Tahini Sauce

Creamy, nutty, and bright, this easy tahini sauce will become a staple in your kitchen. Drizzle it over falafel, grain bowls, salads, and more!

Tahini Sauce

If you’ve been reading the blog for a while, you know that I love tahini. In the past, I’ve posted tahini cookies, salad dressings, oatmeal, and even ice cream, but today, I’m finally sharing my favorite 5-ingredient lemon tahini sauce recipe.

This tahini sauce is incredibly versatile, as it shines on salads, sandwiches, falafel, bowls, and more! My basic version is similar to what you’d find at any Middle Eastern falafel or shawarma restaurant, but I’m also including three delicious variations here. Honestly, I can’t choose a favorite. They all pack a punch of vivid color and bold flavor, and making them couldn’t be simpler. They keep for up to a week in the fridge, so prep one (or more) to jazz up your meals all week long!

Pouring lemon tahini sauce into glass jar

If you’re not familiar with tahini, it’s a creamy, nutty paste made from ground sesame seeds. Popular throughout the Middle East, it’s a key ingredient in spreads like hummus and baba ganoush. These days, you can find it in most well-stocked grocery stores. I use tahini in lots of ways in my kitchen, but most often, I add it to this easy, versatile lemon tahini sauce.

Tahini sauce recipe ingredients

Basic Tahini Sauce Recipe Ingredients

You only need 5 basic ingredients to make this easy recipe:

  • Tahini This recipe is all about the tahini, so choose a good quality one that isn’t too stiff or bitter. My favorite brands are Cedar’s, Soom, and Seed + Mill, all of which have a nice runny texture and nutty taste.
  • Lemon juice – Squeeze it yourself for the best bright flavor!
  • Garlic – Instead of using minced garlic, I finely grate it so that it fully incorporates into the sauce, adding a kick of garlic flavor.
  • Water – Add water, as needed, to thin your sauce until it has a smooth, creamy texture.
  • Sea salt – Stir it in to sharpen the sauce’s nutty, lemony taste.

Yum!

Hand using spatula to transfer sesame paste from measuring cup to mixing bowl

How to Make Tahini Sauce

To make this recipe, simply whisk the tahini, lemon juice, garlic, salt, and water together in a bowl until they create a luscious, smooth sauce.

Hand whisking lemon juice into sauce

When you first add the water and lemon juice to the tahini, it will firm up and look something like this:

Hand whisking thick tahini sauce Hand pouring water from measuring cup into bowl

That’s totally normal! Continue whisking for a minute or so, and the ingredients will combine to form a smooth, creamy sauce. If your tahini is dry, or if you prefer a thinner sauce, add more water, as needed, to reach your desired consistency.

Then, taste and adjust your seasonings. If you prefer a brighter sauce, add more lemon. If it is too bitter, stir in 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon maple syrup or honey. And if the flavor is too sharp, mellow it with 1/2 to 1 teaspoon olive oil. Enjoy!

Garlic tahini sauce in a bowl

Tahini Sauce Recipe Variations

Like my cilantro lime dressing, I like to make this dressing in more ways than one. The traditional version is delicious, but these colorful, flavorful variations are fun ways to change it up:

  • Turmeric Tahini – Stir 1/2 teaspoon turmeric, 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger, 1 teaspoon olive oil, and 1 teaspoon maple syrup into the base recipe to make this vibrant, sunny sauce.
  • Beet Tahini – Beets + tahini are a match made in heaven! Make the entire recipe in the food processor, blending a peeled and roasted beet, 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin, and 1/4 teaspoon ground coriander with the base ingredients to give the sauce a sweet, spiced flavor. Add water as necessary to thin.
  • Green Goddess Tahini – Like the beet variation, this super-green sauce comes together in the food processor. I pulse a heaping 3/4 cup fresh cilantro, a heaping 3/4 cup fresh parsley, 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin, 1 teaspoon maple syrup, and 1 teaspoon olive oil into the base recipe ingredients.

Let me know what variations you try!

Pouring tahini sauce from measuring cup into glass jar

Tahini Sauce Serving Suggestions

Tahini sauce is super versatile, and I use it in all sorts of ways in my kitchen. Most simply, I enjoy it as a dip with fresh veggies or pita bread, or I drizzle it over my morning avocado toast. Here are a few more of my favorite ways to use it:

How do you like to use tahini sauce? Let me know in the comments!

4 Tahini Sauce Recipes

If you love this tahini sauce recipe…

Try any of these flavorful sauces or dressings next:

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Tahini Sauce

rate this recipe:
4.89 from 35 votes
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 5 minutes
Serves 4
This easy tahini sauce is versatile and delicious! Drizzle it over grain bowls, salads, falafel, and more. Find my favorite variations in the post above. All keep for up to 1 week in the fridge.

Ingredients

Basic Tahini Sauce

Instructions

  • In a small bowl, stir together the tahini, lemon juice, water, garlic, and salt. Season to taste. If you find the tahini sauce too bitter, add ¼ to ½ teaspoon maple syrup or honey to balance the flavor. If it’s too sharp, add ½ to 1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil to mellow the flavor. If it's too thick, add water, as needed, to reach your desired consistency.
    See the blog post about for the turmeric, beet, and green tahini sauce variations.

Notes

*I prefer these brands of tahini: Cedar’s, Seed + Mill, and Soom.

 

 

70 comments

4.89 from 35 votes (11 ratings without comment)

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Rate this recipe (after making it)




  1. Cici
    09.02.2024

    Haven’t made yet. Can’t find Cedar’s brand anywhere even on company website. Also Soom tahini is jarred and looks thick but the Seed + Nut brand is in a squeezable bottle and labeled as a sauce? Which to use for your recipe? Confusing.

  2. judi crespo
    06.28.2024

    Tahini Sauce recipe. At the end of the ingredients list you say Extra virgi olive oil as needed. When would you add more? Why would you add any?

    • Susan
      07.03.2024

      If you scroll down to the very next paragraph, Instruction #1 answers this: “If it’s too sharp, add ½ to 1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil to mellow the flavor.” 🙂

  3. Justine Roach Desai
    06.26.2024

    5 stars
    I love this recipe! I made the turmeric tahini sauce and it was a nice balance of tangy, sweet, and salty flavors. It reminds me of a similar salad dressing I love from Erewhon market. I used it on a salad and with roasted veggies. I’ll definitely make it again!

    • Phoebe Moore (L&L Recipe Developer)
      06.28.2024

      Hi Justine, I’m so glad you loved it!

  4. Annabel
    05.21.2024

    Hi! How long does this last in the fridge?

  5. Anna
    05.03.2024

    5 stars
    I made it and it was great! I wish I could put a pic here. I put on roasted veggies and fish, it was really good. But this recipe is for way a lot of sause, next time I will make three times less. Thank you!

  6. H Khan
    05.01.2024

    5 stars
    Good basic recipe, have made it multiple times.
    All 6 tb of water at once was a bit messy, so the next time I started with 4 tb and added 1 tb at a time until I got where I wanted (about 7 tb water total).
    Will try tweaking it with black sesame paste that I have for next time.

    • Phoebe Moore (L&L Recipe Developer)
      05.02.2024

      Hi, I’m so glad you’re enjoying the tahini sauce! Great tip to add the water a little at a time.

  7. Amy InNH
    04.26.2024

    3 stars
    I just can’t seem to get this thin. Tasty, but like a paste. More water just made the oil separate out.

    • Jeanine Donofrio
      04.27.2024

      Hi Amy, it will separate when you add the water, if you keep stirring, it’ll eventually come back together.

  8. Shannon
    02.08.2024

    5 stars
    Yum. I just made the green goddess version without paying too much attention to measurements.. I forgot to add the cumin but I threw in a green onion and half a jalapeño I had sitting in the fridge for a bit of a kick. So good!

    • Phoebe Moore (L&L Recipe Developer)
      02.09.2024

      Hi Shannon, so glad you loved it!

  9. Laura
    02.01.2024

    5 stars
    I made this for the first time at Christmas and it was more than awesome! I put it on roasted broccoli along with pomegranet seeds.
    At first I was afraid of all the water the recipe called for, but I followed the recipe and it turned out perfectly. I used Roland brand tahini. I think this would likely be good on roasted carrots and sweet potatoes or sweet potato fries as a dip.

    • Phoebe Moore (L&L Recipe Developer)
      02.02.2024

      Hi Laura, I’m so glad you loved the tahini sauce!

  10. Stacey
    01.09.2024

    Hi Jeanine,

    Could you please tell me where you store your jar of tahini once it has been opened? Is it safe to store in a cupboard or should it go in the fridge?

    Thank you!

    • Phoebe Moore (L&L Recipe Developer)
      01.12.2024

      Hi Stacey, We store it in the fridge!

      • Stacey
        01.12.2024

        Thank you, Phoebe!

  11. Rob wilson
    10.03.2023

    5 stars
    I love Tahini sauce over my Doner kebab, lots of salad and chili sauce

  12. Willa James
    07.31.2023

    5 stars
    I love this recipe. Just made it today for Hummus, and the outcome is fantastic.

    Big thumbs up to you for this brilliant recipe.

    • Jeanine Donofrio
      08.01.2023

      I’m glad you loved it!

  13. Willa James
    07.31.2023

    5 stars
    I love this recipe. Just made it today for Hummus, and the outcome is fantastic.

    Big thumbs up to you for this brilliant recipe.

  14. Carolyn G
    07.17.2023

    5 stars
    It’s true: this is the best and most versatile use of tahini I have found. Love it!

    • Jeanine Donofrio
      07.19.2023

      I’m so glad you enjoyed it!

  15. Ally
    12.05.2022

    5 stars
    Have you ever made your own tahini? I make mine all the time. I buy my white seeds at sprouts because they are super fresh than I roast a huge tray of the at 350 for 20-35 minutes stirring them occasionally so they don’t burn. You need to keep your eye on them.
    When they cool down a bit throw them into a food processor and add salt. After it is completely blended I add a date or two. A bit of sugar cuts down if there is any bitterness. Usually when you make it from scratch it’s not bitter. I have a sweet tooth. Enjoy it’s so delicious

    • Jeanine Donofrio
      12.06.2022

      That sound delicious!

    • Amy Rivera
      12.17.2023

      Great idea Ally, I love the date idea, I plan to try roasting the seeds as you do. Thank you, Amy R

  16. Michelle
    06.27.2022

    5 stars
    Delicious with some harissa added for a bit of heat!

  17. Jonathan Bryans
    05.16.2022

    5 stars
    Basic one was so good….I will discover the other ones later

    Thank you

    • Jeanine Donofrio
      05.18.2022

      I’m so glad you enjoyed!

  18. Nancy
    05.05.2022

    5 stars
    I made your basic tahini sauce to go with some falafel pitas. I served them with the tahini and a cucumber/tomato combo. Delish!
    I can’t wait to make your other tahini recipes.

    • Jeanine Donofrio
      05.07.2022

      I’m so glad you loved it!

  19. McKenzie
    05.03.2022

    I’m totally new to tahini sauce! I prefer lime to lemon, would using lime instead of lemon in the basic sauce work or would it be totally gross?

    • Jeanine Donofrio
      05.04.2022

      Hi McKenzie, I haven’t tried it so I’m really not sure! It’s delicious with lemon though, a classic pairing.

      • Candace
        09.17.2022

        I did this with lime & it was great. Not quite as shard as lemon.

  20. SmittyRaeRae
    04.09.2022

    4 stars
    Felt like the 6 tablespoons of water was a bit much but I always like to follow a recipe as written before changing things. Had it said up to 6 tbls of water I would have been more cautious. Still a good sauce. Next time I’ll just as water to desired consistency.

    • Jeanine Donofrio
      04.11.2022

      Thanks for the tip, I’ll add “up to.” It’s possible my tahini was more thick.

A food blog with fresh, zesty recipes.
Photograph of Jeanine Donofrio and Jack Mathews in their kitchen

Hello, we're Jeanine and Jack.

We love to eat, travel, cook, and eat some more! We create & photograph vegetarian recipes from our home in Chicago, while our shiba pups eat the kale stems that fall on the kitchen floor.