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A close up of a tarator sauce in a bowl garnished olive oil and aleppo pepper. Next to this is a kitchen towel, 2 lemon halves, an some walnuts.
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Tarator Sauce

I absolutely love this traditional Turkish mezze and its punchy, simple, yet delicious flavor. For us, it's the perfect match for grilled fish, fried mussels, or calamari. We also enjoy pairing tarator with braised spinach or collard greens, and it's a fantastic dipping sauce for fresh veggies like carrots, cucumbers, and cauliflower. Plus, it's a great way to use up stale bread!
Prep Time15 minutes
Total Time15 minutes
Course: Condiment
Cuisine: Turkish
Diet: Low Lactose, Vegan, Vegetarian
Servings: 6
Author: Ozlem Warren

Ingredients

  • 2 slices (2oz) stale or toasted white bread, crumbled
  • 4 medium garlic cloves, roughly chopped
  • 1 cup (3.5oz) shelled walnuts
  • 3 tablespoons lemon juice
  • 1/2 cup room temperature water
  • Sea salt
  • Freshly ground black pepper
  • 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • Aleppo pepper, for serving (optional)

Instructions

  • Make a paste. In a food processor fitted with the blade, add the bread, garlic, walnuts, lemon juice. Pulse until it turns into a rough paste.
  • Make a sauce. Add the water and season with a pinch of salt and pepper. Blend on low speed until almost smooth, but not fully pureed (it is nice to feel the texture of walnuts a little). You’re looking for a loose hummus-like consistency.
  • Finish and serve. Transfer to a storage container or serving dish and stir in the olive oil until well-combined. Taste and adjust the seasoning. Sprinkle with Aleppo pepper (if using) and serve immediately, or cover and keep in the fridge for up to 2 days.

Notes

  • Shop this recipe: Visit our shop to browse quality Mediterranean ingredients including the olive oil and Aleppo pepper used in this recipe.
  • Tarator sauce is great to prep ahead, as it keeps well in the fridge for 1-2 days. If kept in the fridge, thin the sauce out with 3 tablespoons of room temperature water before using.

Nutrition

Calories: 219.6kcal | Carbohydrates: 8.3g | Protein: 4.1g | Fat: 20.2g | Saturated Fat: 2.2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 10.1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6.9g | Trans Fat: 0.003g | Sodium: 45.1mg | Potassium: 115mg | Fiber: 1.7g | Sugar: 1.3g | Vitamin A: 4.7IU | Vitamin C: 3.8mg | Calcium: 34.9mg | Iron: 1mg

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