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!
I made this recipe and ended up doubling it since I had a lot of soaked chick peas. I omitted dill since I didn’t have it, and added turmeric.
OMG this is amazing. First time I made falafel too. I just air fried it. Served with garden tomatoes and your tahini dressing. So good!
I love this sauce so much! Found it here and I make this often, I crave it. Thank you for the simple but very tasty recipe.
You are very welcome, Christie! I’m so happy you enjoy this one!
Hi, I have been eating mostly a plant-based diet for the past 2 years to improve my health and I’m always looking for new recipes that are easy to make, not full of weird ingredients that are hard to find, and will appeal to my non vegan husband LOL. This Tahini sauce sounds like it fits the bill! I have 2 questions though: can I make it in a blender if I don’t have a food processor? Also, what do you think about using it as a healthy alternative to bottled salad dressings?
Hi, Debbie! Tahini sauce is always a great condiment to have on hand as a dipping sauce, and, yes, even as a salad dressing! You can totally use a blender to make it if you don’t have a food processor :). You may just have to stop more often every now and then to scrape the sides with spoon and make sure all the ingredients are well incorporated.
I wish I could have found your website before I spent money on the ebooks. Thank you for presenting these wonderful recipes.
Can this sauce be frozen for longer storage?
Hi, Judy! We haven’t tried freezing this particular recipe, but it could work. The only issue is that the texture may be affected… it can separate. If you give it a go, I’d love to hear how it worked out!
I make tahini with tahini paste, lemon juice, salt, lots of garlic and water (usually equivalent to the amount of paste). I blend it all with an immersion blender and divide it into 8 ounce freezer proof containers. I freeze this for up to 3 months, defrost as needed and add a dash of water or lemon juice, stir it up to soften before serving.
Followed the recipe exactly and it tastes weird, bitter. If I make this again, I would use a lot less lime juice.
Hi, Chris! I’m Summer and I work here at The Mediterranean Dish. The bitterness might be from your tahini. Tahini has a high fat content due to the oils in the sesame seeds and it can go rancid, similar to other nuts and seeds. This bitter taste is commonly found in lower value brands of tahini or if your tahini has been stored incorrectly or is old. Our preferred brand of tahini is Soom. It has a lovely nutty flavor. I hope you try making the sauce again. It really does go beautifully on so many things.
Can I use a high speed blender?
You sure can! Enjoy!
I did. It was delicious. Thank yo.
I lick the spatula like it’s cookie dough every time I make this.
Ha! We totally get it, Sarah! 🙂
My “sauce” stayed thick. Like a paste. Even after adding 3x the water listed in the recipe. Any ideas of what I did wrong. Or do I just keep adding water
Hi, Ann. You likely did nothing wrong. It could be the brand of the tahini paste you are using. The added citrus juice can also cause such thickening at first. I would just continue to add water and stir.
Huge hit- so amazing and fresh. Served w Med Dish’s Shawarma but it was also a very popular just as a dip for fresh veg and pitas. I found the amount of sauce to be too much- I had 18 people for a buffet and made 3 X recipe and it made about 2 1/2c. I had about half leftover. (I used a mortar and pestle but wouldn’t bother in future as I think a garlic press would have been far easier and same outcome.)
How do I purchase the sauce?
Hi, Teresa. We don’t sell the tahini sauce itself, but we do sell tahini (the main ingredient in this sauce recipe) you can click here to find it in our online shop.
So yummy! It was my first time making tahini but I tried some the other day at a Kebab Shop and yours was better! I did need to use 1/2 cup water. Thank you!!
Click on the word tahini in the recipe and it takes you to the tahini paste she sells by Soom.
So good just like moms. Since my mom passed I’ve been trying to recapture the wonderful tastes of her cooking. Bringing back many wonderful memories. Keep it up Susie you are spot-on with your recipes. Thank you. Basim.
What a wonderful way to keep her close in your heart, Basim!
Too sour IMHO.
I’m allergic to sesame seeds (& hazelnuts, & Almonds). What would be a good substitution for tahini in this recipe. I want to make the cauliflower shawarma. Thanks.
Hi, Lynn. The tahini is a major star in this recipe, so there really wouldn’t be a good substitute for it. Instead, I recommend topping your cauliflower shawarma with tzatziki sauce instead.
I cooked this as per the recipe and they came out perfect. I really thought they were too moist and would fall apart but they didn’t.
I used an ice cream scoop to make them all the same size . It made quick work of that step!
Can’t wait to start making some recipes!