The BEST authentic tahini sauce recipe with garlic, lime juice and fresh parsley! Be sure to watch my video and grab my tips below. This rich, flavor-packed vegan sauce is popular throughout the Mediterranean and the Middle East, and it can elevate any meal from kabobs to falafel sandwiches and everything in between. Perfect served as part of mezze with some warm pita and fresh veggies too!
More Middle Eastern recipes to try: Baba Ghanoush; Mujadara (Lebanese Rice and Lentils); Fattoush Salad; Grilled Lamb Chops; Za’atar Chicken
It used to be such an obscure and exotic ingredient to most North American Cooks, but it seems tahini is everywhere now. This humble Middle Eastern staple has made a splash in the health-food market, trendy restaurants, and in home kitchens–adding nutrition, irresistible creaminess and depth to many dishes. And this tahini fanatic does not mind one little bit!
What is tahini? Where to Find It? ETC…
Before we get to today’s tahini sauce recipe, let’s address a few questions you may have:
– What is tahini? Tahini (pronounced te-hi-ni or ta-hi-na) is a staple of Middle Eastern and Mediterranean Cooking. Tahini is a super creamy, rich vegan paste made by finely grinding roasted sesame seeds until buttery smooth. I’ve heard some referring to tahini as a “nut butter” of sorts. It’s important to remember though that seeds–sesame, sunflower, poppy, and pumpkin–come from plant families that are not closely related to nut-producing trees.
– What does tahini taste like? Good tahini should be rich and luxurious and should taste mildly nutty and savory. Bad tahini paste, on the other hand, could taste bitter and chalky.
– Where to find tahini paste? I often get questions about where to buy tahini and which brands to use. You can find tahini paste at some specialty Mediterranean and Middle Eastern stores, but why go there when you can purchase it directly from us! We found the best tahini out there and decided to carry it in our store to make it easier for you to purchase. For a full guide to this incredible Mediterranean ingredient, check out our What Is Tahini article.
– How to Use tahini paste? Tahini is used in many things from the ever-popular classic hummus (a must-try!) to sweet desserts like these tahini brownies–quite possibly the best brownies I have ever tasted.
But today, we tackle a super important use of tahini: Tahini Sauce, known at my house as awesome sauce!
BEST Tahini Sauce!
Tahini sauce is popular throughout the Mediterranean and the Middle East. This simple, tangy, and flavor-packed sauce is made by blending rich, nutty tahini paste with citrus (lemon juice or lime juice), fresh garlic, and a little bit of water to aid the consistency.
If you like your tahini sauce spicy, add a pinch of cayenne or a little mild aleppo pepper.
In this recipe, I add a large handful of fresh chopped parsley to make a popular Egyptian version of tahini sauce we call tahini bqaudoonis or tahini with parsley. Fresh mint or dill can be used in place of parsley, if you like.
You can make this easy tahini sauce ahead of time and save it in the fridge for 2 to 3 days or so.
Step-By-Step for this Tahini Sauce Recipe
-Place crushed or minced garlic (with salt), tahini paste, and lime juice (or lemon juice to the bowl of a food processor. Blend.
– Tahini sauce will first get thick as it emulsifies. Add a little bit of water at a time and blend again until you reach the desired consistency similar to salad dressing. Taste and adjust salt.
– Transfer to a serving bowl and stir in fresh parsley. Serve with warm pita and a side of veggies (more ideas below!)
How to Serve Tahini Sauce?
There are so many ways to enjoy tahini sauce. I use it more often than I can count as part of a big mezze table; to jazz up sandwiches like falafel pitas or chicken shawarama; or to drizzle on top of grilled kabobs, roasted fish, or roasted cauliflower. I also serve it just with a few fresh veggies and some warm pita bread. The possibilities are endless!
Watch the Video for How To Make Tahini Sauce
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Tahini Sauce Recipe (How to Make Tahini)
- Total Time: 10 minutes
- Yield: 12 tbsp (serves 5) 1x
Description
BEST tahini sauce recipe with lime juice, fresh garlic and parsley! Serve it as part of your mezze table, or use it to jazz up sandwiches like falafel pitas or chicken shawarma; or to drizzle on things like roasted cauliflower. The possibilities are endless!
Ingredients
- 1–2 garlic cloves
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 3/4 cup tahini paste
- 1/2 cup freshly squeezed lime juice (or lemon juice, if you prefer)
- 1/4 cup cold water, more if needed
- 1 cup fresh chopped parsley leaves, stems removed first (optional)
Instructions
- Using a mortar and pestle, crush the garlic cloves with the salt into a paste (or mince the garlic and season with salt.)
- Add the crushed garlic, tahini paste and lime juice to the bowl of a food processor and blend (it will be thick as it emulsifies.) Add a little bit of water and blend again until you reach the desired consistency.
- Transfer the tahini to a serving bowl, and if you like stir in fresh chopped parsley. Enjoy!
Notes
- Cook’s Tip: Use only a little bit of water at a time until you reach your desired consistency. Generally, tahini sauce should have a runny, salad dressing-like consistency. But, if you prefer tahini more as a dip, simply use less water.
- Cook’s Tip: Double this recipe if you’re serving a large number of people, it will be consumed fast!
- Make Ahead Tip: You can make this tahini sauce ahead of time, refrigerate in a tight-lid container for 2 to 3 days.
- Prep Time: 10 mins
- Category: Dips and Appetizers
- Method: Mix
- Cuisine: Middle Eastern
*This post first appeared on The Mediterranean Dish in 2016. It has been recently updated with new information and media for readers’ benefit. Enjoy!
This was very easy and tasty!
I love this recipe
Thanks, Melanie!
Standing! The best tahini I’ve ever had. I made mine with lemon and lime, with the parsley right and added a little extra salt. It’s truly amazing and easy. I used the sauce for homemade falafels from a YouTube video by fit Green mind. I added jalapeños and some red pepper flakes to that to spice it up over a bed of field greens, Jerusalem cucumbers and cherry tomatoes! Truly outstanding!
Thank you so much!!
This sauce recipe rocks! I suggest being a little light on the lime. Some limes are stronger than others or have more juice. You can always add more of it after the completed the recipe and just blend some more. Cheers
The directions say to put everything in a food processor. How much of each ingredient an I using? At least a ratio would be nice.
Hi, Rebecca. If you hit the “Jump to Recipe” button under the title, you will be taken to a recipe card with all of those details. Enjoy!
Where do buy the Uncooked Chickpeas? And the Tahini Paste? Thanks! Love Your Wonderful Recipes.
Hi, Gail. We are able to find both in local grocery stores here in Georgia. The dried/uncooked chickpeas are usually located with the dried beans. Tahini paste can usually be found in the “international” section. We also happen to sell tahini paste in our online shop. If you ever need any other guidance, please reach out to us at info@themediterraneandish.com. 🙂
Lovely meeting you and enjoying your menu foods at Lucian!! Congrats on your book NYTimes best seller list! We look forward to another!!
Thank you so much, Stacy!
Yeah, that’s the real deal! Good stuff. Top a big spinach salad with bell pepper strips, thin-sliced sweet onion, tomato wedges, sliced hard-boiled egg and a small fistful of shredded mozzarella; use tahini sauce as a salad dressing to drizzle on top. Serve with warm pita. The tahini sauce pairs perfectly with the spinach, better than the usual sweet dressing most people furnish.
Thanks for sharing, Ken!
Question: I have cilantro but not parsley; can I substitute in this dish? Or would mint be better; I have that too. Thanks for your wonderful recipes!
Hi, Judith. You could use mint here in place of the parsley. Enjoy!
I love your recipes and they consistently come up well. Soit was a surprise when this one was a disaster and I have a feeling it was a problem with the tahini paste ( or me or both.) The paste was very separated so I mixed it as well as I could. I made the recipe as is and even with the water it was the consistency of mortar. Thicker really. I added water… about a cup and a half. And more lime juice. Then a touch of oil. Still horribly thick. Finally tried adding a bunch of plain nonfat greek yogurt. Still very thick , clumpy and inedible. I haven’t used tahini paste before so I’m guessing the problem lies there. What should the paste consistency be upon opening? Any other thoughts on where things went wrong?
Hi, Derri. Not sure what may have gone wrong here. It might have been the tahini past you were using. After stirring, the tahini paste I use is smooth and pourable.
Love this so much! Can I freeze leftovers or no?
You can!
Wow this tahini sauce is incredible! I have been searching for a good recipe for my buddha bowls 🙂 and mediterranean dishes. I can’t wait to try more of your recipes. Thank you so much 🙂
So glad you enjoyed it, Ania!
I am making this tonight without a doubt that this will be nothing less than perfect! Every recipe here has been amazing, your videos are excellent and fun to watch, my pantry is now perfectly stocked & we are not only eating healthier, but absolutely love every recipe (about 10) that we have tried from your site so far.
Wonderful! Thanks, Loris!
the recipe states parsley, but it looks like italian parsley to me… which does the recipe call for?
I prefer Italian parsley.
Not just for this recipe, but Thank You! Your recipes have become my go to for Mediterranean. I used to look recipes up on multiple sites and compare. I would try different ones. I have since learned thats a waste of time. I always think yours is best of the multiple i would try. Now i dont waste ingredients or time. I just look up your recipe. Thanks so much.
Awww! Thank you Caleb! This makes me so happy to hear :).
Not just for this recipe, but Thank You! Your recipes have become my go to for Mediterranean. I used to look recipes up on multiple sites and compare. I would try different ones. I have since learned thats a waste of time. I always think yours is best of the multiple i woyld try. Now i dont waste ingredients or time. I just look up your recipe. Thanks so much.