahini Dressing. Blend in a little olive oil and more lemon juice!
How to StorE Tahini Sauce
Tahini Sauce will last 5-7 days in an airtight container in the refrigerator, and it can also be frozen for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge and whisk until smooth.
Tahini Sauce Serving suggestions
There are many ways to use tahini sauce! Serve as a flavorful dressing for salads, use as a dip, or drizzle it as a sauce for any of the following:
- Falafel or Falafel Bowls or Falafel Burgers
- Use as a dip for veggies or pita chips, or mezze platters.
- Drizzle over Lentil Bowls or Lentil Wraps
- Drizzle over Whole Roasted Cauliflower or Roasted Vegetables
- Serve with Lentil Cakes, Zaatar Eggplant or Cauliflower Shawarma
- Drizzle over Middle Eastern Eggplant wrap
- Drizzle over Middle Eastern Salad Tacos
More Favorite Tahini Recipes
Enjoy this lovely recipe for tahini sauce and please let us know what you think in the comments below! xo
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Easy Tahini Sauce Recipe
- Prep Time: 10
- Total Time: 10 minutes
- Yield: 1 cup 1x
- Category: sauce / condiment / dressing
- Method: stir
- Cuisine: middle eastern
- Diet: Vegan
Description
How to make the best Tahini Sauce– a Middle Eastern sauce that is rich, creamy, smooth, tangy and flavorful- used to drizzle over salads, buddha bowls and falafels made with sesame paste, garlic and lemon juice. Vegan and gluten-free.
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup tahini paste ( stirred)
- 1/4 –1/3 water, more to desired consistency.
- 1 –2 tablespoons lemon juice (more to taste)
- 1–2 tablespoons olive oil (optional, feel free to leave it out if you prefer oil-free)
- 2 fresh garlic cloves (finely minced – grate it or use a garlic press)
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt (see notes)
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
Instructions
- Note: If your tahini paste has separated, stir it in the jar with a fork before measuring. If it’s very cold, bring it to room temp to make stirring easier.
- Place tahini paste and water in a 2-cup mason jar or medium bowl and whisk until smooth. Once you start whisking, it may actually stiffen up- you can always thin it out with more water at the end if using as a dressing.
- Add the remaining ingredients to the jar – lemon juice, minced garlic, salt, pepper and whisk until creamy and smooth.
- Taste and adjust salt and lemon to your liking.
- Feel free to add any of the optional additions, see notes.
- Store in the fridge for 5-7 days- it will thicken up slightly.
Notes
Consistency: Start with ¼ cup water and add more to desired consistency. For a tahini “dressing,” add more water or a couple of tablespoons olive oil. Feel free to keep it thick like a dip or spread. Also, keep in mind that different brands of tahini paste are thicker than others.
Salt. You want the Tahini Sauce to be flavorful and slightly on the salty side. If there is not enough salt, it may taste “anemic” or bland. Remember it’s a flavor-boosting condiment! 🙂
Optional additions: chili flakes or chili paste (like sambal olek or sriracha) for a spicy kick, a dash of soy sauce or liquid aminos, for more depth, a dash of toasted sesame oil ( for extra sesame flavor), a teaspoon or two of zhoug for a burst of flavor, zaatar spice, cumin, coriander, sumac, or fresh chopped chives, Italian parsley, mint or basil, a few tablespoons of plain yogurt, for extra creamy richness.
I prefer mine a little spicy and tangy, so I’ll add more lemon, aleppo chili flakes and either zhoug or zaatar. 🙂
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 2 tablespoons
- Calories: 89
- Sugar: 0.2 g
- Sodium: 157.1 mg
- Fat: 7.2 g
- Saturated Fat: 1 g
- Carbohydrates: 4.8 g
- Fiber: 1.5 g
- Protein: 2.8 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
This really is the BEST tahini sauce. I first made this a year ago and have tried others’ recipes since (just because it was printed in the book I was following) but this tahini sauce has perfected the taste and texture and it’s so quick to make. I don’t want to wash the blender if I don’t have to.
Thanks so much Mary!
I LOVE this tahini sauce! I have made it a number of times and always leave out the optional oil and typically use 4 Tbl lemon juice and a pinch of red pepper flakes. I am always on the lookout for dressings without oil. Cabbage slaw is a real problem……until today! I know it sounds crazy ; but I dressed shredded cabbage, chopped celery and halved cherry tomatoes with your tahini sauce/dressing and put in a can of rinsed garbanzo beans. It was very good until I sprinkled your dukkah recipe on each serving & that’s when it became OUTSTANDING. You MUST try this! I was just cleaning up vegetables that needed using but hopefully, Sylvia, you can make a REAL recipe one day. Tahini sauce & dukkah save the day!
Love the idea Pam, sounds so good! Perfect for no oil dressing.
I made this tahini sauce for the first time a few nights ago with the optional olive oil and Allepo chili flakes. I wasn’t sure which brands of tahini paste were high quality, but your recommendation saved me from having to do my own research. I really appreciate you making it so easy for us!
Your recipe tastes incredible. My S.O. said it was so good, he could “eat it with a spoon!” – I guess no meat or veggies were necessary. Ha!
I’m looking forward to making it again soon.
So great! It is addicting,,,
I used natural peanut butter instead of tahini paste as we can’t find a good brand in our rural part of Canada. I also added the Greek yogurt and Italian seasoning and made sure to use fresh lemon juice. I served over your whole roasted cauliflower recipe. (No hope of finding zaatar so I stuck with smoked paprika) but Wow this is one of our favourite go to meals now. Thank you for another fantastic flavour profile!
Amazing! That sounds intriguing, so glad you enjoyed! And just fyi we have a Zaatar recipe- you can just enter it into the search bar.
Brilliant – delightfully tasty.
Great to hear!
First time I have liked tihini sauce. This makes a creamy, savory dressing. Great ideas for additions.( I did add yogurt and zaatar) Goes well with the Tandori bowls or Shwarma etc. Used a tahini called Soom and it was good without a bitter taste so many I have tried have had.
So glad it worked out! I agree, a good tahini totally makes it. Good to know about that brand- haven’t heard of it before.
Hi,
I put a teaspoon maple sirup into mine to round up the flavors. It’s my go to, with anything!
This all looks delicious.
This is AWESOME, I could (and did!) eat it with a spoon. Highly recommend!
Ahaha! I do too. 🙂
So delicious! Even without the garlic it can be very yummy!
Great to hear!
Wow this stuff is amazing! I used Krinos brand tahini, only 1 clove garlic (hubby not a fan), and added a dollop of plain Greek yogurt. Put it all in the blender. Delish! Will drizzle it over chicken shawarma for dinner tonight.
Perfect, love it!
What brand of tahini do you enjoy the most?
I love the Tahini we sell at Bowl and Pitcher Store – by Villa Jerada! Creamy, sweet, fresh, not bitter!
So excited to try this with falafel tomorrow. . (Yahoo! 😊) The notes below the recipe say 1 or 2 tsp of zaatar but the recipe itself says a pinch. I’m not experienced enough to know which seems righter. SOS! 😊
I’d start with a 1/2 teaspoon, and add more to taste!
Excellent recipe! Love the versatility and the fact that it keeps for some time. Thank you!
Thanks so much Dagmar!
Is it possible to do this in a food processor or blender, or do you need to do it with a whisk? I love your recipes!
Feel free to blend!
The first time I had is sauce was at Haig’s delicatessen in San Francisco. It was on falafel and was wildly garlicky, which is what I adore. I was in love. Anyway, thanks for your recipe and for all the variation and use with suggestions, too!
Thanks Beejay!
This turned out amazing!! I substituted arugula and beets for the kale and cabbage (some picky eaters here) and it worked so well! The tahini dressing was also wonderful! This will definitely be made again and again! Thank you!
I’ve been making a fair number of falafel salads of late and have tried a couple of tahini dressing/sauce recipes before finding this one. I’m done searching. This is it for me. Loved the flavor and simplicity. I am partial to Har Bracha tahini and it works very well in this recipe. I’ve shared this recipe with multiple friends who all agree that it is perfect. Thank you!
Thanks Bonnie!
I use this tahini sauce on Buddha bowls a the time. I enjoy adding sriracha, berbere, and soy sauce for a spicier, more complex flavor. My go to condiment!
Awesome!
I use a lot of tahini and get it in large jars from my local middle eastern grocery. The best way to mix the thick layer of bottom solids is to take your two tined cooking fork, ideally with a thick wooden handle, and reach down into the jar slowly breaking up the solids at the bottom, Carefully stir until you have broken up the bed of solids and can mix them into the rest of the mix.
I’ve also considered but have not yet tried to use a drill and chuck a square ended chop stick in and then slowly try to use that to mix the paste solids into the oils and liquids.
Love it- thanks! helpful. I like to turn the jar over for 24 hours, sometimes that works too!
I empty the entire jar, including the thick part on the bottom, into a mixing bow. Then I use a electric mixer which makes it really smooth. I then return to jar. Will always require some mixing after
sitting, but no more solid bottom.
Perfect with grilled salmon. Thank you!
Awwww thanks Jennifer! Thanks for the comment- appreciate you!
This is the best and easiest tahini sauce I’ve made to date. I prepped it for the week along with your Everyday Quinoa, Baked Falafel and Chicken Shawarma. Yum!
Awesome Alanna, great to hear!
Delicious! Takes some planning with multiple stages so definitely worth making extra to freeze, but excellent flavor and worth taking the time.
I agree—lots of lemon juice. Thanks for the note about keeping up to 2 weeks in the fridge. I predict it will be gone sooner.
Sylvia,
You make it look so easy. After I read this article I’m thinking your a genius. This is so simple and so versatile. I made a pint jar and put into the refrigerator. I took out half a cup, added half a teaspoon of baharat spice and used it on top of a baked pork chop. Another time I added a teaspoon of herbes de provence and put it on top of some baked sweet potato. I’ve also added a little more garlic and used it as a dip for some flatbread. And it only takes a few minutes to make. Thanks
Glad you like it Terry and love your additions! Fun!
Hi Sylvia,
I hope you have had a good winter. The snow has finally melted and I have had time to get outside and start preparing the raised beds for spring. I’ve started seedlings in the house and have some bok choy growing in a cold frame. This is one of my favorite times of the year. I bought some fresh wasabi from Oregon Coast Wasabi. I’ve used powdered wasabi before and some imitation wasabi (horseradish). They don’t compare to fresh wasabi. I grated some wasabi and added it to your tahini sauce. I put it on top of some steamed asparagus. It was fantastic. I’m looking forward to trying it with some of your other recipes.
Such a marvelous idea Terry. I love the way you create, and how you go to the source. Fresh wasabi sounds divine. Yes, an exciting time of year, especially for those who find joy in gardening. So many possibilities! Enjoy spring, soak it up. xo
I’m just wondering, is this made with hulled or unhulled tahini? Thanks
You can use either. I personally usually use hulled tahini- it’s a little less bitter, but unhulled, though bitter, is thought to have more nutrients.