Creamy, nutty, and bright, this Lemon Tahini Sauce will become an easy staple in your kitchen and adds flavor to many dishes. This tahini dressing has a lemon garlic flavor, is easy to make, vegan, and guaranteed to make any vegetable taste delicious!
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I love tahini and as you begin to explore the blog, you will begin to see that I use tahini as often as I can. I am finally sharing my recipe for tahini dressing made with only four ingredients. It's super simple to make and is my favorite way to dress up my veggies and we all know that the key to eating your vegetables is to have a delicious sauce or dressing to go with it!
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I have used it in the Roasted Heirloom Carrots recipe and the Blistered Green Beans recipe on this blog but it would also be delicious on the Brussels Sprouts and Carrots recipe or the Mushroom, Cauliflower, and Garlic Skillet!
Why You Will Love This Recipe
- Simple - This recipe comes together in seconds
- Tasty - It has a strong lemon garlic "kick"
- Versatile - It can be used on any vegetables or as a salad dressing
Ingredients
See the recipe card for quantities.
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Variations
- Plain - you do not need to add garlic or lemon to the tahini. Just add enough water to loosen the sesame seed paste enough to be able to drizzle the sauce.
- Herbs - Depending on what I am creating, many times I will substitute parsley for the garlic or use other fresh herbs. If I do this, I use my blender to make sure that the herbs get incorporated easily. This turns the tahini into a green tahini sauce and is delicious on meat. I have also used dried herbs like Za'atar and it lends a delicious taste as well.
- Lime - I will sometimes use lime juice and lime zest in place of the lemon in order to create a tangy tahini.
- Spicy - If I want to spice up the sauce, I will either use some red pepper flakes, chili crunch, or a spicy sauce in the mix.
- Salad dressing - Add olive oil and some honey to the sauce which will create a salad dressing.
- Other uses - I use tahini paste in my hummus recipe and in my baba ghanoush recipes. I have seen recipes for chocolate chip tahini cookies, tahini brownies, buddha bowls, grain bowls, and so much more. It is a secret ingredient in most Middle Eastern recipes!
How to make Lemon Tahini Sauce
Step 1: In a medium bowl, place the tahini sauce.
Step 2: Zest the lemon into the bowl.
Step 3: Add the lemon juice and the minced garlic. Mix to combine.
Step 4: Add water as needed to loosen the sauce and to create a smooth paste.
Pro tip
Buy the best tahini you can find on the market. While I have used Trader Joe's organic tahini, my favorites are those that can be found in either Middle Eastern markets or the Middle Eastern section of your grocery store. My current favorite is this one. However, I just returned from a trip to Europe and found freshly ground sesame seed paste, tahini, at a flea market in Berlin. You bet I brought it home!
What is Tahini Sauce?
Tahini is a paste made from ground sesame seeds. It is creamy in texture, nutty in flavor, and one of the natural oils that are healthy. Tahini is a staple ingredient in the Middle Eastern cuisine and Mediterranean diets. It is a vegan ingredient that lends itself to sauces, salad dressings, and as an ingredient in a complex recipe. You can certainly make a homemade tahini recipe by grinding raw sesame seeds in a high-speed blender or food processor but store-bought tahini works just fine. I have found good tahini in my local grocery store.
I love using a zester for citrus. This microplane is my favorite!
Store
Once you have prepared the sauce, simply store the sauce in an airtight container in your refrigerator. I always have some on hand! It lasts for weeks at a time and is a creamy sauce you can use to top many recipes. Store opened jars of tahini on your pantry shelf. It does not need to be stored in the refrigerator.
Frequently Asked Questions
Tahini is simply sesame-seed butter, made by grinding hulled sesame seeds into a paste. It is a carbohydrate, and when a small amount of juice (or any water-containing liquid) is added to tahini, a chemical reaction occurs that will thicken the paste. Simply using more water will loosen the paste to your desired consistency.
A jar of Tahini paste will last years in the refrigerator. However, if moisture seeps into the jar the paste will go bad. We recommend keeping the jar and lid clean and storing the tahini on a pantry shelf.
If you find that your tahini has lumps, adding a touch of olive oil will help to smooth out the consistency and create a creamy texture. I always give the jar a good stir prior to using the sesame paste.
Other Condiments
This sauce is one of my favorite ways to serve vegetables. It has been the best thing I have discovered in many years. Using this lemon garlic tahini sauce as a main ingredient in my cooking has helped to up the healthy fats in our diet. Give it a try for yourself!
Did you try this recipe? I would love to hear about it! Scroll down to the comment section and leave a ⭐️ rating and review. Share it on Facebook, Instagram, or Pinterest!
xoxoxo
Gwen
Lemon Tahini Sauce
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Ingredients
- ½ cup tahini paste
- 1 lemon zest the outside, and juice the interior
- 1 garlic clove minced or grated
- 6 tablespoon water or more if needed
Instructions
- Pour the tahini paste into a bowl.
- Zest the lemon into the bowl.
- Add the minced garlic to the bowl.
- Add the lemon juice and mix to combine.
- Add the water and continue mixing until it becomes a sauce like consistency. Use more water if needed.
Notes
Nutrition
Pairing
These are my favorite dishes to serve with [this recipe]:
Anonymous says
Yum!