This 10-minute tahini sauce is incredibly flavorful and easy to make. Simply mix a few ingredients in a bowl and serve! You can make it ahead of time and refrigerate it until ready to use.
Growing up in Jerusalem, my favorite Middle Eastern dip was tahini, a thick and flavorful dip made with ground sesame seeds, olive oil, garlic, and lemon juice. It's very easy to make at home, and it keeps well for several days in the fridge. I make a weekly batch, and we use it throughout the week. It's perfect with fresh-cut vegetables or as a topping to meat and chicken.
Ingredients
See the recipe card for exact measurements. Here are my comments on some of the ingredients.
- Tahini: Sometimes sold as "sesame butter" or "sesame paste." The only ingredient should be ground sesame seeds. This is a brand I often use. I also like the Whole Foods store brand. It contains salt, so when I use it, I add just ¼ teaspoon of salt instead of ½ teaspoon. If in doubt, start with less salt. You can taste the sauce when it's ready and decide if you want to add more salt.
- Minced garlic: For the best flavor, mince it yourself instead of using garlic from a jar.
- Olive oil: Extra-virgin has the best flavor. I highly recommend using it in this recipe.
- Lemon juice: Freshly squeezed is best.
- Chopped parsley: This is optional, but it adds a nice flavor in addition to color.
Instructions
The detailed instructions and step-by-step photos are included in the recipe card. Here's a quick overview.
Place the tahini, garlic, salt, olive oil, lemon juice, and water in a medium bowl. Whisk with a hand whisk until smooth. If the sauce is too thick, add 1-2 tablespoons of water.
It should be smooth and creamy - the photo below shows the consistency you're after.
Serve immediately, or cover and refrigerate until ready to serve. Stir the sauce again before serving, and add more water if needed. It's perfect with fresh-cut veggies!
Recipe Tip
Depending on how much water you add, you can make this sauce as thin or thick as you like. A thick sauce is perfect as a dip for vegetables or crackers. A thin sauce can serve as a salad dressing, or you can drizzle it on top of meats or roasted vegetables.
Recipe FAQs
It tastes nutty and pleasantly salty, with a bit of tang from the lemon juice and a hint of sharpness from the garlic. Its mouthfeel is very creamy, as you would expect from any nut butter.
Both are Middle Eastern spreads used to flavor meats, bread, and vegetables. Both are often served at the beginning of a meal as part of a meze platter - a collection of small plates containing various spreads, sauces, and salads. The main difference is the main ingredient - chickpeas in hummus and sesame seeds in tahini.
No. Both sauces are used in Mediterranean and Middle Eastern cooking, but are made of different ingredients. Tzatziki's main ingredients are yogurt and cucumbers. Tahini's main ingredient is ground sesame seeds.
You can keep the leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week. Stir the sauce again before serving it. If it has thickened too much while refrigerated, stir in a bit of water. I don't recommend freezing this sauce.
Serving Suggestions
Traditionally, tahini sauce is served as a topping for meat, falafel, or cooked vegetables.
I often serve it as a topping for beef kabobs, chicken kabobs, or lamb burgers. It's excellent with fresh-cut vegetables or almond flour crackers.
I like to drizzle it on top of grilled eggplant or roasted zucchini. It's perfect on top of hard-boiled eggs!
If you add extra water, you can turn it into a salad dressing. I enjoy it drizzled on top of steak salad or Israeli salad.
Recipe Card
Easy Homemade Tahini Sauce
Video
Ingredients
- ½ cup tahini - see notes below
- 1 teaspoon fresh garlic - minced
- ½ teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt - or ¼ teaspoon of any other salt, including Morton kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon olive oil - extra-virgin
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice - freshly squeezed
- 6 tablespoons water - more if needed
- 2 tablespoons parsley - finely chopped, optional
Instructions
- Place the tahini, garlic, salt, olive oil, lemon juice, and water in a medium bowl. Whisk with a hand whisk until smooth.
- If the sauce is too thick, add 1-2 tablespoons of water. It should be smooth and creamy. If using, mix in the parsley with a rubber spatula.
- Serve immediately, or cover and refrigerate until ready to serve. Stir again before serving, and add more water if the sauce has thickened in the fridge. Add a tablespoon at a time until it reaches your desired consistency.
Notes
- Tahini is sometimes sold as "sesame butter" or "sesame paste." The only ingredient should be ground sesame seeds. This is a brand I often use. I also like the Whole Foods store brand. It contains salt, so when I use it, I add just ¼ teaspoon of salt instead of ½ teaspoon. If in doubt, start with less salt. You can taste the sauce when it's ready and decide if you want to add more salt.
- Traditionally, tahini sauce is served as a topping for meat, falafel, or cooked vegetables. It's also delicious with crackers, on top of hard-boiled eggs, or as a salad dressing. You can make it as thin or as thick as you like, depending on how much water you add. A thick sauce is perfect as a dip for vegetables or crackers. A thin one can serve as a salad dressing.
- You can keep the leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week. Stir the sauce again before serving it. If it has thickened too much while refrigerated, stir in a bit of water. I don't recommend freezing this sauce.
Nutrition per Serving
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Disclaimers
Most recipes are low-carb and gluten-free, but some are not. Recommended and linked products are not guaranteed to be gluten-free. Nutrition info is approximate. Please verify it independently. The carb count excludes non-nutritive sweeteners. Please read these Terms of Use before using any of my recipes.
